Chapter 62
We spent the next few months, touring around the country, and fans started recognizing me. My album was quickly climbing the charts. But all too soon, August came. School was going to start the next week, so I had to put Greer on a plane headed for home when we were in New York.
"I'm going to miss you!" I said as I squeezed my sister tightly. Then, I pulled back to look into her eyes. "Promise me that you'll e-mail me."
She laughed. "Skype would be even better."
I nodded as I dabbed at a tear in my eyes. "Yes; it would."
"Now boarding passengers on flight 462, headed for Atlanta, Georgia," an airline attendant announced. Greer was flying into Atlanta, the hub on the east coast, and then would catch a connecting flight to West Palm Beach.
"Well, this is it!" Greer said, pulling me in for another hug. Concern mixed with tears filled her eyes when she pulled back. "Promise me that you'll take care of yourself."
I nodded. "I will. You take care of yourself, too."
We said our last goodbyes, and she walked through the doors toward the jetway. She turned around and waved one last time as tears filled her eyes, and then she was gone.
Somehow, I couldn't bring myself to leave. Overcome with emotion, I sat down on a plastic airport chair as tears poured down my cheeks. People walked past, their eyes filled with concern for me, but I ignored them. I was due for a good cry, and with Greer gone, loneliness threatened to crush me.
After I composed myself, I walked through the airport, headed toward the huge glass double doors when a voice that was all too familiar to me said, "Allie, are you okay?"
Unable to believe my ears, I wheeled around. Logan was standing there, in all his perfection, as my traitor heart leapt in my chest. It was as if it had lain dormant all this time and had just been reawakened with an electrical shock. But seeing him like that, so unexpectedly after all this time, was just too much. Before I could say or do anything that I would regret, I turned to walk away without saying a word as I held up my hand.
"Allie, wait!" he said as he grabbed my arm and swung me around. "I'm sorry! Just hear me out!"
I closed my eyes, and then forced them open. "What do you want, Logan?"
"Just hear me out," he said again, unleashing the full force of his ice-blue eyes on me, causing my heart to jump in my chest again. He looked around quickly, and then saw a bar filled with people awaiting their next flight. "I would rather take you out, but this will have to do for now."
"Logan, no " I said as I turned to walk away, but he stopped me again.
"Allie, just have one drink with me," he said, his eyes pleading. "Then, if you like, I'll drop you off at your hotel and you'll never have to see me again."
My heart ached at the thought. I let out a deep breath. "What the hell, Logan? Where the hell have you been?" People were staring as they walked by, but I was beyond caring. "You leave me cold without so much as a goodbye and you show up now, out of the blue as if nothing had happened?" I took a step back as tears threatened to spill down my cheeks. "Logan, just go!" I turned and started running toward the doors as tears streamed down my cheeks.
Suddenly, he caught me and swung me around. "Allie, I'm sorry "
"Let me go!" I beat against his chest as tears streamed down my cheeks.
"Allie, please " he said as he held my arms, not letting me go.
"You have no right to call me that anymore!" I sobbed as he pulled me to his chest. "You have no right "
"Ssshhhh " he cooed as he held me tightly, letting me get it all out. "I'm so sorry, Baby. Please, let me explain."
Soon, my sobs slowed and I started to feel the warmth of his arms around me as his familiar scent was all around me. "Logan, I can't."
He pulled back to look into my eyes, but kept an arm wrapped tightly around my waist and wiped the tears from my cheeks. "Allie, please. Have a drink and talk to me."
But he didn't understand. I was just getting my life back together and if he left me again "No, I can't." I started to walk away again, but he caught my hand.
"Please."
It was just one word, but it held the weight of the world. I bit my lower lip. "Okay. Just one drink."
He nodded, and then led me to a private table in the back of a nearby bar.
"What would you like?" he asked.
"Just a Coke Zero."
He smiled. "Wait right here for me. I'll be right back." I nodded, exhausted from my tirade. He disappeared into the crowd and was back a moment later with two sodas.
"What? No beer?" I asked.
He shook his head. "No; not tonight."
I nodded, and then took a sip of my soda, letting the cold slow burn calm me. "What are you doing here?"
He set his glass down. "In New York?"
I nodded.
"The guys and I are here on our tour."
I nodded again as I bit my lower lip to fight back a new wave of
tears. With having to say goodbye to Greer and the emotions that I had been dealing with over the last few months, seeing Logan again was just too much. When I spoke, my voice almost broke, despite my efforts to maintain normalcy.
"What are you doing at the airport? Did you just fly in?"
"No," he said as he shook his head. "I heard that you were in town on your tour, so I called Frank and he told me what hotel you were staying in. I went there and one of your band mates-the one with the Irish accent-told me you were here." Eyeing the expression on my face, he reached across the table to hold my hand, but I pulled back. He nodded, understanding my reluctance, and then folded his hands on the table. He let out an exasperated breath, and then said, "I spoke with Bryant when we were in Atlanta, and he told me everything."
