Page 50 of Whenever You Call

Now…

It was for us.

Chapter21

LOGAN

She’d surprised me.

Not when she demanded I tell her the way to the lookout point I’d driven her to not so many nights ago, but by the way her eyes sparkled when she looked back at me. I’d pushed my luck asking her to get out of the house, and then she’d pushed back, daring me to test her again with something else.

I didn’t need to now. I knew she’d pass everything else. All she’d needed was a little nudge to remind herself of what she was capable of.

Bella talked and talked and talked the whole way to the lookout point, and I soaked up her happiness, unable to stop myself from smiling at seeing her acting so…normal. When we finally reached our destination and Hannah parked the car, it didn’t take long for Bella to begin to climb out.

“You coming to see the view, Mr. Logan?” she said as she struggled to push herself out of the high seat.

“Like I’d miss it.”

“Race ya!” She beamed.

Of course, I let her win. The kid needed all the wins she could get right now.

The sun had been diluted by the smog that left a constant haze over LA, and even though I preferred it up here at night, there was no denying the beauty of it in that moment when I walked to the edge of the cliff, grateful for the small barrier that stopped us from worrying too much about Bella’s safety.

“It’s so beautiful,” she cooed, her eyes wide as she looked out at the city. “It really is the whole world, isn’t it?”

“Sure looks like it, doesn’t it?” I said, watching how she tracked every building, every street, every palm tree, and streetlight in sight. “You’ve never seen anything like this before?”

“Nope. Daddy took us to a lot of places with his band when I was smaller, but he liked to keep me in alotof hotel rooms, too. Sometimes we’d travel, and it felt like I was still at home.”

“I’m sorry, kid.”

“For what?”

“I… don’t know.”

“Then, don’t be sorry, Mr. Logan.”

I looked down at her, dressed in a pretty coral summer dress, her long hair braided, dangling down her small back. For such a young girl, she had a weirdly grown-up attitude to everything thrown her way—a price she no doubt paid for having to grieve the love of her life at such a young age.

I fucking hated it for her.

“Just call me Logan, Bella,” I said. “Calling me Mr. makes me sound old.”

A small laugh bubbled from her chest. “Youareold.”

“Hey!” I shot back, feigning offense.

“Bella,” Hannah chided, coming up behind us slowly and standing next to Bella. “That’s no way to talk about our senior citizens.”

My brows rose. “Oh, really?” I narrowed my eyes at her, unable to stop the smirk tugging at my mouth. “Remind me, Miss Youth, how old exactly are you?”

“She’s twenty-nine. Mommy turns thirty just before Christmas. Daddy made fun of her for it on her last birthday, even though he was thirty-two,” Bella chipped in, her arms resting on the railing in front of her as she propped her chin on the back of her hands.

“Thank you forthat,daughter.” Hannah shook her head but couldn’t stop the smile that rose to life, despite the mention of Cole, as she looked out at the city in front of her and blew out a breath. “What about you, Logan? Seems only fair that you tell us your age since you know ours.”

“How old do you think I am?”

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