Page 108 of Mine to Love

“I wasn’t like my brothers or my father. I didn’t understand why my dad would walk away from his career. It sets me apart from everyone else in the family. We get along, sure, but I have too much of my grandfather in me. I work tirelessly but make sure to include the family values my parents instilled in me into my businesses. I don’t overwork my employees, I treat them well, and I make sure to attend every Pierce family event possible.”

“Logan. I don’t have time for this.” I stand and I jump to my feet to stop her retreat.

“I didn’t start LP for you, Reese. I did it for me. To escape the person I was becoming. Money driven. A workaholic. LP had been on the back burner, a new me I would start next year. And then next year came and went. I didn’t have the balls to walk away from the corporation I’d built in Austin. I didn’t want to appear a quitter or a failure in front of my peers. And then I realized, I didn’t have friends. I had work relations. I had business associates. Still, I couldn’t do it. And then I met you.”

“Logan.” She shakes her head. “I didn’t change you. Don’t put that much power or expectation on me. I don’t want it.”

“You’re right. You didn’t. You opened my eyes.” I move closer, and this time she doesn’t back away when I reach for her. A gentle touch to her shoulder is all, and still, she tenses under me.

“It was sex.”

“It was really good sex.” My attempt at humor fails both of us. Sobering again, I continued. “The more time I spent with my family, the more I saw how Nick and Holden fell in love with their wives and with life, not money or work, the more I realized I actually wanted that too. New Year’s Eve—”

“I was convenient. I am convenient.”

“No. You intrigued me. I wanted to fight it. I told myself we weren’t compatible because I thought you were too carefree, not career driven, not my type.”

“Thanks. You thought I was a flighty bimbo who would put out.”

“Reese.” I grip her elbow when she tries to turn from me. “Honestly? At first? Yes. I convinced myself it would be good for me to...let loose a little. And then I got to know you, and I learned there were so many sides to you. When your father told me about your college career cut short and how you gave up your dreams for him, I wanted to give you that opportunity. It was two-fold. It got my ass moving on making the changes I’d told myself I needed to do but didn’t have the balls to.”

“I’m still seeing myself as a convenience.”

“You were...you are my motivation to be the person I want to be.”

Reese stares over my shoulder and blinks back tears. “It’s great that I could help you figure yourself out, Logan, but you hurt me in the process. I want to earn my keep. I want to earn my place in the world. I don’t want handouts. And what happens now that you’ve figured yourself out? You don’t need me anymore. You did it. Congratulations. Now give me the time I need to figure myself out.”

I let her take a few steps away before calling out to her, “Reese. I want you in my life. Whatever you need me to do, to be, I’ll do it. I’ll be it. Don’t shut me out.”

She doesn’t move for a moment, then looks over her shoulder with sad eyes. “I don’t want you to do or be anything but yourself. The moment you change for someone else is the moment you lose yourself.”

I watch her walk away. This time, however, I won’t wait six weeks to see her again.

***

“HAVE A LOVELY DAY, Mrs. Haskell.” I adore the elderly woman. She comes in once a week to deposit ten dollars in her granddaughter's savings account, and each time she shows everyone pictures of the adorable little toddler.

I’m still smiling at Mrs. Haskell’s retreating back when a tall man fills up the space in front of my window. I glance up and freeze.

“What are you doing here?”

“Not the nicest way to greet your customers,” Logan says with a grin.

“You don’t even have an account here,” I snarl with a hushed tone. Instead of his usual business attire, he’s wearing a polo shirt and khakis. Casual for him.

Logan leans across the counter and mimics my tone. “Yes, I do.” He slides a deposit slip and a hundred-dollar bill to me.

I glance at it and back up at him again. “You’re depositing a hundred dollars?”

“Yes ma’am.” The Texas drawl comes out and little flutters take over my belly. I can’t be that easy to fluster, can I?

With a roll of my eyes, I make the deposit and slide the receipt to him. “Have a nice day, Mr. Pierce.”

“Can I have a lollipop?” He nods toward the cup.

“They’re for kids.”

Logan plucks one from the cup. “Sometimes rules are meant to be broken.” He tosses me a wink and strolls out.

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