Page 128 of The Lost and the Found

Logan

Most of thepatrons sitting nearby stopped talking and looked over at us. That was how loud Mathew asked the question. I could see all the blood draining from Hayden’s face, and knew she was scared, but I didn’t have time to reassure her. I knew I should have given Mathew a bit of warning before I sprang all of this on him, yet every time I picked up the phone, I lost the courage.

That was why I had been ignoring him.

I stood up. “Mathew, can we talk in private?”

“Talk? You want to talk to me now? There have been many opportunities for you to explain before today.”

Mathew briefly looked to Hayden with his blue eyes—the same eyes as Hayden’s—before turning away. I knew he could see the similarities now. Between him and Hayden, and between Hayden and Michelle.

I reached down and pulled Mathew from his seat. “Come on. Let’s talk.” I turned to her, noting the way she watched us warily. I hated that look in her eyes, and I hated that I was the reason it was there in the first place.

“Hayden, we’ll be back, okay? If the food gets here before we’re back, please start without us. You didn’t eat breakfast, and I don’t want you to miss out on your lunch.”

And then I led Mathew away. He didn’t put up any protest. I think I might have stunned him.

We walked down the long corridor, straight to his office. I closed the door behind us and locked it, not wanting us to get disrupted. And I stayed facing the door for a long while, not ready to face him quite yet.

I fucked up.

I could have handled the situation better, but I didn’t, and I didn’t know how to explain myself to the only father figure I had in my life.

“What’s going on, Logan?” Mathew spoke first, and he sounded tired, yet… there was a tinge of hope in his voice.

I turned around and met his eyes. “I found her.”

He let out a faltering breath and, in the span of one short second, Mathew, the strongest man I knew, broke down right in front of me. He fell down onto the red sofa and covered his face with his hands, his big body shaking with silent tears.

I let him cry.

I knew it must have been quite a shock to see her again after all these years.

We had thought Hayden was lost to us forever. I was so sure her mom had taken her out of Chicago and that she could have been anywhere in the world.

But they stayed here.

Hayden had been here all along.

My eyes burned a bit as I watched him, not saying anything.

“When did you find her?” he asked. He moved his hands away from his face, and I looked away at the sight of his red, slightly puffy eyes. I didn’t think I had ever seen Mathew cry this hard, if at all.

He might have cried when Hayden left, but he didn’t do it in front Veena or me.

“Three months ago,” I said.

Mathew frowned, but he didn’t explode like I thought he would. “Then why the hell are you only bringing her here now? Why did you wait so long?”

“It took me about a month to confirm the Hayden I found was our Hayden. It wasn’t easy, and I didn’t want to approach her and scare her away before I could get that confirmation. In case you haven’t noticed, Hayden doesn’t trust many people. Things happened to her that made her suspicious about everyone.”

“Why? What happened to my—my little girl?” His voice cracked on those last words and I walked over to the couch, taking a seat next to him.

“It’s like she told you. She was on the streets for about three years. That kind of shit affects you, especially if you have to survive it on your own. She’s brave, and strong, but she’s also stubborn, and mistrustful, and prideful. I had to be careful with her.”

“Then what about after, when you earned her trust? It’s obvious she trusts you. She loves you.”

“And I love her.”

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