Songbird by Sydney Logan Read Free Book Online

and then head back to the newsroom.”
    “You should interview Dad,” Owen says. “He worked at the hospital for years. He’s retired now, but he and Mom are still major benefactors.”
    Valerie places her hand on her husband’s shoulder. “The hospital is very near and dear to our hearts. You’d be happy to be interviewed, wouldn’t you, William?”
    “Of course. Please, Callie, have a seat.”
    I do need this interview, and it’d look suspicious if I turned it down. Besides, I’m a professional. I can forget that I’m interviewing my unborn child’s grandfather. Once it’s over, I’ll get Oliver to snap a few pictures, and then I’ll make my escape before Devin even knows I’m in the building.
    Reaching into my bag, I fish for my phone and send a quick text to Oliver before opening the recorder app on my cell. I place it on the table between us.
    “Are you ready, Mr. McAllister?”
    He smiles. “Please call me William. And yes, I’m ready when you are.”
    For the next fifteen minutes, William McAllister gives me a brief account of his work at the hospital. For years, he studied Hodgkin’s disease before shifting gears to childhood leukemia research.
    “Why leukemia?” I ask.
    With that question, I feel a distinct change in the mood of everyone at the table. I glance around. An unusually subdued Owen bows his head, while his mom dabs at her eyes with a tissue. Lorie—stone-faced and confused—stares wide-eyed at me. She’s probably thinking what I’m thinking. There’s definitely a story here.
    “Leukemia is the most common form of cancer diagnosed in children and teens,” he explains softly. “If my past research or our donations can keep one family from feeling the pain we’ve felt . . . well, that’s time and money well spent.”
    The pain we’ve felt. A good reporter would ask what he means by that, but something stops me. Maybe it’s the emotion in his voice. Maybe it’s the tears in his wife’s eyes. I’m glad I don’t, because when he starts telling me about the recent developments in leukemia treatments and research, everyone’s mood brightens.
    “Thank you so much for your time, Mr. McAll—”
    “William.”
    I smile. “William. Would you mind if my photographer snaps a few pictures?”
    “Not at all. Although, we should probably wait for Devin. Heaven knows his face isn’t in the news enough.”
    Everyone laughs, but I can tell their amusement isn’t mean-spirited. The McAllisters seem like a tight-knit family, and they’ve been so nice to me.
    Will they still be nice when they find out I’m carrying their grandchild?
    Anxious to get out of here, I rise from my chair and quickly send another text to Oliver.
    Where are you?
    “Now that work is out of the way, you really should join us for dinner,” Mrs. McAllister says. “We’d love for you to meet Devin.”
    “We’ve met,” a smooth, familiar voice echoes from behind me.
    Great. I close my eyes in defeat when Devin appears at my side.
    “Oh?” Mrs. McAllister’s eyes twinkle as she looks between the two of us. “Son, you didn’t tell us that you’d met such a lovely young woman.”
    “Lovely is the perfect word to describe her.”
    His burning brown gaze sweeps over me, causing butterflies to erupt in my already queasy stomach.
    “It’s nice to see you again, Devin.”
    Thankfully, Oliver finally arrives and I introduce him to everyone. Lorie joins me while Devin takes a seat next to his father. The McAllisters lean close together as Oliver snaps a hundred photos.
    “He can’t keep his eyes off you,” Lorie murmurs.
    “I think I’m gonna puke on my four hundred dollar shoes.”
    She glances down at my silver Manolos. “Oooh, pretty. Do you get to keep them?”
    I roll my eyes.
    “I think we’re good,” Oliver says.
    Breathing a sigh of relief, I thank them once again before dragging my photographer away from their table.
    “What’s going on between you and Devin McAllister?”
    My eyes