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Chapter Three
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2022-06-02 05:07:36Present Day
Maddy laughed and scooted the snot-filled envelope off my desk and into a trash can. “You have a pen?” she asked, setting the unsigned waiver on the desk. I fished her one out of a drawer and went to open the last email in my inbox. It was my daily news and I nearly punched my laptop screen because of the headline article.
“What?” Maddy asked as I made an angry growl at the offending article. I turned the screen to face her. Logan Hayes and his brother's smiling faces filled the screen with the headline “Hayes Family Donates Millions to Mayoral Candidate.”
“Ah, Logan Hayes again. He is a good-looking man,” she said appreciatively, taking in the image. I glared at her and she clarified, “A jerk, but a handsome one.”
She was, of course, right. Maddy was always right. Logan Hayes was incredibly good-looking. It was part of his charm. He was tall with broad shoulders and an easy smile that was made to be photographed. Both he and his brother had short honey-colored curls; Logan's were always messy while Aiden's tended to be slicked back and controlled. They could have been movie stars with their looks.
And acting ability, I thought snidely to myself.
“You aren't helping.” I glared at Maddy as she continued to inspect the handsome men. She just laughed and handed me the freshly-signed waiver. The paper crinkled slightly in my hand; seeing his picture was making my vision go red again and I was taking it out on another piece of paper.
“You should get going. Tyler's probably worn a hole down to China with his pacing.” She stopped looking at the evil photograph and went to the window, peering out at the ocean view like she might see Tyler out there. “I really, really appreciate you taking him jet-skiing. And for bringing him on this trip. He's been having a rough time, and he still hasn't made any friends-”
“Maddy,” I interrupted, standing up and putting a hand on her shoulder, “I know. I'm really glad he could come with us. He's actually smiling and talking today.”
“Isn't it great?” she turned, hope in her eyes. The past year had been hard on her and Tyler. Things had gone downhill with her ex-husband, and she and Tyler had been forced to move. Things at Tyler's new school weren't going well. He was a shy, geeky eleven-year-old middle schooler in a new school system. I hadn't seen him smile like this in months.
“We're going to have a blast,” I told Maddy. “This whole week, we're going to have a good time. Maybe with a little bit of sun and fun, he'll go back happier and be able to make some friends.”
“I hope so. He’s just lost all his confidence, you know?” Maddy peered out the window again, eyes going past the ocean and back to her problems at home. “I just worry about him. I can't believe his father did this to us. To him.”
“It's not your fault, and Tyler knows that.” I turned her to face me, giving her a version of the speech I gave her at home whenever she felt guilty about the divorce and her son. “Tyler's whole world just crumbled around him. With his dad running off, the divorce, moving, and then just the fact that he's eleven and in a new school, life is going to be rough. But he's going to be okay. This trip-and getting to hang out with people who love him even when his voice cracks-is going to be good for him.”
“I just feel like a bad mom,” Maddy said quietly, not meeting my gaze. My heart squeezed in my chest for my best friend.
“You are anything but a bad mom, Maddy.” I hugged her close. “You love your son. You are doing everything you can to help him with this. He's a good kid. He'll make it through. Middle school is rough for just about everybody.”
Maddy hugged me back. I could feel her pulling strength into herself again. She never let Tyler see this side of her. Only me. She wanted to be strong for Tyler, and I, in turn, was strong for her. She let me go and made sure I had the waiver in my hand. “I feel better. Do you?”
“Yes. And now that you've managed to effectively distract me from my rage toward Logan Hayes, I'm going to go meet your son,” I said as she gave me a cheesy grin. She had known I would comfort her and forget my anger. She was such a mom. I shook my head at her and smiled. “Go get that massage. My treat.”
“Thanks, boss. You two have fun. And don't let him show off too much,” she warned, walking me to the door.
“He's a junior high school boy. I don't think that's going to be possible,” I responded, trying to keep a straight face as we stepped out into the hallway. “If there's a cute girl on the beach, I'm completely doomed.” Maddy's laugh echoed down the hall as I headed off toward the dock to meet Tyler.
