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“Logan, do you remember you told me you knew why I was here?”
“I do.”
“You don’t know it all. I mean, you were right, I was looking for a story to kick-start my career. But it wasn’t with the story you thought it was.”
Logan took her lead and put his fork down as well. “Meaning what?”
“I was researching the Hendersons not just for my career, but for my family. Remember that file you saw with my grandpa Joe’s information and pictures about the fire?”
“I can’t forget it.”
“Me either. It’s haunted me since I was a child. Although I was young when it happened, I remember hearing a man talk about the person who’d done this. No one would ever listen to me, but I never forgot his name. So I spent all my time dedicated to searching for proof. I wanted him to pay for what he’d done. I wanted to take everything away from him just like he’d done to us.”
“Cori, I think there’s something I should tell—”
“Logan, please let me finish. It’s hard enough to get through.” Cori hated cutting him off, but she didn’t want to make this about her. She needed him to see the issue wasn’t greater than their love. She took another deep breath and continued.
“That’s why I reached out to you. I know it wasn’t in the file that I let you look at, but I have a very strong suspicion of who it was. And I....was trying to find out if you knew too.”
“Cori, we need to talk.” Why did it seem Logan was pleading with her?
“Logan. I believe it was your father who killed my grandpa.” She had rattled it off so fast maybe he hadn’t heard correctly, because the only thing she saw in his eyes was sadness and sympathy for her. Where is his denial? “Logan, I know that might be a shock but—”
“No, it isn’t.”
Now she was puzzled. “Are you telling me that you’ve known and still you... slept with me?” Maybe she’d been wrong all along. He wasn’t in love with her. He was just protecting James. Oh, God. No.
She pushed away from the table and ran from the room. Cori needed space. She felt as though she couldn’t breathe. It was a blow, and the room was spinning. What have I done? I’m such a fool.
Logan followed her and grabbed her wrist to spin her around to face him. “Cori, you need to stop. I know what you must be thinking, but you’re wrong. It wasn’t like that at all.”
She huffed. “Then tell me how it was exactly.” Cori was trembling on the inside. She was upset at him for not telling her and sleeping with her first, yet she knew all along. I’m the hypocrite.
Cori wanted to stop him and tell Logan it didn’t matter. That none of it did anymore. All that was important was how they felt about each other. But he hadn’t voiced his feelings. Guessing about him hadn’t turned out well so far. Hendersons are impossible to figure out.
With a softer tone, Logan said, “I think we should sit down first.” He led her to the couch, and they sat. Logan didn’t let go of her hand as he spoke. “When Brice confirmed your grandpa’s death wasn’t accidental, I saw the look, the pain, in your eyes.”
“I wasn’t used to hearing someone else agree with what I’ve thought all along.”
Logan squeezed her hand and said, “Validation is a powerful thing. And until we get it, we doubt ourselves on whether it’s true or not.”
She smiled at him. It was as though he understood more than she’d given him credit for.
“I’ve had these feelings about some things in my past as well. I knew how much you were being tormented, and I needed to find the answer for you. That’s why I went to California. So I could find the answer.”
“You... you went to California? When?”
“It was a quick trip, but I got what I needed from it. What you needed.”
Her heart was racing. Logan cared enough to drop everything to do this for her. No one had ever believed her, never mind gone to such lengths. “Why?”
“I think you mean, what did I find?”
“No. I mean why did you do that?” She wanted to know what he found out, but that wasn’t as important as why he went in the first place.
Logan lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. “Because I knew how much this meant to you.” She waited, hoping there was more. “Cori, it’s more than just getting your answers. I didn’t do this just for you. I did this for me.”
“What does it have to do with you?”
