Counting On It (Hearts for Ransom Book 1) (24 page)

Two weeks before Christmas! Emily was literally marking the days off on her calendar. In fourteen days, she would tell Logan that she still loved him, and he would finally accept it as the truth. Then, they could be together.

Abby should be there to pick her up anytime. They were going Christmas shopping. Emily had already bought Logan a new watch, but she wanted to get something else—something slinky and sexy—to wear for him when they were at home alone. She also needed to pick something out for Aaron and Sara, who was doing even better than her doctors had anticipated.

She and Logan had shopped for his mom, Seth, and the Rymans’ last Saturday. They were supposed to go tomorrow to find gifts for the Slammers and their wives. She had forgiven Mason—sort of. She still thought a nice tightly—very tightly—tied necktie would be a wonderful gift for him.

She heard Abby knocking on the door and went to open it.

“It’s cold out here!” Abby came in and stomped the snow off of her boots. “But at least we might have a white Christmas. I can’t imagine all this will melt by then.”

“Unless we have a December heat wave,” Emily observed.

“Stop raining on my parade,” her friend instructed her. “It’s my first Christmas with Brody, and I want it to be perfect. If you’d have told me a year ago that he and I would be together this Christmas, I would have laughed in your face.” Her smile disappeared. “I really love him, Em.”

“That’s good, isn’t it?” Why did Abby look so glum?

“It’s just that…even when we…you know, he’s never told me…he’s never told me he loves me.” Emily recognized the look in Abby’s eyes. She was afraid.

“The way you two are together—he has to love you!” she exclaimed. “Maybe he’s just not the kind of guy who says it very easily. Maybe he just assumes you know.”

“Or maybe he’s just enjoying free milk without having to buy the cow.” Abby’s face crumpled as she began crying. “I shouldn’t have slept with him so soon. You and Logan were right to wait. He really loves you, and you love him. It’s going to be perfect when you finally make love.”

Emily embraced Abby. “Oh, Abby, I don’t think Brody’s using you like that. I really don’t. He just doesn’t seem like that kind of man.” She tried to reassure her friend. “I think he’s crazy about you, and just thinks you already know it. Maybe you should just let him know you need to hear it.”

Abby pulled out of Emily’s arms and wiped her eyes with her coat sleeve. “It’s okay. I’m fine. It’ll all work out.” Which one of them was she trying to convince? “How are you doing, Emily?”

She knew what Abby was referring to. “I’ll tell you the truth. Christmas is more difficult than Thanksgiving.” She had shed quite a few tears during the past week. “It’s just that I spent so much time with Mom and Dad around the holidays. You know, I can’t even see a snow blower without crying.”

Emily’s mom had bought her dad a snow blower for Christmas when Emily was seventeen. He had been excited when it actually snowed the following day. Barb and Emily dutifully donned their winter gear and trekked along with her dad to watch the marvelous machine in action. It had been quite impressive, too—like a giant vacuum cleaner shooting the snow into the air. Until the snow stopped coming out.

Mike, being the king of “fix it yourself”, had knelt down in front of the blower to see if there was something jamming it. He had no sooner stuck his face in front of the machine when whatever was blocking it must have shaken loose, because a good wheelbarrow full of snow shot out right on top of him. He looked so funny that both Emily and her mom were caught up in fits of laughter. Emily managed to tell him he looked like a half-melted sasquatch. It was then he decided if he were going to be snow-coated, they would be too. He chased them around the yard, catching them and rolling them in the snow until the three of them were so cold and wet, they had to put the machine away and go in to thaw.

It would forever be one of Emily’s favorite Christmas memories.

“Are you sure you feel like shopping today?” Abby’s sadness had turned to concern.

Emily nodded. “I’m keeping busy. I’ve been having a lot of fun with Logan and spending as much time with his mom as I can. It helps me.”

Abby took one last swipe across her eyes. “Well, then, get your coat and purse and let’s get some shopping done.” She grinned at Emily. “I still have a couple of cards that aren’t maxed out.”

A few hours later, Emily gladly followed Emily into their favorite pasta place. Once they were seated and had placed their orders, Abby began to talk.

“I think Logan’s going to like that gift you bought yourself.” She smirked. “You naughty girl.”

“That’s the idea.” Emily had found a midnight blue teddy and barely-there panties set. “Do you think those matching sweaters I bought for Aaron and Sara are too cheesy?”

“I think, that with what they’ve been through during the past seven months, they’ll enjoy them. Besides, the online gift certificate for their favorite store is the best idea ever since Sara still can’t get out much.”

Emily had bought and printed the gift certificate, but would add the sweaters so she could give them something to unwrap.

They were midway through their meals when Abby got a strange look on her face.

“What’s the matter?” Emily wondered if her friend was about to be sick.

