The blood drained from my face. “If he hurts her…”
Logan leaned against the doorframe, a wicked smile curving his lips. “Oh, he’ll hurt her, but she’ll love every minute of it. That is, unless she’s done the unthinkable, in which case…” Logan’s voice lowered with grief. “She’ll break him, and I don’t know what he’ll do. He loves her. I’ve never seen him so distraught.”
“She would never abort the baby.” The words rushed out as though I needed to reassure myself, but I knew they were true. Despite her recent actions, I knew where her heart was. “That was never her plan, and she wouldn’t do it now.”
“Hilary doesn’t strike me as a fool. There’s no way she honestly believed she’d have been able to put the child up for adoption without Caleb finding out.”
I fell onto my bed, exhausted, not wanting to discuss it further. Not then, anyway. “I don’t know. She was scared and didn’t think it all out.”
His hand scrubbed through his hair. “She’d need his permission to do such a thing, even in Canada, and I can assure you Caleb would never allow it.”
“Can we just talk about this later? Please, I can’t be late today.”
“Of course. Get dressed and I’ll meet you out front in thirty to drop you at school.”
“Thanks, but I haven’t had a chance to drive my car yet. I just want a little normalcy today. How about you and Oliver come to dinner and I can cook for you for once?”
His eyes brightened. “Mmm, you in the kitchen preparing my meal. I do like the image that presents.”
“Pig!” I giggled.
“I can’t tell you what it did to me when I walked in on you covered in flour the day you watched Oliver after school. I still think about it from all those months ago.”
After dragging myself back up, I sauntered toward him, fueled by my unyielding desire to taste him just once more. He watched me, his eyes bright as I dragged my fingers gently up his chest. “You liked that, huh?”
His lips curled up into a smirk. “You have no idea. But you will…very soon.”
“All these promises…”
“So many I plan to deliver on.” He swathed me in his arms, then swatted my backside. “Now go get that fine ass dressed, and I’ll see you later.”
As I stood outside my classroom, my life came back into view. Greeting students and parents was exhilarating. I felt useful—needed. Their words were supportive and caring. They were genuinely happy about my return, wishing me well and explaining how they’d kept me in their thoughts and prayers. It was nice to be back in my element.
The crowd in the hall thinned as the clock ticked closer to class time. My students put their coats and book bags in their cubbies and shuffled to their seats while I watched from my door, my smile unwavering.
As I was about to enter the room, I paused when I noticed Logan walking past with Oliver. His eyes locked on mine.
Be professional, I reminded myself, giving him a friendly nod. Oliver waved before entering his classroom, and Logan turned my way as another of my students appeared with her mother.
“Miss Clarke, you’re back!” the little girl, Victoria, exclaimed.
“I sure am, and I can’t wait to see what you guys have been up to while I was gone.”
“We made you a giant picture on the wall.”
I’d already seen it when I’d come in, and had taken multiple photos of the masterpiece. A large canvas of paper covered the wall, and the substitute had had all the kids paint flowers and rainbows however they chose. It was the cutest piece of art I’d ever seen, and the perfect start to my day.
“Welcome back,” her mother said.
I smiled. “Thank you.”
I watched her leave after kissing her daughter’s cheek. As I turned to enter the room, I saw Logan standing across the hall, as still and silent as a predator, watching me.
Hi, I mouthed.
His stare was penetrating and primal. Gorgeous, he mouthed in reply.
“Hi, Miss Clarke!” another student exclaimed as she entered the room. I smiled at her, then looked back to Logan.
He strode over and dipped his head to my neck, his lips brushing my ear. “Keep that dress on tonight,” he whispered before walking away.
The day went better than I’d expected. My students were happy to have me back, and eager to help my day run smoothly. It was nice, but I wasn’t naïve enough to believe it would last. I’d just enjoy it until they got comfortable again and made me work to hold their attention.
As I left my class at the end of the day, part of me hoped to see Logan waiting. It wasn’t the plan, but I knew he’d be there to pick up Oliver, so there was a chance. But no such luck.
I was heading to my car when my phone pinged to life in my coat pocket. It was the first sound it had made in almost two days. With a rush of hope, I stopped mid-step a few feet from my car to retrieve it.
With one look, my heart jolted. Hilary’s name lit my screen. It was a text and not a call, but it was a start.
I rushed to my car, unlocked the door, and shoved my tote in the backseat, taking shelter from the deep chill.
With a nervous hand, I opened the text.
I just need some time to think. Tell Caleb I’ll call him soon
No way! I needed more than that. Irritated, I twisted my hair up in a knot, then replied.
He knows! You have to call.
There’s no way he hadn’t texted her that he’d found out about the baby, but just in case, I felt I should let her know.
My phone lit up with an incoming call. Thank God.
“Hilary, where are you?” I blurted out the second I answered.
“How could you tell him, Cassandra!?” she screamed hysterically, sobs dominating her speech.
“I didn’t get a chance to. Natasha had that honor. Now where are you?”
“Natasha! That bitch!” she hissed.
“What did she say to you in the bathroom at Haven, exactly?” I cranked on the heat.
“Nothing I didn’t already know.”
“Don’t lie to me, Hilary. You left me in a real crappy position here. Caleb’s furious, hurt, and…I don’t know what he’s going to do when he finds you. So you need to just call him and explain—or, better yet, come home.”
“I really screwed up.” She sounded dejected.
I blew out a breath, forcing myself to calm down. She needed my support, not a bombardment of demands. “You panicked. He’ll forgive you, but you need to call him.”
“What if I’m a shit mother like Natasha was? What if I forget to feed the baby, or leave it somewhere? Oh God, I can’t.” Alarm rang through her voice.
“First of all, we’re talking about a baby, not an object. You’ll feed him or her, and if you forget, they’ll cry and remind you. And I’ll be there any time you need me, day or night.”
She continued as though in a fog, my words lost on her. “Caleb hates me. He has to. I just left him, Cassandra—snuck out! What the hell is the matter with me? He’s everything I could ever want or need, and I lied to him—betrayed him. Oh my God. Oh my God. I can’t breathe.”
“Hilary, listen to me: You have to calm down, okay?”