Not to mention the ramifications to her relationship with Logan.
* * *
“She’s not answering the phone, but I’d lay odds she’s there.” Logan muttered a frustrated curse.
“I don’t like this.” Emma paced the linoleum floor of his office. She’d arrived soon after him, shared coffee, and commiserated over his stint on television and social media. With his friends and colleagues ribbing him, he appreciated her support.
The sun shone brightly through the battered blinds, but Logan barely felt the heat. “I don’t like it, either,” he muttered.
“Call her again.”
“I’ve been calling on the hour since last night.”
Catherine hadn’t answered the phone. She hadn’t returned his calls. And he didn’t think she was coincidentally busy or out of touch.
His once-solitary life had become a recipe for disaster. Catherine, the only woman he’d ever fallen for, was the one woman who shouldn’t be subjected to the indignities of the media. The photo of Logan and Catherine on the beach had gone viral—all in record time. Logan hadn’t realized the public had such a raging interest in his sex life. It would almost be funny if the consequences weren’t so dire.
He grabbed for the phone and punched in her number once more.
“Is she in labor?” To his shock, Catherine’s concerned voice answered after the first ring.
“Cat?”
“Logan. I didn’t check the screen before I answered,” she said.
“You were expecting Kane.” It wasn’t a hard guess.
“Yes.”
He anticipated a strained silence to follow, but she continued to speak instead. “To be honest, now’s not a good time.”
Not that he liked what she had to say. “Gossip stinks, Cat, but it has nothing to do with us.”
He heard a distinctive beep and knew she’d gotten another call on the line. He muttered a curse.
“What’d she say?” Emma asked, leaning too close to the phone.
He shooed her away and she went gracefully, seating herself in the old chair across from his desk. One good thing that had come out of this fiasco was Emma’s new-found grace, dignity, and respect for his private life.
“I’ve got to go,” Catherine said.
“Take the call and come back to me. I’ll hang on.” He knew how important her sister was in her life. Although Logan wouldn’t stand in the way of her obvious fear and concern, he wouldn’t cut her loose without a fight, either.
“I can’t think about myself now.”
The question was would she think about them later or would she use this time to retreat further away? He drew a deep breath, then another, ignoring his hovering grandmother.
He had no choice but to grab opportunity when he had the chance. “Then think about this. I love you.”
Her soft gasp of shock was cut off by the damned insistent call-waiting. “I can’t do this now. I’m sorry. Goodbye, Logan.”
“Just think about it, Cat.”
“I can’t.” The phone intruded again. “I’m hanging up now,” she said before severing the connection.
He snorted in frustration at her use of Emma’s tactic and placed his phone down, his stomach in twisted knots.
“You are going after her, aren’t you? Because I have an idea. We can…”
“Forget it, Gran. I’ll handle this myself.”
“Fine, leave an old lady out of the fun. Deny me my enjoyment in life.” She let out a long-suffering sigh.
He rolled his eyes. “You’ll survive.”
“Well, then, I have a car waiting for me outside.”
“I’ll walk you to the elevator,” Logan said.
“No need. I’d like to hang by the water cooler a while first.”
Logan grinned. “I do love you, Gran.”
Emma smiled. “I love you, too. And so does Catherine.” His grandmother kissed his cheek. “Even if she didn’t say it back.”
He shook his head. “You’re too perceptive, smart, and nosy for my own good.”
“Ah, but I spice up your life.”
“That you do.”
He watched her regal retreat and heard her voice as she mingled with the office staff. Knowing she was occupied, not meddling in his life, gave him time to think about Cat.
Then think about this. I love you, he’d told her. Logan didn’t mind giving her his heart, but if she wanted to accept it, she was going to have to come to him.
* * *
Kayla and Kane had a baby boy. Catherine stretched her feet out in front of her on the plastic-like couch in the hospital waiting room. She hung her head backward, breathing deeply for the first time in what felt like hours.
Her sister had a family of her own now. One that didn’t include her. Oh, they’d never exclude her, and she planned to be the best aunt in the universe to that child, but she wasn’t a part of their immediate family.
Not in the ways that counted. Why did that bother her so much? When had she begun wanting more out of a life she’d thought made her happy?
When she’d met Logan. He’d dredged up her old class-difference insecurities, then set out to overcome them. To make her believe she could have everything in life, even a man from a wealthy family.
She sat up in her seat, realizing she was up to the challenge. Going viral on the Internet and hitting entertainment shows had opened her eyes to a lot of things. So had the birth of this baby.
A new life meant new possibilities. New directions. Catherine could learn from that. She wasn’t defined by her past. So she’d come from a poor background. She’d gotten beyond it. The judge would have to as well because Catherine wasn’t going anywhere.
She wanted all the things in life her sister had found, and she was determined to get them. Her heart still fluttered when she remembered his unexpected words.
I love you.
Well, she loved him, too, and she was damn well going to show him.
* * *
“…the charges against the defendant are dismissed. Court is adjourned.” The judge banged his gavel and strode from the room. After a brief handshake with his ecstatic client, Logan heaved a groan of relief. The case from hell was over.
He tossed things into his briefcase, grateful it was only Tuesday, and he was looking forward to a
