Logan arrived in Los Angeles a day after he known Anne's disapperance. Before he left he makes sure everything settled, so Mason--his foreman would keep up even he was away.
The weather of Los Angeles was far better than Montana. This is his second home. Half life of his mother was spent here--just transfered Montana after she married his father.
He hailed a taxi and gave the address of his mother ancestral home. It's been three years since the last time he visited this place. The city still look the same, busy as always.
While he was staying here he plan to run his mother's family business. Maybe it's about time to face his responsiblies that he gave up for a very long time.
No more than twenty minutes had passed since Logan's ordered the taxi driver, they pulled up in front of a gracious Victorian house with a high wrought-iron fence. It was lovely but there's an indication that no one lives here.
Logan sorted through the keys on his key ring as he raced up the garden path. He unlocked the door and pushed it open so urgently. All a while he felt excited to be home again.
He suddenly paused when he welcomed by the aroma of cinnamon and the scent of lavender.
His Aunt Gertrude!
"Auntie!" he hollered as he entered a wide, high ceilinged entrance.
"Kitchen." It was a woman's voice, sweet and so welcoming, faint but audible.
Logan broke into a run.
He was passing a number of doorways before he entered a big, bright French Provencal-style kitchen at the end of the hallway. A woman, who looked to be in her mid-fifties, stood at the kitchen sink, her face ashen as he held her left forearm under the running tap.
"I'm okay." Gertrude Jacob said the moment she saw him.
"What happened" Logan asked.
"So stupid-- I was checking the pies and then hit the corner of the oven.
Logan moved closer to inspect his auntie's arm. He could tell from his auntie's expression that the burn was grim.
"We need to see the doctor. Hang on there I'll get the car." he said touching her shoulder.
The older woman nodded. "I'm sorry, I'd ruin my surprise for you."
Logan saw that there were stall parked beneath the overhang on the island counter and he grabbed one.
"You already surprised me for coming here and baked some pies for me." He gave her a grateful look before offering it to her aunt. "Here."
"Thank you." Gertrude said as she sank onto the stool. She closed her eyes for a minute. When she opened again she made contact with him and offered him a loving smile. "This is just a minor burn, I more concern about you. Mason already told me everything, Logan."
He suddenly felt passive, not ready to talk about it.
"I'll be fine, Auntie. I have this big muscle, look!" he showed his arms then chuckled.
"Ye right, but you have that soft heart and now its broken." Gertrude's face was both loving and concerned as she stared at him.
Logan walked in front of his aunt and tightly hugged her. The warm body of his aunt made him feel really home. And this tears... he let his tears came out that he was holding for quite sometimes.
"Just be strong my dear." Gertrude said while smoothened his back.
"Thanks, Auntie." he lovingly stared at her and dropped a kiss on her forehead.
They locked the house and he drove his aunt's car to the nearest hospital.
"I'll send you a car for you to use." Gertrude said a minute they were settle inside the car.
He glanced at his aunt. She was this the epitome of a strong woman. After his mother's death, his aunt took all the responsilities to their multi millions company. Thinking of that now, maybe thats the main reason why she choose to be single for life.
"You can retire now." he said all a while.
Gertrude stared at him for a minute, processing the words he just had said.
"Oh my God! Oh my God! Did I heard it right?" she unbelievably asked.
Logan amusingly laughed to the reaction of his Aunt. "Maybe its about time for me to face the responsibilities I been turning down for the past few years. Circle F is just fine even without me."
"I'm glad to hear that you're feeling more comfortable in taking my post in our company." Gertrude said gently. "Don't worry Logan, we'll send more funding so that the Circle F will be back on its glory. After all, at the end of the day all of these will be yours." she smiled at him. "Suddenly, all my worries suddenly ease, now that your taking the company."
He gave him an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry Aunt, it takes a while for me to realize. I'll let you carry the company all by yourself. Maybe thats why you choose to be single." he smiled at her.
"Oh! no! no!" she gigled. "Our business is my life, and I willingly happily chosen it."
He admiringly looked at his aunt. "For that, I commend your compassion and hardwork."
"I want you to do the same, Logan." she said, hopeful that this time he took seriously his job.
"I will." he promised.
Logan assisted his aunt and made their way to the emergency department. An inquiry revealed that his aunt was being treated by a doctor and he were advised to take a seat in the waiting room.
An hour later the nurse came to tell him that his aunt had been move away to a private room and that he were free to visit her.
He followed a complicated set of direction until he located her room. He was just attempting to open the door when a female voice called his name.
Logan slowly turned around to face to face a lady in a white scrub suit.
"Dr. Shelby! Hi!" he greeted his classmate in high school and also a dear friend.
"Oh my, I know it's you! Are you okay? I mean, are you really okay?" her blue eyes looked into him.
His brow wrinkled into frown. "Sorry?"
She intently stared at him and she knew, absolutely, that she understood what she was saying.
"Oh! I'm sorry! Donovan with his big mouth. You know!" Shelby gave her an apologetic look.
Logan shook his head. "Oh, I understand. It's imposible to him that he wouldn't say something."
"Oh yeah! He isn't Donovan Ortega, the gossip king for nothing." the lady doctor's giggled.
After a minute the doctor's face turned to serious. "Logan,I think you must know this, because maybe you still didn't know."
He'd seen the look on her face, the concern and worries.
Shelby took a deep sighed before she started. "Logan, I heard that there was a intimate engagement party they were holding tonight.Do you know about it? The Ford and the Evans Engagement circulated in the news this morning even they tried to have a news black out."
It took him a moment to orient himself to process-- what the doctor just had said. For the second time in as many minute, he was without words.
She was watching him intently. Logan realized he hadn't answered her question yet.
" "I didn't realize." he whispered.
An image flashed across his mind's eye- Anne capturing his face in her hands this past few weeks and telling him clearly and unequivocally that she loved him, no matter what. The love and devotion in her expression had been undeniable, as had the love and devotion in his eyes. They were crazy about each other. They preferred each other's company to anyone else's, finished each other's sentences, tickled each other's silly jokes.... They were a matched set. Soul mates, Inseparable.
"Logan..." Shelby tapped one of his shoulder.
He looked into Shelby's eyes. "It's alright."
His chest was suddenly tight. He was hurting very bad.
"I'm sorry, I should have not said that." she said.
Not meeting her gaze. "Excuse me Shel." and rushed out from the hospital.
His tears started to came out and he immediately brushed them away with his fingers.
"Hang on Logan. You'll be fine." he whispered.
****
LIST OF MY STORIES
The Broken Vow Series
(Written in English)
Through The Years-Book One
A Vengeful Heiress-Book Two
A Forgotten Promise-Book Three
The Wanderer's Heart-Book Four(Coming soon)
The Stubborn Heir-Book Five(Coming soon)
You are the One-Book Six(Coming soon)
A Broken Man Series
(Written in Filipino)
You're Still My Man-Book One
Dreaming of You-Book Two
Leaving Yesterday Behind-Book Three(Coming soon)
The Boss Princess-Book Four(Coming soon)
His Downfall-Book Five(Coming Soon)
The Hacienderos Series
(Written in Filipino)
Sweetest Love-Book One
Curse Love--Book Two(Coming soon)
Frigid Heart- Book Three(Coming soon)
The Señoritas Series
(Written in Filipino)
My Naughy Señorita-Book One
My Witty Señorita-Book Two(Coming soon)
My Lovely Señorita-Book Three(Coming soon)
My Stubborn Señorita-Book Four(Coming soon)
--Hanna Luna/athe152