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I walked quickly up the path to the dock where Tyler was supposed to meet me. He was standing patiently next to the storage shed, petting a dog and talking to a man whose back was to me. I admired the back of the attractive male form for a moment, taking in the broad shoulders and muscled frame under a skintight rash guard shirt. His board shorts were low slung and accentuated a perfect ass. I hoped that this delightful male specimen would be joining us and that his front was as attractive as his back. I could use a little vacation romance.“Hey, Tyler,” I called out as I approached. “You ready?”Tyler raised his hand and grinned at me. The man he was talking to turned around and I nearly ate asphalt as I momentarily forgot how to walk. His front was as handsome as his back, all right. But that was because he was also Logan Hayes.“Olivia Statler,” he greeted me with a smile. “It's a pleasure to see you again.”“What the hell are you doing here?” I sputtered, trying to keep my temper
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The world was a beautiful shade of blue, like a robin's egg, but with swirls of white that made me think of cotton candy. I heard Tyler's voice, full of panic and fear, but it was very far away. Pain rushed through me, but it was as if I had never experienced it before and wasn't sure what pain was. My thoughts were dull and foreign as I slowly came back to myself.“Olivia, can you hear me?” A deep, masculine voice asked. I knew that voice. I loved that voice. No, I hated that voice. That voice belonged to Logan Hayes.I quickly righted myself so I was no longer looking up at the sky to find myself bobbing in the ocean. Logan had been holding my shoulders to keep me floating above the waves since I didn't have my life jacket on and had been out cold. As I sat up, he released me and I had to remember to tread water to keep my head from going under again. There was a splash as Tyler tossed me my life jacket and I clung to it so I wouldn't have to swim. My head was pounding.“Of course I
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Logan carefully followed Tyler to the dock where the attendant quickly took our keys and called the resort infirmary and told them to be expecting us. Logan lifted me from the seat to the dock, where my knees threatened to buckle as soon as I landed. He had his arm around me before I even had a chance to sag. I didn't want to, but I held onto his muscled arm. Just for balance, I told myself, not because it's so nice to hold on to.Tyler came to my other side and wrapped my other arm over his shoulder. He was still too short for the action to work as intended, but it was such a sweet gesture, I didn't say anything. He puffed out his chest and helped carry me to the employee golf cart, even though it was Logan who was doing most of the work.Together, the two of them got me settled as the jet-ski attendant hopped in the driver's seat and sped us all to the infirmary. It was only a short drive, but Tyler held onto me like I might go flying out of the cart at any moment. When we stopped,
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The three of us walked quietly along the manicured path back to the main building. The wind had picked up, but it was still warm as the sun prepared to dip her toes into the ocean below. I couldn't believe the day was almost over. With all the excitement, I had completely lost track of time.“Are you going to the welcome banquet tonight?” Logan asked as we rounded one of the resort pools. No one was swimming, but the water rippled gently in the breeze as we passed.“Yes,” I replied hesitantly. I had already planned on going with Tyler and Maddy, but the idea of him being there made me a little queasy. Despite all Logan’s help today, I still didn't trust him. Once burned, twice shy. I wasn't about to let him ruin me again, even if he did save me from drowning.“I'll see you there, then,” he said with a grin. “Take care of her, Tyler.”Tyler nodded, tightening his grip around my arm, which was still draped over his shoulder, even though I was perfectly capable of walking on my own. “You
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I checked my hair in the mirror one last time before opening the door to leave. My injury was barely visible, but I was surprised my ears weren't still red from the lecture Maddy had given me. She delivered a talking to that would have made my own mother pat her on the back for a job well done.I had followed Tyler's advice and apologized profusely, promising never to take my life jacket off again, and then hugged her. She had stared at me for a moment before hugging me back like I had just been resurrected from the dead, but that was the end of the lecture.Smoothing one last flyaway strand of dirty-blonde hair up into my loose bun, I felt pleased with my overall appearance. I wore a light blue chiffon dress with a sparkly rhinestone belt that hid a multitude of sins but still showed my curves. It was casual and elegant at the same time. Maddy had suggested that I put my hair up with this dress, and I had to admit that with the addition of some dangling earrings, I looked pretty darn
