33- Convenient

Everything was finally working out.

Almost. Because there remained one last thing Logan needed to do before he could move forward with a clean conscience. He meant what he’d told Terri. Being a better person was a priority. However, there was one more puzzle piece that needed to be put into place.

After leaving the park bench and driving to her parents’ house, he decided he would tell her the truth that night. She needed to know before they returned to Chicago and the investigation into Bryce moved forward.

Luckily, she accepted his offer to take her to dinner that evening. Which was how they found themselves sitting at the local diner that night, finishing up burgers and fries.

“I’m glad you demanded we come here.” He polished off the strawberry milkshake that she’d declared he had to try.

Her eyes widened. “Demanded?”

Before he could answer, her cell phone rang from in her purse. She barely glanced in its direction.

“You can check it,” he said.

“No.” She shook her head. “I want to talk about what you just said. You said I demanded we come here.”

He shrugged. “I like it when you’re demanding.”

“Hmm.” Though her eyes narrowed, she also grinned. “Those sound like famous last words.”

“I swear, they won’t be.” He held his palms up in surrender. “All that I’m saying is please continue to be your wonderful self, and I’ll be happy.”

Their plates empty and the check paid, they strolled onto the sidewalk. Girard didn’t have too much of a nightlife to speak of, other than the live band playing in a bar across the street, but it didn’t matter. Logan had traveled the world, and right in that moment he couldn’t think of anywhere else he would rather be.

Arm in arm, they walked the block at a leisurely pace.

“What if we go home in the morning?” Terri asked. “Charlie wants us back there soon as possible, and I talked to Mom and Dad’s neighbor. She works at home, and she said she’ll check in on them every day, see if they need anything.”

Logan nodded. A lump had formed in his throat, and he doubted his ability to talk around it. “Sounds good.”

He needed to bring up the matter he’d promised himself he would, but things felt too perfect. Bringing even the slightest hint of darkness to the evening felt like a crime.

Still. She’d find out sooner or later. Better it come from him.

Terri’s cell phone started ringing again. With a frown, she slipped her arm from his and dug into her purse.

“Okay. That’s the second time. Maybe I should see who’s calling.”

They stopped walking as she pulled the phone out.

“It’s Charlie,” she said, swiping to answer. “Hey,” she said into the phone. Her brows knitted. “O-kay. I’m listening.”

A ball of ice formed in Logan’s stomach, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood straight up. Whatever Charlie had called about, it wasn’t good. “What are you…” She shook her head. “Really?”

Her gaze landed on Logan, and he knew it right then. He’d messed up big. The window of opportunity to prove himself to her had passed.

“No,” she said to Charlie, dropping her head down so that Logan couldn’t see her face. “He’s not here. I’ll… Let me call you back later.”

She hung up right away. He probably didn’t even get the chance to say goodbye.

Even though the call was over, Terri stayed with her face down, fingers curled around her phone.

“Tell me something…”

“Of course,” he croaked.

She lifted her head and searched his face in the street light. “When were you going to tell me that you own stocks in Bryce’s real estate company?”

His sharp inhale burned his nose. “I was going to tell you tonight.”

“That’s convenient.”

“I know how it looks.”

“Why should I believe you?” She folded her arms tight across her chest. “I mean, it’s just a bit much, Logan, don’t you think?”

“I didn’t sell the shares yet because it would look suspicious. Bryce would think something was up. You get that, right?”

He had to force his words out through clenched teeth. He was angry, but not at Terri. At himself for screwing everything up. If he’d been honest with her a little earlier, this mess could have been avoided.

“I understand.” She closed her eyes, a brief moment passing. When she opened them again, tears shone there. “What I don’t get is why you didn’t tell me. That’s the thing that looks suspicious to me.”

“I was—”

“Stop.” She took a couple steps back, her heels kissing the top of the curb. “What’s up with you and Bryce? Hm? Are you even planning on helping me and Charlie, or are you here to keep us distracted while you and Bryce brush your shit under the rug?”

“No, I…” He paused and sighed. What could he say to show her how much he cared for her?

To show her how much he loved her?

“Please,” he whispered. “Believe me when I say I’m putting everything out in the open.”

Her lips trembled. “I can’t. There’s nothing there for me to go on, Logan. For all I know, you knew I had been kidnapped because you own that trafficking ring alongside Bryce.”

The words made his blood run cold. “Terri, do you even hear yourself? It’s me.”

“I don’t know you,” she hissed. “We established that in Vietnam, remember? And for some stupid reason I forgot it, but now you’ve knocked some reality into me. So thank you for that.”

With that, she spun around and took off down the street at a fast walk.

“Terri!” He jogged after her for a few steps, but then stopped. If he went after her it might just look aggressive.

She had every right to draw the conclusions she had and think the things she did. The truth had come out with the most ironic and unfortunate timing possible, and it had cost him dearly.

Maybe he deserved it. Terri was kind and pure. Hold her up next to him and he looked like evil incarnate. He wanted to be better for her, but so far, he was failing terribly.

Would he ever be able to show her he meant everything he’d said? She was the reason he wanted to be better. For the first time in his whole life, he woke up wanting to make another person smile. At one in a million, he couldn’t let her slip away.

And he wouldn’t. He’d find a way to show her he could be the man she deserved.

No matter what it took.