“Cassandra?”

I couldn’t look back. I needed space…from everyone. I ambled forward desperate to find my car and disappear. My car? Damn. Logan drove. I shook my head, and buried my face in my hands as I leaned over the hood of a stranger’s beat-up truck.

“I’m…I’m sorry, you should go back in.” I stammered, failing to keep myself together. “Get to know Julia’s boyf—” I couldn’t say it. The anger and disgust consumed me more and more the longer I remained there so I stood straight and began walking.

When I reached Logan’s vehicle, I stopped and closed my eyes, attempting to calm my shaky breath before facing Logan.

“Sweetheart, talk to me?” he murmured, reaching out his hand and placing it over my shoulder from behind me.

“I’m fine.” My voice cracked so I cleared my throat. It was awkward and loud but so was the last five minutes. “Please, just take me home.” I fought to hold my composure

Logan opened the passenger door for me. My gaze focused down at the pavement when the prick of warm tears began building in my eyes. Damn it, not now.

I climbed inside, relieved when after a hesitant moment standing at my door, Logan shut it and walked around to the driver’s seat. He glanced over at me once he was situated in his seat, opening his mouth but closed it again, and started the engine. He sighed as it purred to life, putting it in gear without a single word.

Awkwardly, I shifted in my seat, staring blankly out the window, pretending not to notice his worried glances. Twenty long, grueling minutes of complete silence left me trapped in my self-deprecating thoughts.

As we pulled into my driveway, I sat numbly while he turned off the engine. A few minutes passed before I turned in my seat and noticed his hands still gripping the steering wheel. Unable to find the right words to break the unbearable tension I’d caused, I only felt worse. He continued staring out the windshield for a moment longer before finally speaking.

“Cassandra…”

“I hate him.” I muttered unexpectedly, appalled at my own words. I’d never said it aloud before, it just spilled out.

Tear stung my eyes, but I fought against them, wiping my fingers across my lids.

“Talk to me, sweetheart,” he murmured, reaching out and gently taking my hand.

“Mark and I…we were together over five years.” I began, inhaling sharply and turning to look back out my window. I couldn’t bear to look at him. I wasn’t even sure why I was telling him anything. After spending the morning together and getting to see a different side of Logan, I felt comfortable. Plus I wasn’t ready to go inside alone with all this pain.

“I was young and in love. He was all I thought I would ever need.” I stopped as a stray tear rolled down my cheek. I hated that Mark still brought out this reaction. I was over him, I was certain of that, but the sting from his actions was still there.

“He destroyed everything we had…everything we were together…I never thought…” I shook my head, silently berating myself for being such a blind fool back then.

“I thought he loved me…God!” I cried out, another tear betraying me as it made its escape down my burning cheek. I wiped it away immediately, and forced myself to hold it together in front of Logan, but I could feel my walls crashing down.

“I’m such an idiot!” I sobbed, tears falling. I closed my eyes tightly and inhaled a giant breath, refusing to shed another tear for the bastard. My nerves slowly began to calm, and my sight grew clearer.

Logan’s hand gave a sympathetic squeeze and I sheepishly turned to look up into his beautiful blue eyes. They left me breathless. I never felt more at home. His features were soft, tender and his eyes were intense and warm.

“You don’t have to tell me, sweetheart,” he whispered, and it was exactly what I needed to hear. For some reason I would never understand, I felt safe, here in his car with only him, away from the world. My head rested back against the upholstered leather, and I released a ragged breath.

“Sweetheart, listen to me.” He released his hand from mine and brought it up to my chin, reminding me of the damage to my lip. I attempted to pull my face away, but he held firm. “Look at me, Cassandra.”

Slowly opening my eyes, I gazed up at him and his reassuring smile. It was so soft and full of an unknown shyness I never would have thought him capable of.

“Mark is an idiot. He didn’t deserve you. You are one of the most beautiful and kind women I have ever met and I assure you, I have seen more than the average man in my travels.” His familiar smirk brought a smile to my lips, the melancholy beginning to fade at each of his words.

“Things don’t always work out the way you plan, sweetheart, but I swear to you, you are everything that any smart, deserving man could ever ask for.” Logan grazed his thumb across my cheek over the spilled, dried tears. His lips sealed tightly together before pulling his hand away.

“Thank you.” I breathed, coming out of a fog. “I should get going, it’s getting late, and you’ll need to pick Oliver up from school soon.”

After unbuckling my seatbelt, my body was lighter. I felt better than I had in months. I never realized I was still in need of closure, and not by seeing Mark again, but by having a man remind me that I was worth everything I always believed I was. Not just any man, but one that truly meant it, and Logan gave that to me. I would be forever grateful. It was as though a dead weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

The moment I turned in my seat to open the door, Logan reached out and caught my wrist.

“Would you like to have dinner with-”

“No,” I interrupted, but held a sweet smile firmly on my face to ease any harshness. “I told you, friends only.”

He grinned and I frowned at the amusement on his face.

“Cassandra, you should let a friend finish. I was about to ask if you would like to have dinner with me and Oliver this week?”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“Oliver would love it. We never have dinner guests other than family. What do you say?”

Hesitantly, I replied, “All right, I’d like that. How about Wednesday?”

Logan helped me regain my stolen confidence in men; I owed him at least a friendly meal. Plus Oliver would be there, he always brightened my day.

“Sounds perfect. Come around six.”

I stepped out of the car and turned back. “Good-bye, Logan. Today was actually not too bad,” I teased.

“Good-bye, sweetheart. Put some more ice on that lip.”

I watched as he drove away, leaving me feeling like a new woman. I was proud of myself for never giving in to Logan’s constant flirting the past month and instead was much happier with the growing friendship we were creating. I smiled to myself while unlocking my front door realizing Logan might just be a good friend after all.

Chapter Sixteen

Misconceptions

My feet shifted side-to-side nerves jolting to life, as I knocked lightly on the impeccably carved front door. I’d stayed home from school the last two days, and luckily my lip was no longer swollen, just a little red around the cut. With a gracious smile, dressed casually in a pair of dark fitted jeans paired with a grey cardigan over a white camisole, I waited on Logan’s welcome mat. The breeze had a slight bite to it as August drew to a close.