Chapter 29


    Logan’s self-deprecatingughter filled the space between them.


    “Hardly, I was ate developer, shall we say. Rick was always taller than me, so yeah, I guess he was


    the popr one. I was his little runt of a brother, the butt of the school jokes, because I’m the older twin


    by five minutes.” He shook his head and growled again. “I caught up of course and yeah, still not


    popr. Folks were afraid of me most of the time, especially once I joined Rick in the boxing ring, but


    this isn’t about me. You were telling me your story.”


    Hannah knew a dismissal when she heard one but even that little glimpse into his childhood made her


    feel closer to him. Logan wasn’t a man to share confidences, and that he had told her this much, meant


    far too much to her.


    Remember, none of this is real.


    Surely, if she repeated that mantra in her head often enough it would eventually take root and squash


    those little insistent seeds of hope that refused to go away. Like weeds they came back time and time


    again, no matter how hard she tried to pull them out. This wedding was a means to an end, that’s all.


    Logan put on his indicators, and to her horror started to pull into ayby and slowed down.


    “What are you doing?” She grimaced at the high-pitched tone of her voice, but, surely, he wouldn’t.


    “I told you what would happen if you didn’t talk so…”


    “Jesus, fine, I’ll tell you. Please, just drive.”


    Logan crawled along for a few meters, before he elerated, and indicating right, joined the A-road


    again.


    “You weren’t popr, because…” he prompted.


    “Well, we moved a lot for starters. It’s hard always being the new girl, especially when you have


    to wear a secondhand uniform that doesn’t fit properly. Forget when people find out who your mum is. I


    used to hate hering to parents’ evening. She always smelled of booze, and she was an


    embarrassment, you know.”


    She risked a nce at his closed off profile, and he nodded just once.


    “I can’t say I know. My mum always tried her best for us. It was more us who turned into an


    embarrassment for her, or rather a constant worry. We both got into trouble a lot, when we were


    younger.” He shrugged, but the white-knuckled grip he had on the steering wheel told its own story.


    RêAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Hannah thought it wisest not to probe that hos’ nest too much, and carried on with her own sorry


    tale of woe.


    “Well, thing got even worse when I hit puberty. Unlike you, I was an early starter, and these girls started


    growing when I was nine. It was a nightmare. No girl wants to be the first, especially when they


    wouldn’t freaking stop.”


    She nced his way again, and predictably his lips had curved into azy grin. She thumped his arm,


    and heughed.


    “Sorry, I guess I get that, but I love your girls as you put it. You have a spectacr figure, Hannah.


    Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.”


    While his words filled her with a warm glow she shook her head.


    “Thank you, I think, but that doesn’t ring true when you’re surrounded by prepubescent boys, trust me.


    It was a nightmare, especially when I grew hips and thighs and all the rest of it. Not only was I the poor


    one, now I was the fat chick with two left feet, too. Everyone else got taller, and I stayed small and


    round. Still, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and all that. I very quickly learned to ignore them


    all and just concentrate on my studies. So now, they could add teacher’s pet to the insults they’d hurl


    my way, but the prom was the worst.”


    She pulled a much-needed breath into her lungs, and as though he knew she needed the reassurance


    Logan reached across and squeezed her hand.


    “Go, on what happened? Though, remembering our prom I can guess. Teenage boys are bastards at


    the best of times, and teen girls.” He withdrew his hand and gave an exaggerated shudder, which made


    Hannah giggle.


    “Yeah, that. I had the hugest crush on that boy, and he actually asked me to dance at the prom. I was


    so excited, of course, I got even clumsier than I normally am, and let’s just say I ended up t on my


    ass. Everyone wasughing, and pointing, and if that wasn’t enough, I found out he’d only done it on


    dare. To see whether he could get into my knickers.”


    “Fucking wanker.” Logan’s murmured swearing made herugh again.


    “Yeah, I can see that now, but back then it stung. I guess I should be grateful that my embarrassing


    dance moves saved me from that ultimate horror. They nned to film it all, had it all set up, you see.


    Such a sted cliché. Anyway, that’s my tale of woe. It took me a long time to feelfortable in my


    own body after that, but I got there eventually. I’ll never be a model stick-insect type men seem to like,


    but I’ll do, I guess.”


    The p to her thigh came out of nowhere, and she jumped.


    “What was that for?”


    “That was for doubting yourself. I heard that wobble in your voice, and just so we’re clear.” His voice


    dropped an octave, and Hannah’s stomach fell to her boots along with it, because really, that was just


    so damn sexy. “I and countless other men appreciate a woman with curves. Personally speaking, I love


    something to hold onto when I fuck. Doesn’t mean I’m not attracted to thin girls. All shapes and sizes


    are beautiful in their own ways, but it’s what’s inside a person that counts.”


    Hannah was tempted to argue that, but his attention was taken up by joining the Motorway, and


    visibility was horrendous due the weather conditions, so she kept quiet. While Logan was an excellent


    driver, he didn’t need the distractions. Besides, the steady movement of the car soon had her fighting a


    yawn. She hadn’t exactly slept well the night before—too nervous about her imminent nuptials—so the


    Perhaps she could just close her eyes a little…