Epilogue
Six Months Later
Logan paced the wood floor and admired the view of the lake from floor to ceiling windows. The water glistened like glass today: calm and crystal clear. The sun burned bright in a vivid blue, cloudless sky. The day looked deceptively warm and inviting. Outside, you would never be able to tell Christmas would arrive in less than a week.
Inside the house you would.
A soaring pine tree took center stage, positioned next to the creek-rock fireplace sporting colorful stockings. The decorations were a mix of store bought ornaments, Aunt Trudy’s heirlooms and Bella’s handiwork. Yards and yards of colored lights wrapped around the tree, and a pretty white angel with feathery wings perched on the spot of honor on the very top.
Fresh cut garland lined the mantel and twisted around the wood banister leading to the second floor. White lights adorned the garland, as did red bows every few feet. Colorful Santa stockings hung from the fireplace, just waiting to be filled with goodies. Dozens of packages in various sizes and shapes surrounded the tree. He wanted Bella’s first Christmas with him to be something special.
The house was his gift to himself. Built of stone and cedar, it was his dream home. He and Luke pooled funds and purchased the thirty acre parcel of lake-front land years ago, splitting it into two tracts. Then he split his again, deeding half to Dan. They all planned to build eventually, though he had his doubts Dan would ever move out of this house. It was big enough for him, Dan and Bella to live comfortably and he'd even added an entire suite for Aunt Trudy if he could ever talk her into leaving her house or if she ever got to the point she couldn’t take care of herself.
The last six months, the house kept him busy, so busy he didn’t have a chance to focus on things like betrayal and movie stars. His favorite feature was the lower level with an indoor pool so he could swim all year around. And the long plank walkway to the dock and his boat.
Even though she took after him and could swim like a guppy, he put special locks on the doors to the basement so Bella couldn’t wander down and fall in when he wasn’t around.
“Daddy, are they here yet?”
Although he didn’t feel much like partying, they were hosting a house-warming/Christmas party tonight. He hadn’t offered it, hadn’t arranged it, just went along with Jac and Lauren’s planning. He didn’t have the energy to fight them.
Lauren had recovered quickly and was back to one hundred percent. She'd healed enough to resume cheerleading in the fall and she kept her promise and took Bella down on the field with her. Bella loved every minute of it and he'd taken so many pictures, he could fill twenty albums.
Logan glanced out the window to the driveway. “I see someone now, Bella.” One car pulled in, then another until soon, his driveway resembled a car lot.
In attendance were Dan, Aunt Trudy, Luke and his sister Kaitlyn, Matt, Jac, Lauren and six-month old Conner Dianetti, Matt’s parents, Mrs. Harper, and almost everyone who worked at COBRA Securities.
The party was in full swing in the basement. Some people were swimming, others playing pool or ping-pong and a few of the older kids were playing arcade games. The expansive space also featured a bar and a sitting area with a large-screen plasma television. His workout equipment was in a separate room off the main area.
“Okay everyone,” Lauren called out, “gather around.” The group clustered into the seating area. Once she was satisfied she had everyone’s attention, she used the remote to turn on the television.
“As most of you know, tonight is the premier of Attraction Overruled, Juliet LaRue’s new movie.”
Logan’s head snapped up, his eyes narrowing thunderously. He glanced around the room. No one but him looked surprised. Even his normally chatty daughter was quiet. “What the hell is this?"
“Shh.” Lauren hit the volume and cranked up the sound.
“And with us tonight is the star of Attraction Overruled, Juliet LaRue.”
Logan shot to his feet…and was promptly shoved back down by Luke and Dan, who had somehow materialized behind him. “Stay,” Dan instructed.
Fine. He would sit, but that didn’t mean he had to listen. Maybe he could just look a little. Jade…no, not Jade. Juliet. Juliet looked gorgeous, blonde curls, blue eyes and all. Still, he thought she looked better with her natural red hair and firey green eyes. She answered questions about her movie, but it all sounded like “blah, blah, blah,” to him as he focused on dividing five thousand two hundred sixty two by four in his head.
It wasn’t working.
He couldn’t concentrate on anything but the goddess filling the screen. The interviewer asked her about upcoming projects. He tried really hard not to pay attention, he did. He couldn’t help it if her voice filtered in his ears and wrapped around his heart.
“I won’t be doing any more movies for a while,” Jade/Juliet said.
“Why not?” the interviewer posed. “This is sure to be a blockbuster hit. There's been talk of an Oscar nomination. You, Juliet, will be a hot commodity, in great demand.”
“Actually, I fell in love. I plan on taking time off to be a wife and mom.”
“So there is someone special. Rumors circulated during the filming of the movie of an off-camera romance with your co-star, Lane Sharpe.”
Red hot anger burned Logan’s face. None of his so-called friends in the room seemed to care what her admission was doing to him. It hurt to sit here and listen to Jade, no, Juliet talk about her affair with her hot co-star. Why were they making him suffer through this? He thought these people were his friends, his family.
Merry freaking Christmas.
He shot to his feet, Luke and Dan be damned.
“There was nothing between Lane and me besides friendship,” Jade corrected the interviewer. “He has an incredible girlfriend and the three of us hung out sometimes, but that is it.”
“Then spill, girl. Who is it?”
“I’d rather not say, in case he turns me down.”
“Who in their right mind would turn you down, Juliet?”
The doorbell rang and Logan used the excuse to get away from these people and the picture of Jade’s gorgeous face. He hurtled up the stairs two at a time and peered outside. Nothing. He checked the peephole and still didn’t see anyone. He swung the door open, and sucked in a breath.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’ve come home.”
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