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“I think this calls for a toast,” Noah said, motioning to the bartender in the corner. The bartender quickly hurried over carrying a tray with six champagne flutes. He handed a specific one to Tyler.“This one is sparkling cider,” the bartender explained to Maddy as she reached out to take it before Tyler could.“Could I get a cider, too? I'm not supposed to have anything alcoholic today,” I asked the bartender with a blush. He nodded, and once his tray had only the one champagne glass, hurried back to the bar to return with one filled with cider.“To Tyler, the hero of the island,” Logan announced once I had my glass.“To Tyler,” everyone echoed, raising their glasses. Tyler's grin threatened to split his face in half. This certainly was a vacation that he was never going to forget.As we sipped our champagne, a man in a white uniform and chef hat stepped into the center of the room. “Dinner is served,” he announced.Two tables rolled in behind him and were added to the buffet table
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The sky was solid gray. There were no individual clouds; it was just a jelled block of achromatic gray. As we walked along the ocean's edge, the water seemed strangely calm as it lapped against the sandy beach. It was almost as if the sea was expending its energy elsewhere. It seemed possible, as according to the resort's weather report the storm was still safely north and supposed to miss the entire island completely.Up ahead, I could see a boy playing fetch with a dog, the two of them bounding through the waves and spraying water under their feet. The boy looked familiar, and as I came closer, I realized it was Tyler. I hadn't seen him since breakfast, where we had decided that neither one of us was really interested in snorkeling with the sky so dark. Without the sunshine, the colors of the fish and coral would be muted and dull. There were plenty of other things that we each wanted to do more than look at gray fish.“Tyler?” I called out to the boy as I came closer. When his head
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The ocean breeze is soft against my skin. The water is calm this time, and the sky is blue. I would almost call it a perfect day, except that in my mind, the perfect day here involved a hurricane.But that was a whole year ago.Today is about celebrating. Celebrating that storm and how it brought Logan and I together.“You ready?” Maddy asks, adjusting the straps of her sundress one last time.“I am,” I say. I take a deep breath.“All right, then, let's get this party started.” She grins and takes my hand as we step onto the beach. The wind makes the hem of my dress flutter around my ankles. It's nothing fancy, just a white cotton sundress that is comfortable and soft. There is beauty in simplicity. There's no need to impress anyone with designer labels or couture gowns. We are here just for us.The sun is almost painfully bright, but I don't care. I can see him. He is like a beacon, shining softly, yet almost more brightly, than the sun itself. He's standing next to his brother and a
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I finally found Logan in the spa lobby. When the resort officially opened, this lobby would be busy with vacationers coming to get massages and pedicures, but with just us few travel agents and a hurricane in full force, the lobby was empty and quiet. It was the perfect place to be alone.Logan was looking at a picture hanging on the main wall, his hands resting behind his back. The ocean, calm and gentle, filled the frame. Blues and greens that exemplified a tranquil, tropical, and relaxing vacation getaway stood in stark contrast with the howls and shrieks of the wind outside.I knew he could hear my footsteps on the bamboo flooring, but he didn't move. I stood beside him, examining the picture. The only indication that he knew I was there was the slight stiffening of his body. He didn't move to leave, though.“Tyler sent me to find you,” I finally said, breaking the silence between us. “He didn't get to say thank you.”“He doesn't need to,” he replied.“He doesn't see it that way,”
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“Roger that, Olivia.” Dr. James' voice crackled over the connection. I could hear Maddy crying in the background. “I'm in the lobby. Bring him home.” “Spock?” Tyler's feeble voice asked, his head lifting to search for his beloved dog. “He's here. We got him, too,” Logan told him. “We got you both. You're safe now.” Tyler relaxed his head onto Logan's shoulder, but he kept his death grip on Logan's raincoat. Logan's eyes met mine for a brief moment. Their depths reflected the simultaneous relief and urgency I knew were in mine. Without another word, Logan turned and moved quickly back down the hallway toward the main lobby. Spock was right behind them, eyes up on Tyler's feet. One of his ankles didn't hang correctly and was already swelling. I swallowed down the lump in my throat as I scrambled after them, hoping that the obviously broken ankle was the worst of Tyler's injuries. The storm howled against the tunnel and the lights flickered, but we didn't stop. Logan followed the pat
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“The hurricane currently pounding on the shores of Antigua and the surrounding islands has been upgraded to a Category 2 hurricane with wind speeds approaching a hundred and ten miles per hour. The storm is dissipating as it moves further South, but conditions are still considered to be dangerous. Residents are advised to stay indoors in a safe location. Power outages and flooding are expected in many areas...”I stared at the TV screen, not really hearing the reporter's words or even seeing the map. The room was dark except for the glowing screen, and I was simply focused on the light. I wasn't sure how long I had been sitting here, staring at nothing and hating myself, but enough time had passed that the gray light was gone from the windows.I kept seeing Logan's crumple, seeing the ache and betrayal in his eyes, seeing his broad shoulders slumping as he broke. All I could hear were the tightness in his voice and the loss and pain that echoed through in the pauses between his words.
