“It’s alright, I can wait,” she replied kindly.
Logan quickly made his way to his room and closed the door behind him before heading into the bathroom. As he stepped into the hot shower, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of comfort and relief wash over him. The water felt good on his cold skin, soothing any tension he had.
Chapter Five
Dixie woke up abruptly, her hair messy and in her face. She looked around, trying to figure out what had woken her. Then she heard knocking on the door. She checked the time and saw it was two in the morning.
“Who could that be?” she wondered aloud. She got out of bed, put on a robe and grabbed the baseball bat she kept next to her bed for protection. Cautiously, she made her way to the living room.
“Who is it?” she called out.
“It’s me. Please, open the door,” Logan’s voice replied.
Dixie furrowed her eyebrows. What was Logan doing here at this hour? She set down the bat, turned on the porch light, and opened the door slightly, keeping the chain lock in place. He had his hands on each side of the doorjamb with his head down.
“Logan? What’s going on?” she asked, noticing the pain on his face when he raised his head.
“He’s gone, Dixie,” Logan said with a shaky voice. “Dad died.”
“Oh, my God.” Dixie gasped, closing the door and removing the chain lock before opening it again for him to enter.
Logan leaned against the wall by the door and hung his head. He looked at Dixie with tears streaming down his face. She reached outfor his hand and led him into the house. She helped him take off his coat and hat, placing them on a nearby bench before guiding him to sit on the sofa. Dixie then went to the kitchen, poured a shot of whiskey, and brought it back to Logan.
“Here. Drink this,” she said softly. “It’ll help.”
Logan took the glass, gulped it down, and handed it back to her. He closed his eyes and sat back against the sofa while Dixie placed the glass on the coffee table and sat next to him. Despite their complicated past, she knew he was hurting, and she just wanted to be there for him. She took his hand in hers, silently offering her support.
Tears streamed down her face as she remembered the man they had both loved and lost. She knew how much Clint Townson meant to Logan and it broke her heart to see him in such pain.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.
Logan’s sobs wracked his body as he laid his cheek against Dixie’s shoulder. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, feeling the weight of his heartache and pain. “When did it happen?” she asked softly.
“About two hours ago,” Logan choked out. “He was having trouble breathing, so I called the doctor, and he sent an ambulance. I hated taking him to the hospital... he wanted to die at home, and I let him down.”
Dixie shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. “No, you didn’t. You did what was best for him. He knows that.”
“I know... but it doesn’t make it any easier,” Logan said, sitting forward and clasping his head in his hands. “I don’t know what to do without him.”
Dixie leaned against his back, placing her cheek against him and cried with him.
After a few minutes, Logan sat back and sighed heavily. He took a deep breath and looked at Dixie with tears in his eyes.
“I’m sorry for waking you. I couldn’t go home... when I left the hospital, I just drove around aimlessly until I ended up near your house. I didn’t want to be alone,” he said.
“You don’t have to be alone,” Dixie said firmly. “I have a spare bedroom. Please stay here tonight.”
Logan shook his head as more tears rolled down his face. “I’ll miss him so much.”
“I know,” Dixie whispered, rubbing his arm soothingly. “But you won’t be alright if you’re alone right now. You can sleep on the sofa or in the spare room, whatever makes you comfortable.”
Logan nodded slightly, a small smile lifting his lips at Dixie’s stubbornness.
“Yes, ma’am,” he said weakly.
Dixie led him to the spare bedroom. “The bathroom is across the hall. Take a hot shower and try to get some rest.”
Logan nodded again. “Thank you, Dixie. I know I’m the last person you want here... but I didn’t know where else to go,” he admitted.