Can't Let Go - By Michelle Brewer Page 0,61
you called.” Logan shrugged out of his blazer, having learned from experience that jackets were much more costly to replace than were dress shirts. He’d had the misfortune of making a mess of himself on more than one occasion.
“I really enjoyed talking with you the last time we met, Logan.”
“I’m glad. Really, though, the pleasure was all mine.” He wasn’t just being nice either. Logan meant it. He was glad he’d had the opportunity to meet Abby’s father, even if it made resenting him that much more difficult.
Impossible, rather. Because having seen the way Martin Lewis cared for his daughter…it had made all the difference.
“I regret not having the chance to meet you sooner, son.” Logan only nodded, unsure of how to respond. He, too, wished they’d had the opportunity to meet all those years ago. But deep down, he knew it was for the best that they hadn’t. “I know that you and Abby were serious for quite some time many years ago. I wish I had taken the time then to get to know you rather than allow the assumptions of my friends to make up my mind for me.”
“No—you were right. I was a different man then.” Logan knew Martin would never have approved of him then. He had been drifting through life until he met Abby, and even then, he had been too dense to do something with himself.
“Truth be told, I really don’t think you were.” Martin found Logan’s eyes, and he could see that the man was being honest. “For a long time, I thought I knew who you were. I grew up in this world, and I saw the way men looked at the women I grew up with. The golden ticket, I think, is what they used to say.”
Martin paused, looking down at the table for a moment before meeting Logan’s eyes once more. “I thought I knew what you were all about. But I saw the way you looked at her, Logan. And it was not at all what I had expected.”
Just then, the waitress came over to take their order. Logan ordered his usual, without looking at the menu—eager to continue the conversation. He wanted to know where this was leading. The older man followed suit, not taking any longer than necessary to order exactly the same thing as Logan.
“You were saying?” Logan asked, trying not to appear too eager.
“You really love my daughter.” Martin told him.
“Without question.” What would be the use in lying?
“You didn’t really stop, did you?” Logan shook his head. He was sure it would be impossible to, even now. “I wish I’d known that sooner, Logan.”
“I didn’t want to intrude on whatever life she had made for herself. When I left her—I wasn’t doing it because of anything that she had done. I was just…” He paused, searching for the words, trying to explain to the man why he had left Abby in the first place. It had nothing to do with not loving her enough—in fact, it was just the opposite. He had loved her too much, and that had frightened him for far too long. “I was terrified. I didn’t think I deserved her.”
“I’ve had a hard time finding someone I thought did.” Martin told him and Logan wondered if he spoke of Eric—the man his daughter was soon to wed. Did he really think Eric deserved Abby? “You could have found her again.”
“By the time I had finally figured it all out, I couldn’t imagine she would ever be able to look at me the same way.” Logan told him.
“But she does.” Abby’s father replied. But Logan shook his head, leaning back into the seat.
“No—I really don’t think that’s the case, sir. Marty.” Wouldn’t she have stayed if she did?
“Forgive me for being frank, Logan—but are you blind?” Logan looked up, somewhat stunned. Martin’s eyes held his. Logan recognized that look—he’d seen it on Abby’s face so many times before, whenever he’d done something incredibly stupid. “I’ve never seen my daughter look at any man the way she looks at you.”
Logan couldn’t find his voice for several moments.
“But she hasn’t called me. She hasn’t tried to find me.”
“Because she’s afraid, Logan. She’s spent so much time trying to let you go—so much time and energy trying to push you away. And she’s afraid to let you back in. I saw what she went through, when she came home from Hawaii. ”
“But she has to know that I would never—”
“Plus, she’s a woman