eyes. They got outside the room, and Seth circled the boy with his arm. “We’re gonna win, Johnny, I feel it.”
“When will we know?”
“I don’t think today. Probably this week.”
“Hell, more waiting.”
“It’ll be worth it.”
“I hope so.”
* * *
Later that week, Julianne waited in her studio for Maddie Rogers to arrive for her lesson. Her sister had come for three days while Julianne stayed home with her injured shoulder, and they’d spent the time talking till one in the morning, eating big meals, and making popcorn for watching movies. Though Liliana was angry at Seth for how he’d treated Julianne, she gave Julianne the leeway to follow her heart. They even had dinner with him once. Thankfully, her shoulder didn’t ache anymore, and she’d been freed from the sling and she could come back to work when her sister went back to D.C.
Now, at six, there was a knock on the door. Expecting Maddie Rogers, she peeked through the window, then opened the door. “Logan, hello.” She glanced past him to the car. “Where’s Maddie?”
“She didn’t come with me.” He cleared his throat. “I need to talk to you alone.” He started inside and she backed up. He shut the door.
Primal fear kicked in. She was alone with a man who she knew peripherally, and something didn’t feel right. “Um, I’m sorry. I left a message I canceled my lesson with Maddie.”
“You just asked for her.”
“I-I thought maybe you didn’t get the voicemail.” Slowly she reached in her pocket for her phone. “I’ll show you.” Could he tell that was a lie?
“Is something wrong?” His brow furrowed and he seemed puzzled. “You’re acting, I don’t know, afraid of me.”
She pressed 9-1—
A big, strong male hand reached out and gripped hers. “Julianne, I’m not here to hurt you. I came to apologize. And to tell you Maddie won’t be taking any more lessons.”
“Please let go of me.”
“All right.” He held up his arms and backed away.
When he did, she indicated the phone. “I’ll call the police if you try to hurt me.”
“I’m not going to hurt you. I only wanted to scare you.”
“Scare me? Now?”
“No, Julianne, when I keyed your car. I wanted to scare you so you’d close your studio, at least temporarily, and I wouldn’t have to pay for Maddie’s lessons. And maybe she’d forget about Julliard if you weren’t in her life.”
“Why would you do that?”
“I lost my job four months ago and have run though my savings.” He raked a hand through his hair. “I couldn’t tell my own daughter what happened. I couldn’t bear for her to think less of me. I don’t have much else in my life.”
“Why are you telling me this? Surely, if I know what you did, the plan won’t work.”
“I woke up at three almost every morning since I did it. I hated myself for my stupid actions. Then Maddie told me she’d read in the paper about the break-in at your house earlier in the month. She was afraid to tell me, because she thought I wouldn’t let her come here.”
“This is so convoluted, Logan.”
“The tangled web stuff, you know. Shakespeare.”
“I guess I’m not in any danger from you.” She clicked off her phone. “And I’m sorry you lost your job.”
His face brightened. “I had three interviews today. I hope one of them comes through.” He shrugged. “Unless you press charges. Which you’re entitled to.”
“No, no charges. And I hope you get one of those jobs. Meanwhile, I can affect one thing in your life. Let’s talk.”
* * *
“So, Seth, let’s pick up where we left off.” This was his third visit with Christina Bell. By now, he discovered he liked her sharp questioning and how she didn’t let him get away with evasion. But the sessions were grueling.
“Right up to your teen years, you were well-liked. The good guy. But that’s when your cheating started. Do you know what you were feeling when it first happened?”
He thought back. “I’m not sure. I know I loved Julianne.”
“But?”
“Does cheating on her mean I didn’t love her?”
“Not in my opinion. People in love hurt each other. But it seems so uncharacteristic of the picture of the young man you’ve created for me.”
“Yeah, I don’t understand it either.”
“Tell me about the first time. What were you feeling?”
He described how he went to get the car, excited about maybe having sex with Julianne. He bumped into Sandy, and she came on to him. He’d been…blown away by the adrenaline rush and the sexuality.
“Julianne was