Page 24 of Coff

I don’t look back. I run out of the office and out the back. Logan is sitting on the couch in the pool house, hair still wet from the shower. When he sees me, he smiles.

The idea of not being with this man hurts my heart.

“You were gone a while, so I jumped in the shower real quick,” he says.

“Sorry. After I talked to my brother, I talked to my father.”

He sits up taller. “Oh, how did that go?”

I smile and take his hand. “Would you consider living here in California?”

He frowns. “Your dad doesn’t want you to leave?”

“He doesn’t, but it’s more than that. I think I might feel guilty leaving Mom behind.”

Logan looks up. “What does she do? Does she work for the company, too?”

“No. She stays in her room a lot. She’s been depressed for years.”

He reaches out and cups my face. “I’m sorry. That must be hard.”

“It is.”

He sighs. “Tell you what, let’s both take some time to think about where we should live, whether it be California, Virginia, or somewhere in between. All right?”

“All right.”

He pulls me into his arms, and while this should be a happy moment for me, all I can think of is my brother’s words, and I wonder if my father will try to tighten the reins. I already live at home. What else could he do?

CHAPTER7

Logan

The next two days are almost perfect. Delaney and I are spending every moment together, planning our future. The only problems are her father glaring at me whenever he sees me and this bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I don’t think it would be a good idea to live near Rocky, but a future without Delaney doesn’t seem possible.

If that man has any concerns about my intentions, I’ll put those to rest soon. Tonight, I’m going to propose. When Delaney told me we would have the house to ourselves, I changed my plan to propose on New Year’s Eve to tonight. It will be a very romantic evening, complete with champagne, flowers, and chocolate. Fortunately, she didn’t ask too many questions when I told her I needed to borrow her car to run into town for a couple of things.

First, I buy the dress clothes I had intended for the party. Then I pick up some champagne. After securing it in the back seat so it won’t roll when I drive, I pull out of the liquor store parking lot and head to the grocery store. But then I spot Rocky walking into a building.

I’d hoped to talk to him privately before I proposed, and this looks like my opportunity. I find a spot on the street to park and jog back the block or so to the building. As I approach it, I read the name decal on the door. Attorney at law. I stop. I can’t go barging in on a private meeting like this.

I check the time and figure I have at least thirty minutes before I canaccidentallyrun into him outside. Of course, I need a reason why I’m here. I get the impression Rocky wouldn’t appreciate a stalker. Not that I am. Oh, hell, that’s exactly what I’m doing.

I stare up and down the street. There is nothing here I could claim to be doing.

A car pulls into the lot of the next building over and drives behind it. Huh. Maybe there are more businesses back there. I walk toward the rear of the building, noting it doesn’t have any windows on this side.

I’m a foot away from the corner when I hear voices. One familiar voice, Delaney’s father.

I stop, not sure if I should turn back and forge ahead with my plan of running into him.

“You sure there won’t be any problems?” Rocky asks someone.

“Clive’s men are prepared if there are,” another man replies.

“Good. And make sure they don’t turn over a single pill until they are paid,” Rocky says.

“They know the drill.”

---