Escaping Reality (Hart Ranch Book 1) (15 page)

~ ~ ~

W
ell, I can tell that the trip to Chicago did you a world of good, Ava. You’re practically glowing with happiness.”

Logan’s sister-in-law chuckled and rubbed her growing baby bump. “You mean it looks like I ate too many deep-dish pizzas on my vacation, right?”

He grinned and leaned against his truck. “Of course not. You look just as beautiful as always. But I still can’t believe that you managed to hide your pregnancy from us for all those months.”

Ava’s smile faded as she gazed at the puffy clouds in the distance. “I’m sorry I kept secrets from you and your family. I just needed to get away and clear my head.”

Logan nodded. “Of course. I understand more than you know. I just…wow. A baby. Nathan would have been so proud…” He paused, struggling to keep his composer.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s my fault you have to raise this baby alone.”

She put her petite hand on his arm and her eyes clouded over. “Logan, I don’t blame you for Nathan’s death and you shouldn’t either. I know you did everything in your power to save him. He would have wanted all of us to move on and find happiness.”

He nodded. “You’re right. I hope someday I’ll find a way to do that.”

She gave him a gentle smile. “I pray that you do. You have so much kindness and love inside your heart, Logan. You deserve a little happiness in your life and someone to share it with.”

Logan wiped his face on his sleeve and attempted a smile. “Thank you. That reminds me…do I have a little niece or nephew?”

Ava beamed at him. “A niece. Nathan would have been so happy to have a daughter. He always said he wanted one of each.”

“Well, congratulations. I know my parents will love having a little girl around the ranch and I’m sure Belle will be tickled pink too.”

She sobered and tears gathered in her eyes. “There’s something else you should know. I’ve made a decision. We’re moving to Chicago, Logan. That’s why we stayed for so long. I found a private school for Dylan while we were there.”

His heart sunk as he gazed toward Dylan’s bedroom window. No wonder his nephew hadn’t come out to greet him. “How’d Dylan take the news?”

She sighed and sadness flickered in her eyes. “He’s upset right now but I believe he’ll feel better about it once we’re settled. I hope.”

“Well, I wish you all the best, Ava. You’ll always have a home here. You know that, right?”

She nodded and hugged him again. “Thanks for always being there, Logan. Now comes the hardest part.”

He released her and furrowed his brow. “What’s that?”

Ava pursed her lips. “Telling your family. I’m planning to do it tonight.”

“They’ll understand. You have to live your own life, even if that means leaving Montana.”

She hugged him and they said their goodbyes.

After she disappeared inside Logan hopped back into his truck and headed into town with a heavy heart. Sure, he planned on leaving too, as soon as he got accepted into a medical program, but for Ava and Dylan it was a different story. Dylan had spent his entire life at the ranch and now everything was changing. He’d lost his father and now his roots. How would he adjust to life in the big city?

Once arriving in town he parked in front of the hardware store and took out his list of supplies. Logan no sooner opened the driver’s-side door when a small flash of light caught his eye. He squinted toward a figure in dark clothing across the street.

The photographer tensed up and snapped one more picture before escaping around the corner of a building.

“Hey you,” Logan shouted and darted after the man. “Leave us alone!” He continued yelling while chasing him for about two blocks. Deep down he knew it was a futile effort. His boots were no match for the other man’s athletic shoes.

Sure enough, the sly photographer sped off in his compact car before he could even get close.

Logan stopped at the corner of the intersection and braced his hands on his knees while catching his breath. That was the second time the paparazzi had snuck up on him like that in a month. Belle had been ambushed a few days ago too. Would this nightmare ever end?

~ ~ ~

Buzzing woke Addison from a dreamless sleep. She sat up in her office chair and glanced around the room, disoriented. The crumpled papers littering her desk revealed that she’d fallen asleep while working. She’d been doing that a lot during the past month.

Addison rubbed her eyes and stood, trying to figure out where the buzzing came from. After stumbling around in a circle she found the intercom on the wall. “Yes. Who is it?” she mumbled.

“Addison, its Vic. I-I was hoping we could talk. C-can I come up?”

Addison paused with her hand hovering over the intercom button and closed her eyes. The sting of betrayal radiated through her heart. She knew Jared had been seen with Victoria several times around town. According to the news stations, they had a little romance budding.

She let out a ragged breath and pushed the button for the exterior door, forcing her raw emotions aside. Her old friend deserved a chance to explain her actions.

A minute later she arrived and Addison invited her to sit on the couch. Victoria removed her sunglasses and observed the sketches and graph paper scattered around the apartment. “Working on a new project?”

Addison nodded and cleared a stack of papers off the coffee table. “I’m working on launching my new interior design business. Sorry about the mess.”

Victoria looked up and for the first time Addison realized her eyes looked a little bloodshot. “Oh, I don’t mind. I’m excited that you’ve decided to use your talent. If you need any help with a new website or anything just say the word.”

Addison smiled in spite of the emotions that seeing Victoria summoned. “Thanks. I’m going to make some green tea. Would you like some?”

She agreed and Addison retreated into the kitchen to prepare their drinks. The time it took to brew the tea gave her a chance to regain her composer.
God, please give me strength. Help me to forgive,
she prayed before returning to the living room.

Her friend took the cup. “Thank you, Addie. Not just for the tea but for giving me a chance to explain.”

Addison relaxed into the oversized chair across from her friend and let out a deep sigh. “Well to be honest, I almost didn’t.” She took a sip of her tea and then placed the cup on the coffee table. “So what did you come to tell me, Vic?”

