Chapter 102
"How's Brett?" I asked, changing the subject. She had married my lead guitarist and they now lived in Colorado. He was in a bigger band now and toured frequently.
She sighed. "On tour again."
"Everything okay?"
She let out a deep breath. "Yeah, but I just wish he didn't have to go away so much."
"Welcome to the music business."
She laughed. "So, what's up? How have you been?"
"Good," I said, but I had said it a bit too quickly.
"Okay. What's up?"
I let out a deep breath. "Are you sitting down?"
I heard something shuffle in the background. "Now I am. What's going on?"
"Logan's alive."
"He what?" she asked, her voice raising several octaves.
"Frank told me tonight," I said. Then, I explained to her about going to New York and thinking that I saw him at the party and on the news.
"That bastard!" she yelled into the phone.
"What?" I asked, sitting up, suddenly concerned.
"Why did he lead you to believe that he was dead all this time?" she asked, suddenly steaming mad. "He let us all think he was dead!"
I let out a deep breath. "I'm not sure."
"He should have called you!"
"Maybe he didn't know "
"Know what?"
"I don't know!" I said, raising my voice a bit. "Stop yelling at me! I'm just as confused as you are."
She paused for a moment on the other end. "So, what are you going to do?" she asked calmly.
I shook my head, even though she couldn't see it on the other end. "I'm not sure."
"Well, it's obvious, isn't it?" she said. "You have to go see him!"
I let out a deep breath. "I'm not sure. He probably had his reasons "
"Alyssa, listen to yourself!" Greer said, raising her voice again. "You have to confront him! Find out why he lied to you this whole time!"
"Well, there's something else."
"What?"
"I started seeing someone."
"Really?" her voice raised several octaves again. "Who is he? Come on. Spill!"
I shook my head. "I haven't dated all this time, and when I do, I find this out."
She let out a deep breath. "Alyssa, it doesn't hurt to date."
"He wants me to move to New York. To go into business together." I spent the next few minutes telling her everything.
When I finished, she asked, "So, what are you going to do?"
I shook my head as I leaned against the pillow with the cell phone to my ear. "I'm not sure. I have to think about it. But if I go, I'll do it on my own. I really don't want to feel like I owe him anything."
"I'm sure he wouldn't feel that way."
I let out a deep breath. "No; maybe not. But I would." She didn't say anything. "Besides, I wouldn't do that to Alanna. We've been business partners since we graduated law school."
"Well, look at it like creating another branch," she said. It sounded like she was fixing dinner in the background. "If you go to New York, then you can still be in business with Alanna. You'd just be branching out literally. Businesses create other branches all the time." It sounded like she slid something in a bowl because it clanked loudly. "Besides. This way you'd be in New York and can find out why the bastard didn't tell you that he was alive all this time."
"Please," I said, placing a hand to my forehead. "Don't call him that."
It sounded like she threw a knife into the bowl. "Okay." She let out a deep breath. "I promise to withhold judgment until I hear what he has to say for himself."
"Thanks, sis," I said, smiling. "I appreciate that."
"But I'm telling you now " It sounded like she switched ears. "If he doesn't have a good excuse, his ass is mine."
I laughed. "Greer! The kids!"
She laughed. "They're in the other room. Besides, I'm allowed a slip now and then."
"I'll tell that to the kids when they get older."
"Don't you dare!"
I smiled into the phone. "It's so good to talk to you. I miss you."
There was a pause at the other end. "I miss you, too," she said softly, and then let out a deep breath. "So do Mom and Dad."
Mom and Dad had moved to Colorado to be with the grandkids after Greer's eldest son, Gray, was born. Jasmine followed within a few years. They were now four and two, respectively, and the light of my parents' lives. I think they would have had grandkids first if they would have known they would be so much fun.
"Yeah. I know," I said. "It was just hard for me. I'd like to come out and visit soon, though."
She set something down on the counter. It sounded like a knife. "Maybe for Christmas?"
I shrugged. "Maybe. I'll see what I can do."
"Try!" she corrected.
I laughed. "Okay. I'll try," I amended. "Listen, I have to go. I just wanted to tell you I love you."
She paused for a moment, and then asked, "Are you okay? I mean, really."
I nodded. "I will be."
There was silence at the other end of the line. "That's good enough for now," she said as she switched ears. "But I want to tell you that if anyone hurts you, I'll kick their ass."
I laughed. "The same goes for me, too."
"You'll kick their ass, too?"
I laughed, but it hurt my head. "You know what I mean. I have your back always."
"Well, I got to go," she said. "I love you, too, sis. And, hey! Don't be a stranger."
I smiled. "You got it." I paused for a minute, and then said, "Hey! How did you get to be so smart?"
She laughed. "Because I have a smart big sister. Love you!"
She gave me smooches into the phone and then the line went dead. I laid my cell phone on the side table and turned out the light. Images danced on the wall, reflecting the Nashville lights. But before I drifted off to sleep, I knew what I had to do. I had to see Logan.