“Are you full? I’m full. Let’s get to-go boxes, and take our food with us.” Abby was talking too fast and had just been starving a few minutes earlier.

Had she looked past Emily? What had she seen? Emily started to turn around.

“Don’t look, Em. It’s probably nothing, and you’ll get upset. Let’s just leave.” Abby was pleading.

There was no way Emily could keep from looking after that. She turned and scanned the room. It didn’t take long for her eyes to zero in on the last person she expected to see there. Logan had told her he and Bo were doing some “guy shopping” today.

Who was he with? Definitely not Bo Daniels. Her heart fell into her stomach as the gorgeous, black-haired woman with generous endowments scooted next to him in the booth and said something into his ear. Their hands were clasped on the table.

It sank even further when he smiled and said something in return. He turned his head then and started to kiss—

Emily turned around. She couldn’t watch him anymore. “I have to get out of here.” She left her food and shopping bags where they were, and woodenly picked up her purse and walked out of the restaurant, leaving a gaping Abby behind.

As soon as Emily was in the parking lot, she ran to the bushes and lost what little she had managed to eat. There was a part of her that wanted to walk in there and dump her plate of spaghetti on his cheating head, but she just didn’t have it in her. Not when she was already dealing with the memories of her parents. It was just too much.

“That scumbag. I have a notion to go back in there and tell him off.” Abby, laden with packages, had found her. She must have seen that Emily had been sick. “Oh, Em.” She dropped the bags and her purse on the ground and pulled Emily up. “Come on. My car’s just a couple of rows over. Can you walk, or do you want me to drive over here to get you?”

“I can walk.” Was that her talking? She mindlessly helped Abby pick up their abandoned purchases and followed her friend to the car.

“Are you warm enough, Em?” Abby’s voice broke through her numb mind.

No. She’d never be warm again. She nodded anyway.

“I’m so sorry, Emily. I can’t believe Logan’s cheating on you.”

Emily shrugged. Deep down, she’d always known it was true. “He gave us six months because
he
needed them. When Aaron called him after I…I found out about Mom and Dad, he came. I wouldn’t let him leave. Then, he felt sorry for me and was afraid to break things off with me. I only confirmed his fears that night at the fundraiser. He gave me these six months to get strong enough so he could tell me the truth.” The sexual interludes had just been nature taking its course. He had shown desire even before her parents…

Abby gave her a disbelieving look. “If that’s true, the man deserves an academy award. I could have sworn he loved you.”

Emily had been foolish enough to let herself believe it, too. “We both saw him, Abby. He was with another woman—really with her. He and I are over.” Now, even extending it until Christmas made sense. “He wanted to wait until past Christmas because he knew the holidays would be hard for me.” She made up her mind. “I’m going to let him go now so he can be with…that other woman. I’m going to end things with him so he won’t have to feel responsible for me, or guilty, anymore.” She was so broken inside that she couldn’t even cry.

“I’m coming in with you. You don’t need to be alone right now.”

They were at Emily’s home? How had they gotten there? She couldn’t remember. “Thank you, Abby, but I’ll be okay. Really. I need to be by myself right now.”

She picked up the bag with the sweaters in it but left the other one on the floor of the car. “You can have this, Abby. Brody will appreciate it.”

“Are you sure you’re okay, Emily? You’re not going to do anything stupid, are you? Do you still have that medicine?” Abby had shifted her car into park.

Emily looked her straight in the eye. “Life is too short and precious to throw away. I’d never hurt myself. You can trust me, Abigail Lynn Michaels.”

Abby searched her face. She finally nodded her head. “Promise to call me if you need anything.”

“I will.” Emily got out of the car.

It wasn’t until she was on her sofa wrapped in her favorite afghan that it hit her. Logan didn’t love her. Her life had virtually revolved around him for the past six months, and he didn’t love her. She felt a part of herself break—a part that could never be fixed again.

She lost track of time as she sat there. A knock on her door brought her out of her reverie. Somehow, she knew who it was—and she knew what she had to do.

Logan tried to put his arms around her when she opened the door to let him in, but she turned and walked to the sofa. What was wrong with her?

After kicking his snow boots off, he followed her into the living room.

“Did you and Abby get your shopping done?” He didn’t like the expression on her face at all.

Emily didn’t say anything. She just nodded.

“What time do you want me to pick you up in the morning?”

She turned and finally made eye contact. Her eyes looked blank. “I’m not going with you tomorrow.”

“But, I thought you were going to help me pick something out for the guys.” Something was really wrong here.

This was the hardest thing she would ever do in her life. She looked into his eyes and spoke clearly. “Our six months is up, and I don’t love you after all.”

His heart sped up, and he felt sick. “Yes, you do. Why are you saying that?” He walked over and sat beside her.

“I’m saying it because it’s true. I didn’t know how I really felt until now. I don’t love you.” She could finally feel the tears that hadn’t been there threatening to come. They would have to wait until he left.