Her friend ran trembling fingers through her silky raven hair. “I came to apologize. I’ve been a horrible friend. I-I never should have trusted Jared. He’s a snake in disguise.”

Addison chuckled in spite of herself. “Well you’re right about that. I should have recognized it from the beginning.”

Victoria sniffled and wiped her eyes. “After you left…I fell for his charm at first. I won’t make any excuses for what I did. But you need to know that after I found out that he used that picture against you I broke it off with him. But not before finding out something else.”

Addison leaned forward in her chair. “Finding out what?”

“He was using you and your family. He only wanted to marry you for your money.”

She blinked hard. “My money? That doesn’t make sense. He’s just as wealthy as I am.”

Victoria shook her head. “No. He’s completely broke from gambling debts. It’s all a façade. He’s been embezzling from your father’s company since the day he made him a partner.”

Addison’s eyes widened. “What…how? It doesn’t make any sense.”

“When he released that photo to the media it opened my eyes to his tricks. So I snuck into his secretary’s office. I found suspicious emails and bank statements to prove he’s been having someone transfer money from the company’s account little by little so it wouldn’t draw suspicion. But it wasn’t enough to pay his growing debts. Now loan sharks are demanding money and Jared is panicking.”

Addison rested her head in her hands as the news solidified in her brain. “All this time,” she whispered. “I can’t believe I let him string me along all this time. And he got away with it too.”

“Never again, Addie. I have enough evidence to prove what he did. I just wanted to tell you the truth first.”

“Well thank you for that.”

Victoria bit her lip and a tear dripped down her cheek. “Can you ever forgive me for what I did?”

Addison leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes for a moment, thinking of Gramps’ sermon about letting go of baggage. The old Addison might have chosen to hold a grudge but it wasn’t worth it. She needed to let it go.

Peace washed over her soul as she opened her eyes and smiled at Victoria. “Of course I forgive you, Vic. We were both just pawns in Jared’s little game.”

Her friend rushed across the room and hugged her. “Oh, thank you, Addie. Now, what are we going to do? I know he’s making up horrible lies about you.”

Addison wiped away her tears. “We need to call my father first. He’s coming home today. Can you tell him everything you told me? He’ll know what to do.”

Victoria’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, but don’t you think we should contact the police?”

Addison nodded while formulating a plan in her mind that would protect Brie. “Of course, but we’ll need to wait for just the right moment.”

~ ~ ~

After fuming about the photographer all the way back to the ranch Logan took a walk down his parents’ long driveway to clear his mind. However the further he went the more jumbled his thoughts became. After reaching a fork in the path, he chose the scenic route by the creek.

With November just around the bend, it was surprisingly warm. The cool air still required long sleeves but the sun warmed him from above. It was the perfect day. Too perfect. It made him think of how nice it would be to take a nice autumn walk with Addie.

He shook the thought from his mind and knelt, gathering a hand full of pebbles in his hand. As Logan walked he threw them into the water one by one and tried to make them skip across the surface—an old game he used to play with Nathan when they were kids. Where had the time gone? It had washed away with the rushing waters of the creek.

At a bend in the trail Logan saw the loop of a fishing line whipping through the air and Gramps’ tan fishing hat. It brought a smile to his face as he approached. “Enjoying yourself?”

The older man turned and grinned at him. “Oh, yes. It’s a fine day to do some fishing. God’s surprise gift to me for this season.” He nodded toward the tree behind him. I brought an extra pole just in case someone showed up. Care to join me?”

Logan smiled and nodded. Gramps always seemed to have a gift of sensing when someone might show up for a
divine
appointment
, as he called them. Today that appointment was with him. He crossed to the tree and lifted the pole in his hand. “It’s been forever.”

“That’s all right. It’ll come back to you.”

A few minutes later they were fishing side by side, spaced far enough from each other so their lines wouldn’t snag.

Gramps changed his lure. “Any word from the medical programs you applied for?”

“Not yet. I was hoping I’d receive at least one letter by now.”

“Just be patient. It’ll come.”

Logan nodded and continued casting. After a few mishaps he made a perfect cast right by an overhanging branch. A large trout snagged his lure. Logan grinned as he reeled it in and caught the fish in a net.

Gramps smiled. “See, I told you it would come back.”

Logan beamed as he held up the fish, guessing it was probably about a three pounder. “Yeah, you were right. I forgot how much I enjoy fishing.”

“Did you know Addie caught her first fish in almost exactly the same spot?”

His smile faded. “Oh really?”

“Yep. She let it go free.”

Logan studied the fish in his hands. While it was probably impossible that they would catch the same one, it still made him wonder.

Addie’s salvation story came to mind. She told him it happened right here by the creek after she caught a fish with Gramps. Was that a lie too? Logan scolded himself for the fleeting thought. He couldn’t know her true heart and it wasn’t his place to judge.

Instead of giving into any more bitter thoughts, he knelt at the edge of the creek and let the fish wriggle out of his hands. A smile tingled at the corners of his lips as he saw it cross to the very same spot he’d caught it from. “Today’s your lucky day, friend.”

“Have you spoken to Addie since she left?”

Logan stood and dried his hands on his pants. “No. I don’t think that would be a very good idea. She has a fiancé.”

Gramps continued fishing. “You know, there are always two sides to every story. The way this guy just swooped in from out of nowhere seems strange to me. From what I’ve seen on TV, he doesn’t seem like a very nice fellow.”