Logan's Redemption

Logan’s Redemption

Cara Marsi

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2010 Carolyn Matkowsky

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is a work of fiction and all characters exist solely in the author's imagination. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Any references to places, events or locales are used in a fictitious manner.

~~~~

LOGAN’S REDEMPTION

by

Cara Marsi

~~~~

CHAPTER ONE

Dan Callahan needed his help. Logan Tanner smiled as he scanned the plush office with its platoon of secretaries. Who would have imagined it all those years ago when he was sneaking dates with the great man’s daughter?

Doriana. The Callahan princess. Vice President of Project Development. Probably an honorary title.

He’d come all this way for a job. Seeing Doriana again had nothing to do with it.

Yeah,
right
. He almost believed it.

The door to the inner sanctum opened and Dan Callahan, CEO of Callahan Construction, approached, hand outstretched. The pictures of the business mogul that accompanied the news articles Logan had read didn’t do the older man justice. Despite his average height, Callahan exuded a power and confidence no photo could capture.

Logan stood to shake the offered hand.

“Tanner,” Callahan said in clipped tones. “Let’s go into my office.”

He led Logan into a spacious room dominated by a large mahogany desk and windows that looked out to the smog-filled Philadelphia skyline.

Callahan sat behind the massive desk and gestured Logan to the leather chair facing him. He pulled a thick envelope from a drawer and pushed it across the desk toward Logan. “The dossiers you wanted on my top officers,” he said. “I’ll have information on the rest of the corporate employees in a few days.” He handed Logan a smaller envelope. “The keys to your hotel room and the car I rented. I had the car parked at the hotel.” His thin lips curled into a smile. “Do you know how hard it was to rent a junker? The hotel wasn’t too thrilled about having it parked in their garage either.”

Logan returned his smile. “If I’m supposed to be a temp worker, I can’t ride around in a luxury car.”

Callahan nodded. “I understand. What else do you need?”

“I want the names and addresses of all the workers at your construction sites.” Logan stuffed the envelopes in his briefcase.

Callahan scrubbed a hand across his chin. “I can get what you need on our supervisors and regular employees, but we hire a lot of day laborers.”

“I know,” Logan said. “I was one of those laborers once.”

Callahan’s blue eyes widened. “You worked for me? Maybe that’s why you look so familiar.”

“We never met before today,” Logan said. “I worked for you for a short time about sixteen years ago when I was nineteen.”

“Well you look damn familiar.” Callahan shrugged. “Why did you leave my employ?”

“I joined the Army.”

“Good reason. You’re from this area?”

“Born and raised, but Arizona is my home now.” And he wouldn’t have come back at all except this assignment was too good to pass up. And there was Doriana.

Callahan steepled his fingers and studied Logan. “I’ll get the information on my construction crews, but why do you want to check out my top people? They’re loyal to me.”

“I’ve been investigating corporate crime for a lot of years,” Logan said. “You’d be amazed at who sabotages a company.”

“Well, you’re the expert.” The older man ran a hand over his graying hair. “I didn’t hire you any too soon either. We had some vandalism at one of our sites last night. It’s escalating just as you said it might.”

“Then I’d better get started.” Logan stood. “Have you worked out a cover for me?”

Nodding, Callahan pushed back from the desk and rounded it to face Logan. “I’ve arranged for you to be temporary assistant to one of our vice presidents. Her regular assistant starts pregnancy leave next week. Stop by her office now. She’s expecting you.”

Vice President? It couldn’t be. What were the chances?   

“Does this VP know why I’m here?” Logan asked.

Callahan shook his head. “As you instructed, I’m the only one who knows.”

“Good.” Logan thrust out his hand. “I look forward to working with you, Mr. Callahan.”

“Call me Dan. My receptionist will give you the suite number where you’re to report.”

“I’ll be in touch.” Logan walked from the room, and the receptionist in the outer office handed him a piece of crisp white paper. After thanking the woman, Logan stepped into the hall.

He glanced down at the paper in his hand. His breath came out in a rush and he crumpled the paper. Damn his rotten luck.

* * * *

“The temp your father hired is here.”

Biting back a groan, Doriana Callahan turned from her computer and faced her assistant.

Lisa closed the office door and leaned her very pregnant body against it. A huge grin split her pretty face.

Doriana arched an eyebrow. “You find it amusing that my father overstepped my authority and hired your replacement?”