His mind was racing. Something had happened. Something was wrong. She couldn’t have just decided she didn’t love him. He could see the determination on her face, though. He wasn’t going to accomplish anything by arguing with her right then. She might think he was accepting her words and giving up, but he was going to fight for her.

“I love you,” he stated firmly.

“Please leave.” There was no emotion in her eyes. The love that usually shone from them was gone. But, he wasn’t giving up.

“Okay. I will.” He stood up and walked back to the door. After he had put on his boots, he turned back to her. “No matter what you say or do, I will always love you.”

He turned and left her house, the door clicking shut behind him.

The dam broke. Emily cried like she hadn’t since her parents had been killed. She felt like something precious had just died. It was a long time before she cried herself to sleep, the image of Logan kissing that other woman emblazoned on her mind.

“What’s going on, Abby?” Logan demanded. “Why did Emily break up with me?”

He had driven straight from Emily’s house to Abby’s apartment.

Abby’s first response was her hand soundly smacking his cheek. “You have a lot of nerve! Go away!” She hadn’t even opened her door all the way.

“She says she doesn’t love me.”

“That’s because she doesn’t,” Abby snarled. “Now leave before I call the police.”

Something was so, so wrong. They were both lying to him. He really didn’t want to have to call Bo to have him come to the jail and bail him out, though.

“I’m leaving, Abby, but like I told Em, I love her. I’ll
always
love her.”

“Sure you do.” She slammed the door closed, and he heard the deadbolt slide into place.

He walked down the three flights of stairs and out to his truck. Maybe Brody would have a clue as to what was going on. If Abby had confided in anybody, it would have been Brody.

Logan was relieved to see Brody’s car inside his open garage. He was home.

“What’s up?” he asked when he opened the door and let Logan in.

“You’re not going to order me to leave or slap my face?” Logan asked dryly.

Brody looked at him in confusion. “Not today.”

“I guess you haven’t talked to Abby, then.” He had kicked his boots off and finally managed to sit down on one of Brody’s recliners.

Brody made himself comfortable on the other one. “Not since this morning. Why?”

“Em says she doesn’t love me.” Logan could barely say the words aloud.

Brody let out a low whistle. “No way, man. She’s crazy about you.”

Logan sighed with relief. Finally, somebody who believed him. “She’s lying. Something happened to upset her, and I have no idea what it could be. I tried to talk to Abby.”

“Ah, there’s where you got your slapped face,” Brody observed.

Logan gravely nodded. “I’m not asking you to take sides. I just need somebody to tell me I’m not crazy. What Em and I have is real. It’s not going away.”

“It’s as real as what I have with Abby.” Brody’s voice was firm with conviction.

“You love her?”

“Like crazy.” Brody grinned. “Can you keep a secret?”

Logan nodded. “You know I can.”

Brody stood up and walked over to the Christmas tree, where he pulled out a small box that had been hidden in the branches. He came back to stand in front of Logan.

“I’m giving her this for Christmas.” He opened the box to show Logan the solitaire diamond ring inside.

Logan forgot his own problems for a moment. “You’re proposing?”

“Yep. I’ve been crazy about Abby since the day I first set eyes on her.” Brody walked over and replaced the box.

“I know she loves you.”

Brody’s blue eyes clouded. “I hope so. She’s never actually told me she does, but she shows me.”

Logan was confused. “What do you mean, she’s never told you?”

“We’ve never said it.” Brody shrugged. “But we both know it.”

“You, my friend, are an idiot.” How could the man Logan knew to be highly intelligent in the courtroom be so clueless with his woman? “I can almost guarantee if you don’t tell Abby you love her first, you may as well toss that ring in the snow. Women want it all. I know.”

With those words, the mess with Emily came flowing back. He put his head in his hands. “What am I going to do?”

“Think,” Brody ordered him. “Have you said or done anything that she could have misunderstood?”

“No,” Logan automatically responded. Then he lifted his head, and his gaze shifted to the tree. She had been shopping today. Had she somehow seen him? “She saw me with another woman.” He knew that was what had to have happened.

His friend frowned at him. “You cheated on Emily?”

“I can explain the whole thing to her if she’ll just give me the chance. I just need a chance.” He had an idea. “Get Abby over here, and tell her you love her. Then tell her why you told her—I told you that you needed to. Then she owes me a favor. Have her call me—please.”

Brody looked at him skeptically. “I’m taking Abby out to dinner, and then we’re coming back here. I’ll tell her when the time is right. I’m not your flying monkey.”

Logan calmed down. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“I understand,” Brody commiserated. “I’d be going nuts, too, if Abby up and told me we were over.”

“Em and I aren’t over. We’ll never be over. I can fix this.” Logan was counting on those words to be true.