From Single Mum to Secret Heiress

Logan downed the last of his coffee, sat back on the opposing sofa and remained quiet a few moments. “What does your future hold in terms of your career?”

A little hardship, but nothing she couldn’t handle. “I’m going to teach high-school human physiology and probably health classes as well.”

He released a rough sigh. “It takes a lot of guts to stand in front of a room full of teenage boys and talk about the facts of life, especially looking the way you do.”

Hannah appreciated his skill at doling out the compliments, even if she didn’t understand it or quite believe it. “I assure you I can handle whatever teenage boys want to throw at me.”

“I don’t doubt that,” he said. “But it’s not going to be easy. I know because I was one once.”

She imagined a very cute one at that. “Most men still retain some of those prepubescent qualities, don’t you agree?”

He grinned, giving her another premiere dimple show. “Probably so. Do you have a job lined up?”

That caused her to glance away. “Not yet, but I’ve had my degree for less than two weeks, and that’s when I immediately started the search. I expect to find something any day now.”

“And if you don’t?”

She’d harbored those same concerns due to the lack of prospects. “I’ll manage fine, just as I’ve been managing since my husband died.”

He sent her a sympathetic look. “That must have been a struggle, raising a child and going to school.”

She’d been lucky enough to have help. Begrudging help. “My mother looked after my daughter when necessary until Cassie turned two. I lived off the settlement from my husband’s work accident and that, coupled with Social Security benefits, allowed me to pay for day care and the bills while studying full-time. I obtained grants and student loans to finance my tuition.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, do you have any of the settlement left?”

She didn’t exactly mind, but she felt certain she knew where he was heading—back into inheritance land. “Actually, the payments will end in October, so I still have six months.”

He streaked a hand over the back of his neck. “You do realize that if you accept this money, you’ll be set for life. No worries financially for you or your daughter.”

If Cassie’s future played a role, she might reconsider taking the inheritance. “My daughter will be well provided for when she turns eighteen, thanks to my in-laws, who’ve established a million-dollar-plus trust fund in her name. Of course, I’m sure that will come with conditions, as those with fortunes exceeding the national debt are prone to do.”

“Guess that explains your aversion to wealthy people.”

Her aversion was limited to only the entitled wealthy, including Theresa and Marvin Armstrong. “Daniel’s parents didn’t exactly approve of my marriage to their son. Actually, they didn’t approve of me. It was that whole illegitimate thing. They had no way of knowing if I had the appropriate breeding to contribute to the stellar Armstrong gene pool. Of course, when I became pregnant with Cassie, they had no say in the matter.”

He seemed unaffected by her cynicism. “Are they involved in your daughter’s life at all?”

“Theresa sends Cassie money on her birthday and collector dolls at Christmas that carry instructions not to remove them from the box so they’ll retain their value. What good is a doll you can’t play with?”

“Have they ever seen her?”

“Only once.” And once had been quite enough. “When Cassie was two, they flew us out to North Carolina for a visit. It didn’t take long to realize that my mother-in-law and active toddlers don’t mix. After Theresa accused me of raising a wild animal, I told her I’d find a good kennel where I could board Cassie next time. Fortunately, there wasn’t a next time.”

Logan released a deep, sexy laugh. “You’re hell on wheels, aren’t you?”

She took another sip of the cocktail to clear the bitter taste in her mouth. “After growing up a poor fatherless child, I learned to be. Also, my mother was extremely unsocial and rather unhappy over raising a daughter alone, to say the least. I took an opposite path and made it my goal to be upbeat and sociable.”

He grinned. “I bet you were a cheerleader.”

She returned his smile. “Yes, I was, and I could do a mean backflip.”

“Think you could still do it?”

“I don’t know. It’s been a while, but I suppose I could don my cheerleading skirt, though it’s probably a little tight, and give it the old college try.”

He winked, sending a succession of pleasant chills down Hannah’s body. “I’d like to see that.”

“If you’re like most men, you just want to see up my skirt.” Had she really said that?

He sent her a sly grin. “I do admire limber women.”

A brief span of silence passed, a few indefinable moments following unmistakable innuendo. Hannah couldn’t recall the last time she’d actually flirted with someone aside from her husband. And she’d been flirting with a virtual stranger. An extremely handsome, successful stranger.

A very young, very peppy blonde waitress sauntered over and flashed a grin. “Can I get you anything, sir?”

“Bring me a cola,” Logan said without cracking a smile.

She glanced at Hannah. “What about you, ma’am?”

“No, thank you.”

“Are you sure?” Logan asked. “You wouldn’t like one more round?”

She was sorely tempted, but too sensible to give in. “I’m driving, remember?”

“I could drive you home if you change your mind.”

“That would be too much trouble,” she said, knowing that if he came anywhere near her empty house, she might make a colossal mistake.

“It’s not a problem.”

It could be if she didn’t proceed with caution. “I’m fine for now. But thanks.”

Once the waitress left, Hannah opted for a subject change. “Now that you know quite a bit about me, what about you?”

He pushed his empty coffee cup aside. “What do you want to know?”

Plenty. “I saw on your profile you’re single. Have you ever been married?”

His expression went suddenly somber. “Once. I’ve been divorced for eight years.”

She couldn’t imagine a man of his caliber remaining unattached all that time. “Any relationships since?”

“Nothing serious.”

She tapped her chin and pretended to think. “Let me guess. You have a woman in every court.”

His smile returned, but only halfway. “Not even close. I work a lot of hours so I don’t have much time for a social life.”