Just Me (36 page)

I stood near the window working and out of the corner of my eye, I noticed movement below. Hunter walked alone down the floating dock: the sight caused my heart to still in my chest. The water wasn't so rough that the dock shook, but one misstep and he could pitch over the side into the water. Saffron was out shopping, but she’d
gotten a sitter for Hunter. Where was the girl?

I dropped my pencil and ran out of the room calling for his sitter as I flew down the stairs, but my frantic calls were met with silence. Logan's shed was on the other side of the property, so I wasn't even sure he'd hear me if I screamed for help. I wasn't about to waste the time on a detour, but as I ran outside, it all became moot. The dock shook enough with Hunter’s
footsteps to cause his little unsteady legs to lose their balance. He tumbled over into the water.

“
Logan! Logan!”
I screamed as I ran to the dock; my legs pumping as fast as they could. Even though everything happened so quickly, there was a moment when it felt as if time stopped. The memory came in a flash, the heart-to-heart I had had with my uncle when he shared his past with me and the conviction that I had felt that had I a family, I would do anything to keep them safe, even at the risk of my own life. Easy to say when you didn't have a family, but as I dove into that dark, cold water I knew it was true. My eyes were open and still I could barely see. I stayed under reaching and grabbing desperately until it felt as if my lungs were going to explode. I came up gulping for air and dove again. I swam under the dock feeling around the underside for his little body. Something silky brushed along my fingertips and I grabbed it and pulled it to me. It was a motionless Hunter. I held him tightly as I kicked to surface and when I broke it, I forced Hunter's head out of the water and whacked him hard on the back. He started coughing: sea water pouring from his little mouth. When his lungs were clear, he started to cry: deep, heart-wrenching wails. Relief flooded me just as the sitter came running down the dock. Hunter was beginning to flail in my arms which, along with my legs, were growing really tired.

“
Oh
my God,” the teenager belly-slid to the end of the dock and grabbed Hunter from my aching arms as a wicked cramp stole my breath. I went under.

“
Lark!” I heard her scream as I struggled for the surface, but I wasn't a great swimmer so I wasn't able to keep my head above the water, which was mind numbingly cold. I heard my name screamed again, but this time in a deeper voice, just before I lost the struggle.

When I came to, I opened my eyes to see the bright blue sky around Logan’s
silhouette. He was not only wet, he looked positively terrified.

“
Lark?”

My throat felt raw and the taste of salt water saturated my tongue. “Hunter?” I croaked.

“
He's fine. Jesus he's fine.”
Logan dropped his head as his shoulders started to shake. My arms felt like rubber bands as I lifted one and reached for Logan. He immediately gripped my fingers in a nearly painful hold.

“
I thought I lost you after just finding you.”

He lifted me into his arms and carried me to the house. Hunter was still crying, the babysitter was now crying and my head was starting to hurt. Saffron came home just then, calling cheerfully as she entered until she heard Hunter crying and saw Logan carrying me, both of us drenched.

“
What happened?”

“
Saffron, I need you to help Lark get a warm shower and into some dry clothes while I get something hot for her to drink.” I saw the questions in her eyes, but she didn't hesitate to drop her things and follow after us.

Logan carried me into the bathroom and lowered me onto the seat of the toilet. “How are you feeling, Lark?”

“
I'm fine, just tired.”

He knelt down next to me and looked deeply into my eyes, “You and I need to talk, but not right now.” He brushed a kiss on my forehead.

“
There aren't words for what you did, thank you isn't nearly good enough
.
” He
whispered
.
“You saved my son's life and almost died in the process.”

Saffron gasped. Logan pressed another kiss on my forehead before he stood and kissed Saffron lightly on the lips. His eyes held hers for a minute and there was definitely some nonverbal communication going on before he turned and left. Saffron just looked at the empty doorway a moment before she hugged me hard. She kissed both of my cheeks, and looked me right in the eyes with tears in hers. “I owe you a life debt. I've got your back. Whenever you need me, just say.”

“
I'm Han Solo and you're Chewbacca.
”

A look passed over her face and though she still battled shock, and lingering fear, a little smile touched her lips.

***

After my shower, Hunter wouldn't stop crying even when Saffron took him. He wouldn't settle until I held him at which point he calmed down, even slept for a bit. Did he know who I was to him or was it just his need to seek comfort after such an ordeal? We were now bundled on the sofa with Hunter drinking warm milk and eating cookies. At the moment, sleep was the furthest thing from his mind as he shoved another hunk of cookie into his mouth.

I heard the front door and looked up as Bastian came running into the living room. He looked frantic until he saw me. I watched as relief loosened his shoulders. He walked over and hunched down in front of Hunter and me.

“
Jesus, when I got Logan's call, I think Broderick broke every law of the road to get here and still it wasn't fast enough. Are you okay?”

“
I am, I'm just tired.”

“
I'd ask how he is but he looks fine.” Hunter gave him a chocolate-toothed grin.

“
Yep
.
” I said.

“
You saved his life, Lark.”

“
I know. It was just awful.” I couldn't help the tears just thinking about it. If I hadn't looked out the window…oh
my God. I held Hunter even tighter, and he responded by whining in protest, so I let up but just by a little.

Bastian wiped the tears from my eyes. “He's fine and so are you, thank Christ.”

That quickly, his fear turned to anger and he stood. “I'll be right back.
”

What was he up to?

About fifteen minutes later, I heard raised voices and, since Hunter was dozing again, I cuddled him on the sofa and placed a pillow to keep him from falling off before I made my way into the kitchen. Saffron stood by the refrigerator wringing her hands and Broderick looked back and forth between Logan and Bastian. But it was Bastian standing toe-to-toe with Logan that got my full attention. He was stupendously pissed.