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“What do I do, Maddy?” I felt a tear run down my cheek. I turned from the window to face her. “I like him, and I know he likes me. A lot. How do I go downstairs and say, ‘Hey, thanks for the fantastic sex and deep conversations, but for business reasons, we’re going to have to stop seeing each other.’”“You say just that. Maybe a little more nicely,” she offered with a smile.“I don't want to hurt him,” I whispered. Even though he had once hurt me, I didn't want to turn around and do the same. Once, not that long ago, I would have relished this opportunity. But now … now, I hated it. I slid to the floor and leaned against the wall. I could feel the strength of the storm outside as it pummeled the siding.“You have a choice to make, then,” Maddy stated logically. “Logan Hayes, billionaire playboy representing your biggest competition, or the business you built with your own blood, sweat, and tears. The business that feeds not only my son and me, but six other women's families? The comp
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I slid my key card into the door and waited for the green light to flash in recognition. I never trusted these electronic hotel locks. I had accidentally stored one too many of them in the same pocket as my phone so that they were demagnetized.“Where were you all day yesterday?” Maddy asked, startling me. I nearly missed the green light because I was too busy bumping my head against the ceiling. “And in the same clothes no less?”“Maddy, you scared me,” I told her, putting a hand to my thumping heart. The little jolt of adrenaline raced through me. “What are you doing here?”“Just walking by.” Maddy came right up next to me, peering into my face and then bursting out in a big grin. “I was right. You've been with someone.”“What?” I chuckled nervously. I wasn't ready for this conversation yet. I hadn't had my coffee, and while Logan's kiss was the best way to wake up, I wasn't ready to face the wrath of Momma Maddy without my caffeine. “I have no idea what you're talking about.”Maddy
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Gray light seeped through the edges of the boarded-up window, but instead of making Logan’s room seem gloomy, it simply made me sleepy. I guessed it must still be early morning, but with the storm hiding the sun, it was difficult to tell. A gust of wind shook the boards on the windows, but they were locked down tight. So far, the hotel had withstood the force of the hurricane as if it were nothing more than a summer breeze. Noah had done a good job.I rolled to my side, expecting to find a warm body to cuddle up against. Instead, I found empty sheets. The space was cold. Logan was long gone from the bed. A moment of panic washed over me, but peeking out through the doorway, I could see the glow of a computer screen in the other room. I instantly relaxed. He was just working. I could understand that. The man ran a multibillion-dollar travel company; he had to work sometime.I reached out to the nightstand and checked my smartphone. It was only a little after eight in the morning, but t
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“Maddy must be wondering where I am,” I mused out loud. I hoped she just thought I was napping.“I won't tell if you don't,” Logan replied, sitting down on the edge of the bed and handing me a menu. “I'm not sure she likes me all that much.”“She's just being protective of me, and until you explained everything, she had good reason,” I told him. “She's kind of a best friend, guard dog, mom and secretary all rolled into one smart lady.”“She doesn't have to worry. I wouldn't hurt you for the world. And, I can't tell you how sorry I am for the last time.” His face grew serious. “I knew then just how amazing you were, and I should have called you that morning and never stopped. My father and his company be damned.”“You already got me into your bed. You don't have to keep charming me,” I said with a smile. He relaxed his shoulders and grinned.“Maybe I want more than you just in my bed.”I looked up from the menu with wide eyes. Did he mean what I thought he meant? I didn't think we were
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Rain pulsed against the window like the heart of a living creature. I could imagine that there was nothing outside of this room but a monster of rain and wind. I reveled in the idea of spending eternity like this, trapped with Logan in the pit of the monster's stomach where no one could find us.Logan's long fingers traced the curve of my spine as I closed my eyes and focused on his touch. I lay on my front, bedsheets tangled around my feet as he sat beside me, admiring my skin. I couldn't remember feeling this satiated or relaxed in forever.“God, you are so beautiful,” he whispered. The compliment made me blush with pleasure. Logan's lips caressed my shoulder, his kiss soft and appreciative.I rolled over, propping my head on my hand to look at him. I smiled. Based entirely on the way he was looking at me, I believed him. His eyes held so much life and emotion, I was sure I would drown in them. I was torn between languid happiness and shock that I had allowed this to happen. Once ag