Lisa made an unsuccessful attempt to look sympathetic. “I know you’re upset with your dad, but he is CEO. So I guess he can do whatever he wants.” Her gray eyes twinkled. “Your father should do more of the hiring around here.”  

“What are you talking about?” Doriana asked.

“You’ll see. Should I send him in?”

“Him?”

“Yup,” Lisa said. “Your dad hired a guy.”

Doriana frowned. “A guy? I’ve always had a female assistant. What will I do with a guy?”

Lisa giggled. “Trust me. You’ll figure out what to do with this one.”          

“This pregnancy is affecting your brain.” Doriana pushed away from the desk and stood. “He can’t be any worse than the candidates the agency sent over.” She shrugged into her suit jacket and lifted her heavy hair free of the collar. She needed a haircut, but where would she find the time?

Lisa’s gaze swept her. “You’re the only one around here who wears a business suit. We do have a casual dress policy. And you might want to loosen up a little, considering.”  

“Considering what?” Doriana asked.   

Lisa gave her a sly smile. “When you see your new assistant, you’ll see what I mean.”  She patted her protruding stomach. “This baby’s not going to wait much longer. It’s a good thing your dad found someone.”

“I suppose I should be grateful for that.” Doriana sighed. “Wait about five minutes before sending him in.”

“You need to primp,” Lisa said.

“What?”

Laughing, Lisa opened the door and squeezed out.  

Rubbing her aching temples in a futile attempt to massage away her headache, Doriana sat down and swiveled her chair to face the large window that took up an entire wall. Smog blanketed the Philadelphia skyline, obscuring her view of Billy Penn atop City Hall. She missed old Billy’s comforting presence, especially now.

She needed time to mentally prepare to meet the temp her father hired. She did her own hiring for her department, but her dad had insisted on this temp. Didn’t her father trust her after a decade with his company?

Her gaze drifted to the long table under the window. Family pictures rested on the marble top. Most were of Josh growing up. She smiled, remembering how Franco wanted to name his new nephew Noel because he was born on Christmas Eve.

She couldn’t believe Josh would be sixteen next month. She bit her lip as an ache, sharp as a stonecutter’s chisel, stabbed her heart. Nearly sixteen and out of control. When had Josh stopped being her sweet, lovable little boy and turned into the arrogant, rebellious almost-man who fought her every chance he got? A hellion who reminded her more of his father every day.   

Thinking of Josh’s father brought the old, familiar pain. She’d never revealed the identity of her son’s father to anyone. Seventeen, scared and humiliated, she couldn’t admit that her baby’s father had walked away without a word.

She’d moved on with her life and even had a few relationships, but she couldn’t forget the boy who stole her heart and disappeared. She’d never had a chance to tell him she was pregnant. Would it have made a difference? The old doubts and questions tumbled through her mind, making her head throb harder.    

Inhaling deep breaths, she counted to ten, as she’d learned in a stress management seminar. It didn’t help. Nothing helped these days. The demands on her time gave her constant headaches. Her son needed her, but so did Dad and the company, especially with the recent setbacks.

The intercom on the desk shrilled. “Doriana,” Lisa said from the outer office. “Jenson is having one of his hissy fits. He wants you to call him. You have that meeting in a half hour. And Mr. Tanner is waiting. Should I send him in?”   

Doriana’s hand froze over the reply button. Tanner? Long hours had her imagination working overtime.

“Doriana?” Lisa said.

Doriana shook herself back to reality. “Tell Jenson I’ll call him. And I didn’t forget about the meeting. Please send in Mr..., the temp.”

Wearing her best professional smile, Doriana stared at her office door.
Of course it
couldn’t be him
.
It couldn’t be him
. The refrain ran through her head like a mantra.

The door opened and her gaze connected with gold-flecked hazel eyes. Josh’s eyes. No, Logan’s eyes.

“Hello, Dorie.” His voice, deeper than she remembered, held the rough edge that had so excited her as a teenager. He closed the door softly and leaned against it, a black-clad Adonis who, despite the years and the hurt, took her breath. Unmoving, he studied her.

Was he looking for the young girl he’d romanced, then abandoned? That girl died the night her son was born.
Their
son. Anger and bittersweet sorrow swept through Doriana. She brushed strands of hair from her face with a shaky hand.

“You look good,” he said.

So do you
. She couldn’t say the words. Pulling her gaze from his, she glanced toward the window. The pictures. Josh. Fear splashed over her like ice water from the Delaware River. One look at the pictures and Logan would know. She wasn’t ready for this.