Chapter 129

We stood like that in silence, watching the sunset and the Manhattan skyline and bridges, as the lady disappeared into the harbor and the ferry came to rest on Staten Island. We let the other passengers leave first, and then Logan laced his fingers with mine. "Ready to have the best pizza in the world?"
I chuckled. "Now, I don't know about 'in the world'. It's going to have to go some to beat Charlie Brown's Pizza in Zanesville, Ohio."
"Ohio?" he scoffed. "You've got to be kidding me! We're talking about New York here!" He made a grand gesture around him. "If that's all you have to compare it with, then you haven't had pizza yet!"
I shook my head. "I don't know. Charlie Brown's Pizza was really good."
He smiled. "Well, we'll see now, won't we?" He led me to the street and held up his hand and whistled, hailing a cab. A moment later, we both slid into the backseat. "Denino's Pizzeria and Tavern, please."
A broad smile spread across the cab diver's ebony face. "You got it! Denino's coming up!"
Logan wrapped his arm around me, and I slid against his side as we watched the scenery pass by. But Logan grew strangely quiet. I thought it was probably because of the memories of his childhood, but I had a feeling it was something more than that.
A few minutes later, we pulled in front of a rustic, stone building. Logan paid the driver, and then turned to me as we took in the building. "Well, you said 'no frills'."
A broad smile spread across my face. "Yes. I did. But as far as being the best pizza in New York, that's yet to be determined."
He laughed. "Well, come on then, little lady! You ain't seen nothing yet!" he said in a fake southern accent as he laced his fingers with mine and pulled me inside.
And it was as if we had just stepped back in time.
Booths set back to back around the walls of the room, and no frills tables and metal chairs set in the middle of the room. "This reminds me of some of the places back home."
"In West Palm Beach?" Logan asked as he sat down at a nearby booth.
A broad smile spread across my face. "You remembered!"
He smiled, but a dark look appeared in his eyes. "I remember a lot more than you think."
I was about to ask him what he meant, but a young girl with short, blonde hair stepped up to our table. "Welcome to Denino's! Would you like to see a menu?"
I looked over at Logan and smiled.
"Do you mind?" he asked.
I shook my head, smiling. "Not at all. This is your turf."
His eyes lit up. "We'll take a large Garbage Pie."
I laughed. "Really?"
"Hey! Don't knock it until you've tried it," Logan said, and then turned to the waitress. "Also, a beer for me and a glass of Chardonnay for the lady." He raised an eyebrow to me, and I nodded.
"You got it!" the waitress said, enjoying our exchange. "I'll have that out to you in just a few minutes." Then, she disappeared around the corner, headed toward the kitchen.
The dark look reappeared in Logan's eyes.
"Are you okay?" I asked as I reached across the table and placed my hand on his.
"Here you go!" the waitress said, and Logan pulled his hand away to make room as she set our drinks down on the table. "Your pie will be out in a minute!" We nodded our thanks, and she disappeared again.
I took a sip of my wine as Logan took a swig of his beer. I narrowed my eyes as I ran a finger along the rim of my glass. "What's wrong?"
Logan looked at his beer and set it down as he shook his head. "It's nothing."
My heart sank. Was he having second thoughts about us? About me? Or was the past coming back to haunt him? "Tell me."
He let out a deep breath as he looked at his beer. "My mother came to see me today."
"Oh?"
He nodded as he studied the label of his beer.
"And?"
He looked into my eyes. "And I told her that I'm not sure if I want to run for senator."
I nodded as I let out a deep breath. "May I speak freely?"
He nodded.
I took a sip of my wine, and then looked into his eyes. "Logan, if you run for senator or any office, do it because you want to, not because of your mother or anyone else." I was going to add including me, but decided against it.
He forced a weak smile. "That's exactly what I told her."
I nodded as I bit my lower lip. "And what have you decided?"
He took another sip of his beer, and then looked in to my eyes. "I was thinking about quitting, but then I thought about visiting the hospital."
I laughed involuntarily, my eyebrows pulling together. "What does running for office have to do with going to a hospital?"
He smiled as a crease formed between his eyes. "My campaign manager wanted me to visit a children's hospital. But I couldn't visit kids without presents, especially not at Christmas time." He let out a deep breath and bit his lower lip. "So, I dressed up like Santa and delivered presents to the terminally ill kids."
I nodded, impressed, but I just listened.
"Now, remembering the look in their eyes, I realized I have something to give back."
I cleared the lump in my throat. "And what is that?"
He looked directly into my eyes. "Hope."
I nodded, understanding. "You want to give the people hope."
He chuckled. "Sounds crazy, doesn't it?"
I shook my head. "No. Not at all. I think it's admirable," I said as I reached across the table and gave his hand a squeeze.
He let out a deep breath. "Also, I saw a homeless man living on the street a few days ago." He shook his head. "There are too many people in the city without a home. I'd like to do something for them, too, like make a shelter "
"Or give them hope."
He nodded, smiling as he looked down at his beer.
I watched him, overcome with emotion. Deep down, no matter what had happened or how life had changed him, he was still the Logan that he had always been, my Logan. "So, it sounds like you've made a decision."
He nodded. "I have. I'm running for senator, but on my own terms."
I nodded, smiling as my eyes welled up with tears. "I'm so happy for you." I took a sip of my wine. "Since we're talking all serious, may I ask you a question?"
"Shoot, but not literally." He smiled as he took another sip of his beer.
I looked directly into his eyes. "Why did you give up music?"
He forced a smile as he set down his beer and then looked into my eyes. "I think you know the answer to that." He shook his head, as if trying to clear his head of the memories. "After I thought you had died, the music and Nashville didn't have the same appeal."
I nodded, understanding.
"What about you?" he asked. "What made a talented musician such as yourself want to become a lawyer, of all things?" His voice was teasing, but had an edge of seriousness.
I bit my lower lip, looking at my drink. "Logan, it's hard to explain."
He placed his hand over mine. "Try. I want to know."
I looked up, and then lowered my eyes to meet his. "Logan, the music died when I thought you died. As you said, it just wasn't the same." I looked away, letting out a deep breath. "I tried to go back on tour, but my heart wasn't in it." I looked back into his eyes. "I needed a change, and with being a lawyer, I could help people and protect talent to make sure that no one took advantage of them "
"Like Craig had?"
I let out a deep breath. "He never forced himself on me or anything, but he just wasn't as professional as he should have been. I became a contract lawyer to protect talent from the business, I guess. To help them not to lose themselves." I looked directly into his eyes. "Does that make sense?"
He nodded as he forced a smile. "It makes perfect sense." Then, he reached over and squeezed my hand, forcing me to look at him. "I'm so sorry that happened to you."
I let out a deep breath, willing the lump in my throat to vanish. "Yeah. Me, too." I meant it not only for myself, but as much for him. For us. For a second, I wished we could turn back time, to gain back the years we'd lost, to find each other again.