“
What's going on?” I asked, and everyone turned in my direction. “Bastian, what did you say to him?”

Bastian stepped up next to me and wrapped his arm around me in an undeniably protective gesture. I could feel the intensity humming through him. “I wanted to know why the hell he was stringing you along.”

I had been waiting for Logan to share with me who he was, but after my near drowning, I didn't want to wait any more. “You're my dad, aren't you?”

Logan's voice broke. “Yes.”

My legs suddenly felt weak as I was overwhelmed with so many conflicting emotions: happiness and sorrow, joy and anger, hope and bitterness. Hearing him confirm it was surreal. How many times had I played this exact moment in my head but I never once believed that it would come true. I couldn't speak, for a minute my throat constricted, because how many times in life could someone honestly say their dreams came true? The anger followed shortly after, because what the hell took him so long? Practically shaking with it, I spat, “Why now? Why didn't you come for me when I was younger? Why did you leave me with that woman?”

He walked to me and took both of my hands into his own. I tried to pull away but he applied just enough pressure to prevent that. He adamantly denied, “I didn't know. If I had known, I would have come for you. I swear to you I didn't know.”

Tears ran down my face, but I just didn't have the energy to wipe them away.

“
How did you find me?
”

“
Your application. It was your art that drew my attention first. It was so inspired but there was so much of me in it that I was intrigued. When I saw your picture, I looked into my own eyes and saw Hunter in your face. I couldn't believe it and then I saw your mom's name. Dylan, like Larkspur, is an unusual name and one I remembered. We can have the test done to confirm it, but I don’t question for a minute that you are my daughter. I can't even tell you what I felt knowing I had a child who was already a young woman.
”

Tears filled his eyes as he continued
.
“You earned the scholarship, Lark, but I added the mentoring so you would come here and meet us. I didn't want to push you, I didn't want to show up so late in the game and demand to be a part of your life, but you're my daughter and I had to know you even if it was only as your teacher.”

“
And my mother?”

“
It was one night, we were both young and hurting in different ways and we each sought solace in the other. After, I always wondered what happened to her, and if I had known that our night together had resulted in a child, I would have come for you, I would have fought for you, but I didn't know.”

“
I think I need to sit down,” I said. Bastian pulled out a chair for me as Logan led me over to it.

“
I don't advocate alcohol to minors but I think Lark here could use a few fingers of scotch.”

“
Yes, I could.”

Broderick poured my drink and placed the glass on the table in front of me. “So that makes you my uncle.”

He touched my shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. “Yes, and you have no idea how hard it was to keep Logan, hell all of us, from coming for you after learning you existed.” It was like he was speaking the magic words—in the place of hurt the knowledge of a family of my very own took root and warmed me.

Bastian walked over to stand behind me and though he said nothing, I felt immensely comforted. I knew he was trying to lighten the mood when he said,
“
Well, that explains our very welcoming welcome when we first arrived.”

A reluctant grin tugged at Logan's mouth. “I tried to keep my brothers away but they wouldn't hear of it. And my parents, when they learned they had a granddaughter, well they've been crawling travel sites to book the trip to see you.”

“
A trip?” I asked. My eyes met his.

“
They live in Scotland but they're coming here to meet you.” He fell silent for a minute. “When did you figure it out, Lark?”

“
Almost immediately.”

“
Why didn't you say anything?” He
asked.

“
Why didn't you?”

“
Fear of you rejecting me.” The simplicity of his reply only made it all the more powerful.

Emotion moved up my throat to choke me so I reached for my glass and took a sip. I felt it burn all the way down my throat. “This is awful.”

That comment earned me a hurtful expression from both Logan and Broderick.

“
What did I say?”

Saffron said, “That's MacGowan scotch, the family label.” She laughed.

Bastian exhaled on a laugh. He threaded his fingers through his hair and shook his head in disbelief. “The MacGowan?”

“
Yes.”

“
Holy shit.” Bastian started to pace. I was feeling slightly giddy from the alcohol
.
“He's like a panther when he does that: so damn sexy.” Whoops. That was out loud.

Bastian looked both turned on and embarrassed. “The alcohol is already going to your head.”

“
Yeah.
”

“
I should put her to bed.”

I played with my glass
.
“There's clearly more we have to discuss, but I'm on overload. I need time to let it all sink in and I need sleep.” I started to rise as a thought popped into my head and brought a smile.

“
Hunter's my brother.” I looked up at Bastian because I was fairly stunned by that realization, but there was more. “I have a brother...” I looked at Saffron, “Maybe
two brothers or a sister. I have uncles, grandparents and a dad.” A pang of nostalgia moved through me because David Cambre really was my dad. My feet moved me across the floor before I wrapped my arms around Logan's waist. When his strong arms pulled me close, I sighed happily.

“
Thanks for finding me, Dad.”

In response, Logan David MacGowan, the finest artist of our time, broke down and cried.

***

That night I woke in the middle of the night and sleep wouldn't return. After a while, Bastian stirred and switched on the lamp which spilled soft light into the room
.
“How are you doing?”

I turned more fully on my side. “I'm really good, happy even.” I touched his face, ran my fingers down his chest over his abs, then I sat up and folded my legs under me. “He didn't know, and I believe him, if for no other reason than the obvious trouble he and his family went to get me here. In his shoes, I don't know how I would have handled it. I can only hope I would have handled it as well as he did. And I really do believe he wants to be part of my life.”