Chapter 24
Chapter 24
A/N: Hi all, thank you for reading this far. I want to let you know I will try to update this story as much as I can, but I should let you know, I work full-time and I'm currently studying. This means my writing doesn't get as much attention as I would like to give it. I am a little ahead on the chapters, which gives me some breathing room, but please do be patient with me.
Chapter 24
Megan
Sara and Lorraine look at me once Logan leaves. The questions swirling in their mind are evident by their facial expressions. While they’re contemplating asking me their questions, I decide to pull my outfit out for drinks with them.
When we’d finished our swim, Courtney told me that Logan had meant to ask me out on a date. I didn’t believe her at first, but it had been playing on my mind. Why didn’t he ask if he wanted to? My answer would have been a yes after talking to him. We need to discuss what happened in the Hamptons and what our ultimate goal is here. If we are to get back together, I want to take it slow. Not that my actions agree with what I want.
I’d noticed Logan halfway through my set, and it took everything in me not to look at him the entire time. He’s wearing a dark navy suit with a blood-red shirt and a black tie. I’m not sure how he does it, but he draws my attention to him no matter what. Logan in a suit is sinful.
“Are you two back together?” Sara finally asks.
“No, we are….” I trail off as I try to think of what we are. I undo the straps of my dress and reach for my bralette as it drops.
I feel both sets of eyes on my back as I put on my bra. Over the years, I’ve become comfortable with my body and my scars. Some days are hard, but I do what Sara told me to do all those years ago. I tell myself I’m beautiful no matter what. Ella even joins in when I do her hair in the mirror. It was tough when she started asking me questions about my scars, but I was honest and told Ella that an evil man did it, and that man is no longer in my life. I look fondly on that day when I decided to tell her, how she told me that she’d always keep me safe and that she’s happy to have a strong mommy. It makes me tear up just thinking about her reaction.
“We’re figuring it out,” I settle on.
“When's your next therapy session?” Sara asks. She stopped my sessions with her when she moved in with my dad. She said it wasn’t ethical for her to be my therapist while she was romantically involved with him. She wanted to stop the sessions around the time they started dating, but I didn’t want to. I now only have a session once a month.
“I’ve requested to have one tomorrow afternoon,” I state as I pull on my black pleated skirt. “After what happened over the weekend with the guy in my apartment and then this stuff with Logan. I think I need one,” I say and pull on my over-the-knee boots.
“What happened with Logan?” Sara asks. I look at her like she’s stupid.
“Isn’t it obvious?” I ask. Sara frowns in response and looks at Lorraine.
“Megan tried it on with him after the whole stalker thing, he rejected her, well, not technically, more he wasn’t comfortable because she was drunk. Then she told him she still loves him, and she thinks she’s pathetic because of it. He told her what she said when she was sober, to admit that he was a coward and that the overdose he had was purposeful. Then he told her he loves her,” Lorraine sums up, and I can’t help but gape at her. “He told David, and David told me,” she clarifies.
“Oh my god,” I say, moving my hands to my face and then moving them through my hair.
“David tells me everything,” Lorraine states.
“What else do you know?” I ask. Lorraine slowly smiles and shakes her head.
“You don’t want to know, but anything Logan tells David, David tells me.”
“Great,” I say, standing up and grabbing my jacket.
“So you have a lot to work out,” Sara states. I nod and follow them out of my dressing room.
\---
To say my dad isn’t happy about Logan joining us is an understatement. He has thankfully kept his opinions to himself or out of earshot of Logan and me. We had decided to go to a cocktail bar not far from the club.
“Give me a break,” I hear Logan mutter at my side. I frown and look at him. He has his hands in his pockets and his head down.
“What’s wrong”? I ask.
“Paparazzi,” he says. I look around and notice two men pointing a camera at us.
“You have your own stalkers,” I say with a small smile.
“Now you know why I don’t walk anywhere,” he adds. “More will show up. They’re like moths to a flame,”
“It can’t be all bad,”
“I don’t mind them when I’m by myself or with people like Carl, but when I’m with family, I hate it,”
“I get that,” I fold my arms as there is a slight breeze.
“Are you cold?” he asks and goes to take his suit jacket off. I stop him.
