To the sound of laughter from his friends, Logan finished his espresso and continued with his run. Leo and Eddie had busy days ahead too, not to mention a potential double-date later that evening.
But as far as Logan was concerned, there was only one babygirl who had his attention now – and that was Stella.
As Logan pounded the streets in his battered old sneakers, he began to feel the sweat drip down the back of his classic white t-shirt. Running was fun. It gave Logan the space to let go of his old demons and thoughts and focus on simply putting one foot in front of the other.
The closer Logan got to the EcoPlay office, the more excited he became to see Stella.
Of course, the possibility of seeing Lauren Treen was on Logan’s mind too.
That toxic individual needs to be taught a lesson.
No one messes with my Stella.
Lauren Treen needs to be put in her place…
As Logan rounded the corner that would take him directly to EcoPlay, his mind had drifted away from thoughts of Lauren Treen and back onto Stella.
Logan knew that he had been on quite a journey. With his shoulder now almost fully healed, Logan recalled the feeling of how much it hurt in the hours after waking up in his crashed car.
For so long, Logan’s life had been about living on the edge and not giving two craps about the consequences. But that was changing now, Logan could sense it.
Having Stella back in his life truly meant something to Logan. Yes, Stella was younger and her commitment to all-things health and eco could be irritating at times. But Logan had learned a lot from Stella too.
The kind of education that Stella had given Logan wasn’t the kind you would get in college or in an office. It was a lesson in learning to be happy with a calm life, one based on enjoying simple pleasures and not needing to seek the most dangerous, out-there thrills.
Logan felt a sense of tranquility as he stood near the entrance to EcoPlay. It was a building that looked like many of the Blue Rock business quarter blocks. It was tall, mostly glass, and was surrounded by lush greenery.
As Logan looked up to the top floor, he imagined Stella in the CEO’s chair, running the organization and loving every second of it as she helped to change the world.
Stella is the true wild one.
The girl’s got what it takes to reach the top.
And nothing will stop her…
But just as Logan was indulging himself in a little fantasy of the kind of explicit naughtiness that he and Stella could get up to in the CEO’s office, he caught sight of something far less appealing.
‘Well, I’ll be damned,’ Logan muttered under his breath. ‘If it isn’t the office asshole herself.’
It was Lauren Treen.
Even if Stella hadn’t shown Logan a photo of Lauren online, Logan might have guessed it was Lauren. Maybe it was her ultra-flashy appearance, her smug grin, or her extravagant electric scooter that gave her away.
Whatever it was, Logan knew it was time to have a word with Lauren – and make it a word or several that Lauren wouldn’t be forgetting in a hurry…
‘Yo! Lauren?’ Logan hollered, immediately drawing the attention of the woman. ‘Yo! Wait there.’
Logan began to walk toward Lauren with a look of cold vengeance on his face. The thought that he was approaching the woman who had put his darling Stella through so much unnecessary pain was making Logan’s blood boil.
Don’t lose your shit.
Stay in control.
Keep it respectful but firm…
The closer Logan got to Lauren, the more he could see that Lauren looked nervous.
Did Lauren know who he was?
