For all their posturing and arguing, there’d never been a time when he’d completely removed himself from his family. Physically, yes, he’d moved out. Mentally, he was on his own. But emotionally, he’d clung to the hope that one day he’d have the solid family he’d always wanted.
His father grew pale beneath his golfing tan. He grabbed for the wall behind him for support and Logan reached for his father. “Dad?” He’d never had cause to question his father’s health before and fear paralleled his anger.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” His father regained his composure quickly as well as his angry pallor. “The woman ingratiated herself with a senile old woman so she could end up exactly where she is now. In your bed.”
Disappointment and regret lanced through Logan. His father would never see the truth any more than he would accept what was important in life. “Goodbye, Dad.”
“Son, consider your future. You don’t have to ruin your life just to thwart me. Think. Family unity is important. I know that. Why do you think I found a way to use your… lifestyle to our advantage? This photo opportunity would have set you up as the Montgomery who relates to the common man. As usual, you destroyed my efforts. But I tried. You need to do the same.”
Logan shook his head. “If family unity is so important to you, you do the thinking. Think about everything I said here today because I meant it. Give up the need to control me and accept my life. Accept Catherine.”
The judge grunted. “Her appeal will wear thin,” he said, but for the first time, he didn’t sound so certain.
“Never.”
“You have too much of your grandmother in you,” he muttered. “You realize you have the media waiting. What do you intend to tell them?”
“The truth.”
Without another word, Edgar walked out the door.
Logan shook his head. He wished things could be different, but he couldn’t dwell on it now. He had a life to reclaim as his own. By the time he was through, who Logan Montgomery was and where he was headed would be clear to everyone.
Including Catherine.
Chapter Eleven
Catherine’s head hurt and she could say for certain it was from stress. Along with her assistants, she’d spent the afternoon creating centerpieces for the next day’s party. The small studio she and Kayla had rented for Pot Luck’s place of business was filled to bursting. All that work should have left her spent, especially since she’d gotten little sleep the night before.
Her body still tingled in the places Logan had touched. She shivered at the memory, then decided she obviously wasn’t exhausted enough if she had the ability to think about, let alone react to, the thought of making love with Logan.
Determined to forget, Catherine retrieved the flour and then pulled the milk and eggs out of the refrigerator. Sugar and water came next. After this morning’s nightmare with the media, she was so worked up, she would probably end up with enough food to feed the entire apartment building. She’d settle for feeding Nick and his fiancée who lived across the hall.
She began mixing the ingredients with a wire whisk and a harder hand than necessary. Never mind that Nick’s crepes could put hers to shame, enthusiasm and surplus energy had to count for something.
The ring of her cell didn’t startle her. She’d been getting calls every thirty minutes for the better part of the evening. Logan had called five times so far, according to her cell. She’d listened to his concerned message once. She didn’t want to speak to Logan and she wasn’t ready to hear his voice again.
Not until the embarrassment faded. Not until she could understand how a family could set each other up and not care about the outcome. She and Logan had never seriously discussed the future, but even if they had, Catherine didn’t know if she could accept living in a fishbowl, never certain when the next incident would spring up to humiliate her. The only positive thing about today was her confrontation with Judge Montgomery. At least she’d left him feeling like his equal, not just the hired help he’d demeaned at the party last week.
She continued mixing the batter, slowly adding more milk. She already had the fresh blueberry sauce sitting in a bowl beside the cooktop, ready to go. She wiped her itchy nose with the back of her hand and wondered what her mama would say if she knew Catherine had willingly walked away from the man she loved. You’d be a fool to let that man go, Catherine Ann.
Of course, Mama had lived and died by that particular axiom, Catherine thought. And she refused to become a replica of her mother, pretending to be better than she was and pining for a man she couldn’t have. Or in this case, shouldn’t have. It all amounted to the same thing. Logan Montgomery meant pain and heartache.
The sound of the doorbell came as a welcome reprieve from being alone with her thoughts. She swung the door open wide. “Your stomach is huge, Nick. I said I’d call when the crepes were…” Her voice trailed off as she caught sight of her visitor. “Logan.”
“Obviously, you were expecting someone else. Sorry to disappoint you.”
He could never disappoint her. Even with two days’ razor stubble and a weariness etched into his eyes she’d never seen before, he was still the answer to her every dream. Too bad she’d been brought crashing into reality, or she’d be more receptive to the fantasy. “What can I do for you?” she asked.
He propped one arm