“No, I’m fine.” I steer the conversation back to what we were talking about. “Whenever you’re with someone, they’re going to follow you because that’s where the story is; that’s when they’ll get the money-making picture.”
“True,” Logan states and moves his hand into mine. I frown and look down at our hands. “Why not give them something to photograph? Maybe the rumours of me being on the next Bachelor will end,” he tells me, and I chuckle a little.
“Using me now,” I say.
“Never,” he states, and I notice the photographers come closer to us.
\---
I think if we weren’t in a public place right now, my dad would have killed Logan, given the looks he’s been giving him. Before we got to the cocktail bar, I had to explain to Logan that Sara has a habit of setting me up with random men, much to my father’s disapproval. I’m not sure what my dad thinks when it comes to me and relationships. Sara says he just wants to protect me, but I’m an adult; I can protect myself. If I make a mistake, then I’ll learn from it.
“What about that guy?” Sara asks me. I look away from my phone to where Sara is looking. An average-height man with dark blonde hair in a pale blue long-sleeve top. I frown and shake my head. “Why not? He’s cute,” she states. I look at her and see Lorraine and my dad both looking at me. Logan has gone to get a drink.
“He’s shorter than me,” I say.
“So?”
“I’ll never be able to wear heels with him,”
“Yeah, you would,” Lorraine states.
“No, I like tall men,” I say. “Plus, I’m enjoying being single,” I state.
“You’re always single,” Sara mumbles, causing me to smile.
“No, I go on dates,”
“No, you don’t, only when Courtney makes you,”
“Ok, if I meet someone tonight and arrange a date with them, will you leave this alone for a little while?”
“If you go on a date with them,” Sara clarifies. I nod in agreement, as that’s the only rule she’s given.
“So, any guy we see tonight?” I ask. She nods and grins happily like she just won the ultimate prize. I’m not sure why it is so crucial for me to be with someone. Courtney is the same when it comes to pushing me to date. When I say I enjoy being single, it’s the truth. All I need is my baby girl and my family. A relationship isn’t essential.
Logan sits back at the table with a tray of drinks. He frowns and looks between us all as the table has gone quiet.
“What’s going on?” he asks.
“Nothing,” David says quickly. It’s not like David to lie to Logan.
“Sara is trying to set me up with someone,” I say to him. He nods a little and takes a sip of his scotch. I take my cocktail and take a sip just to test the flavour. I’ve gone with a strawberry daiquiri as I’m less likely to get drunk from a couple. I’m not a lightweight, but I could be dancing on a table after a couple, depending on the cocktail.
“And by the look on her face, she’s succeeded?” he asks.
“No, I agreed to go on a date with someone in exchange; she will stop pestering me to find someone,” I explain.
“I see,” he takes a sip of his drink and looks at me. “Do you wanna dance?” he asks suddenly. I look out at the dancing couples to see that it’s a slower song playing. Nodding, I place my hand in his offered one and slide out of the booth. I don’t miss the disapproving look from my father.
Logan places a hand at my waist; his fingers graze the skin revealed between my skirt and top. We move through the crowd of dancers, so we’re further from our table. Pulling me close, he presses my chest against his. I look up at him as I move my hand up towards his arm, across his shoulder to the back of his neck. His eyes close as he takes a deep breath before opening and staring back at me. The look he’s giving me takes my breath. Maybe we shouldn’t be this close to each other.
“You never gave me an answer,” he says as he moves closer to my ear.
“What was your question?”
“Will you go on a date with me?” he asks after a couple of seconds. I smile a little and look up at him.
“You seem to make a habit of asking me possible life-changing questions while dancing with me,” I state.
“If it helps, it wasn’t my plan to propose to you like that.”
“Oh?” I ask curiously.
“I was going to do it more privately, but Carl convinced me that it would be better to do it then,” he explains. “He said you’d want to dance with me at some point at your own prom. When I saw you sitting at the table watching everyone dance, I realised he was right,”
“Carl is a romantic at heart,” I say as I look around the bar. I notice my father dancing with Sara. He glances at us before Sara takes his attention away. I smile and turn back to Logan.
“Tomorrow I’m free for lunch,” I state. “We can talk, and then go from there,” I say cautiously. I know what my heart wants, but I need to take things slow with him. Otherwise, I’m going to get hurt, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to pick myself back up again if I do.