Chapter 170

“I’m sorry,” I said, disbelieving my own ears. “You said, you think you should?”

“Some of what Tina said made sense,” Logan said as he continued to chew on his potato chips. “This front does give us the perfect cover, but with a cover like this, more activity is going to be needed on my part to maintain the lie.”

“Do you hear yourself?” I asked. “You are married to me, Logan. If anyone finds out about that, this will look like you are trying to be a bigamist.”

“No one will find out the truth, so long as we keep Tina happy.”

“And how far will it go, then? What lengths will you go to, to keep Tina happy? Are you going to sleep with her?” I asked, hurt crawling up my throat.

“Of course not.”

“You say that now, but you keep giving her inches. You want to keep the engagement ruse. You’re willing to spend the night at her place. How long until she convinces you to sleep in the same bed? Maybe you two will practice kissing.”

“No, Hazel. That will not happen.”

“Can you truly tell me that with certainty? Look me in my face and tell me that this is not Tina’s plan all along.”

With determination, he lifted his eyes to mine. But, after a few seconds, that same determination faltered.

“It’s not that I want to do these things,” he said. “But this is the only way forward for us.”

“I refuse to believe that.” I shook my head. “If you keep giving her inches, Logan, eventually she is going to take a mile. You’ll end up planning a wedding with her for real.”

“That won’t happen.”

“Then don’t go,” I said. “If you want me to believe what you’re saying, don’t go to her place. We need to have our own boundaries in this or she really will push us apart, whether intentional or not.”

“Hazel…”

“I’m asking you not to, Logan. If only for me, please. Don’t give her any more of what is supposed to be ours.”

He looked at me for a long moment, considering my words. After a long pause, he said, “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“Then don’t.”

He nodded. “Very well. Whatever hell might come of it, I will not go to Tina’s tonight.”

Agreeing not to go to Tina’s tonight was not the same as agreeing to never go, and we both knew it. But for now, I could handle this. I could work with this.

It was past time for Tina and me to have our own little chat.

Tina didn’t like me. Logan warned me to stay away from her. I’d been trying that and things had only gotten worse.

Logan was my husband, my man. It was past time for me to take a stand and defend him.

“Imagine my shock reading the morning headlines and to find out you’re engaged,” Dylan said on the phone. Logan cringed, hearing the words. “That’s a tricky thing, being married and engaged at the same time.”

“Tina blindsided me with that,” Logan admitted.

“Bigamy is illegal, just in case you needed a lawyer’s take on this.”

“I’m not actually engaged to Tina,” Logan said, then gave his friend a brief overview of all that happened.

“Well, I’m glad I don’t have to knock your teeth out for two-timing Hazel,” Dylan said. “But she can’t be thrilled about the current state of things.”

“She’s not,” Logan said, remembering her looks of disappointment. She’d practically been begging Logan to fight for her, and he was still crippled with indecision. “But Grandfather –”

“Oh, I get it. There’s already three people in your relationship,” Dylan said. “You, Hazel, and your grandfather.”

“Grandfather doesn’t know about Hazel and me…”

“But he’s still there in your head, dictating all of your decisions. I’ve told you before, Logan, and I’ll tell you as many times as you need to hear it. If you continue to let your grandfather dictate all of your life choices, you are going to lose Hazel. She’s been patient with you thus far. More patient than most. But push her enough and she’ll break the same as anyone.”

“I have no intention of breaking Hazel.” In fact, Logan would do everything in his power to keep that from happening. Well… everything within reason.

“Then stand up to the Hatfield patriarch,” Dylan said, like everything was that easy.

“I could lose my career, my house, my entire livelihood,” Logan said. “Then what would I be left with?”

“Hazel,” Dylan said.

“But what could I even offer her?”

Dylan laughed. “You think she cares about any of that? Your career, your house, whatever else? That woman loves you, Logan. She just wants you.”

Impossible. Logan had no lack of confidence, and he trust Hazel to want him for more than money. Even so, how many marriages ended because of fights over money?

Not to mention, would he even be the same man if he didn’t have his career?

“There’s no lack of your ambition, Logan,” Dylan said. “Honestly, you don’t need your grandfather. If anything, he’s been holding you back for years.”

It was nice of Dylan to say, and Logan was relieved that their friendship had been restored enough for this conversation with Dylan to even happen in the first place.

But that didn’t mean Logan believed him.

“I am part of a legacy,” Logan said.

Dylan huffed a laugh. “A legacy won’t keep your bed warm at night.”

That night, I gathered all of my courage and left my apartment. No one knew where I was headed. I hadn’t told a soul, not even Maria or Megan or Rachel.

This felt so personal, somehow. And maybe a touch embarrassing.

I was never the type to take these kind of actions before. Although, I guess I had never really cared for anyone the way I cared for Logan.

And I wasn’t going to let anyone stand in the way of that, not even a well-connected socialite who could make my life a living hell so easily.

Even so, Logan was mine, and if he wasn’t going to establish boundaries with Tina, then I was going to see to them myself.

I’d gone over all possible conversation points in my head throughout the workday. The moment I got home, I wrote out index cards and practiced my points and counterpoints in the mirror.

Only when I felt ready, did I get into my car and drive to Tina’s mansion.

Surprisingly, after checking my ID, her security waved me in through the gate. I had thought this would be my first stopping point. I hadn’t been sure I’d even get through the door.

Tina herself was waiting at the threshold when I parted and exited my car. Security must have alerted her to my arrival.

Her manor was massive, all bricks and cobblestones and four separate chimneys. Behind Tina, inside the house, I spotted several different maids milling about, cleaning here and arranging there.

Tina shifted, blocking my view. Her eyes narrowed on me.

“What is it, assistant? If it’s a message from Logan, he could have just called.”

“I want to know,” I said, pulling all of my strength into my voice, “Why you would think it’s okay to attempt to sleep with a married man?”

I meant to rattle her with my question.

Instead, she smirked.