Chapter 24DanielleI look at myself in the mirror as I wash my hands, and for the first time in a long time, I don’t pick apart my appearance. Having my hair and makeup professionally done helps, but mostly…I look happy.
Because I am.
So incredibly fucking happy, and nothing can dampen my mood. Want and desire swell inside of me, and I’m going to go find Logan and take him up to our room. He said he was going to take his time with me, but I want to do the same to him.
Tie him up. Tease him. Make him beg for more.
I dry my hands, smooth out my dress, and go back to the reception hall. Logan is at the table, with his back to me. A smile pulls up my lips, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t stop smiling.
Logan turns around, almost like he can sense me coming. He’s on the phone, and something isn’t right.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, rushing over to him.
“I’ll call you back,” Logan says to whoever he’s talking to.
“Logan?” I’m getting a little freaked out. “What’s wrong?”
“That was Wes,” he starts and brings one hand up to the back of his neck.
“Oh my God. Is Jackson okay? Did Daisy come back?”
Logan shakes his head. “No, she didn’t, and Jackson is fine. Wes responded to a call and…I’m so sorry.” His brown eyes meet mine. “Your grandpa had a heart attack.”
“What?” I shake my head. “No. He didn’t. He’s…he’s fine.”
Logan puts his hand on my arm, and I jerk away. I don’t want comfort. Because comfort means something bad happened, and nothing bad happened.
There is no reason for comfort.
Logan and I are finally together. I realized who I am and how I’m on the path I’m supposed to be on.
Grandpa is fine.
“Wes told me the doctor says to come home right away. They’re treating him now, but…but…they’re not sure if he’ll pull through,” he says, struggling to say the words out loud. He puts his hand on me again, and this time I need it. I fall against him, still trying to process everything.
“What…what happened?”
“Wes said he collapsed during Bingo. Wes was on call and got there right as the paramedics did. He’s at the hospital, but we should…we should go home.”
“Now?”
“Yeah,” he says, and what he doesn’t say weighs down on me. There isn’t much time, and I’m halfway around the world right now.
“I…I should tell my mom.”
Logan takes my hand. “I’ll come with you.”
I blink back tears. “Thank you.”
Logan stands and helps me to my feet. He cradles me to his chest, and I let my eyes fall shut. Alcohol floods my veins, and I wish I could puke it all out while at the same time want to down another drink. With my hand firmly in Logan’s, we walk through the room, looking for my parents.
My mom is talking with Diana and Peter, smiling and laughing without a care in the world. Today is supposed to be a good day. A happy day. A carefree day of no worries and no stress.
“Danielle!” Mom says, looking my way. “You look so lovely this evening, my dear.”
“Hey…can we talk?” Logan starts, eyes darting from my mother to Diana. He knows this news will ruin her otherwise perfect wedding day. I swallow hard, feeling vomit threatening to rise in my throat.
Grandpa had a heart attack.
While I was gone.
Logan’s voice is a distant echo as he tells my mother the same exact thing he just told me.
“My brother is the county sheriff,” he starts, “and he responded to the call.”
My grip on Logan’s hand tightens and I swallow a lump of vomit.
“The doctor didn’t give a detailed report, but he said you should leave as soon as you can in case…in case the treatment doesn’t work.”
So we can say goodbye.
It’s so final.
Harrowing.
My eyes start to flutter shut.
Peter puts his arms around Diana and turns her around, shielding her from the bad news. He might be a slimy bastard, but that look in his eyes tells me all I need to know: he really does love my sister.
My heart is pounding hard against my chest yet at the same time isn’t beating at all.
Logan’s words resonate in my head but start to lose meaning. I hear him talking to my parents about plane tickets and being able to get to the airport right away.
He tells me he’ll pack my suitcase and will meet me in Indiana as soon as he can.
“What?” I blink, heart in my throat. “You’re…you’re not coming with me?”
“There are two tickets available on the next flight,” he says gently. “You and your mom need to be there. I’ll get on the flight after that. It leaves just a few hours later.”
I shift my gaze from Logan to my mother, who hasn’t spoken to her own father in years. Logan knows Grandpa better than she does. It should be him coming back with me because…because…I need him.