wasn’t as dark as last night, the town seemed to be wrapped in a twilight, dawn not quite emerging yet. As unlikely and as irrational as it seemed, he could’ve sworn her gaze scanned the distance and locked with his.
Desire shook him to the center of his being. It had been a long time since he’d wanted a woman the way he wanted her. Actually, the last time he’d wanted a woman this badly had been years ago…and it had still been Jenna. In the past twelve years, there hadn’t been anyone else who affected him the way she did.
She looked away and resumed walking. He found himself counting the hours until he could show up on her doorstep again. And then what? He knew all the businesses in town. Gus’s was the only restaurant. It was also the only bar. There was no movie theatre. No museum. As far as date options went, well, there weren’t many.
He heard the plane before he saw it. If everything was back on plan, his luggage should be onboard. And today he’d work at getting Merrilee onboard with the buyout. He’d known from the preliminary report that she was the key. If he persuaded her, everyone else in town would follow suit. But first he needed to get the proposal in front of her.
He headed downstairs, reaching the bottom stair at the same time Dalton came in the back door, Logan’s luggage in hand.
Dalton grinned at him. “Now that’s what I call timing.”
“I heard your plane coming in,” Logan said with a smile.
“Here you go. I’m sure it’ll be nice to change duds.”
“Thanks.” Logan grabbed the suitcase in his left hand and shook Dalton’s hand with his right. “I appreciate it.”
“All in a day’s work. Speaking of work…” Dalton turned to Merrilee. “I’m going to run a motor part over to Donna.” He headed for the door.
“The coffee’ll be here,” Merrilee called after him. She offered Logan a smile. “Good morning.” She nodded toward his suitcase. “Looks like your day just got a whole lot better.”
“That it did.”
“Unless you’re in a hurry, be sure to grab a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll or two.” They did smell damn good. “Lucky made them this morning. They’re not as good as Gus’s but since Gus isn’t here…” She turned her attention to the old man sitting in the rocking chair. “You want a cinnamon roll, Dwight?” she shouted. She glanced at Logan, “He’s mostly deaf.”
He’d learned last night, while hanging out at Gus’s, that the actual Gus was a Paris-trained chef named Augustina who’d taken refuge from a sadistic former fiancé in Good Riddance. Gus had returned to Manhattan but she and her new fiancé, not the sadistic stalker, were returning in December to get married. Gus sounded like quite a character, but then everyone in Good Riddance seemed to be one. Between Christmas, the Chrismoose festival, which he’d heard about from several people and the upcoming wedding, the place would be hopping in a couple of months. For such a tiny little town, it was amazing how much activity there was.
He placed his suitcase next to the stairs and poured another cup of coffee. Then he grabbed a cinnamon roll.
“Just go ahead and take two. They’re that good,” Merrilee said.
Suddenly hungry, he snagged another one and sat in the empty chair by her desk.
“I’m sure it was nice to see Jenna again after all this time,” Merrilee probed as he bit into the pastry. Butter, cinnamon, sugar and a plump juicy raisin combined with the fresh, yeasty roll was incredible. If Gus’s was actually better… He finished chewing and swallowed.
“Good, huh?”
“I’m glad I wasn’t here for Gus’s. And yes, it was good to see Jenna.” He took another bite, thinking. Desperate times called for desperate measures. “I could really use some advice, if you’ve got a minute. I asked Jenna out tonight but I don’t know where to go.”
“Is this a date?” Merrilee asked, a teasing glint in her eyes.
Logan felt like the luckiest
Desire shook him to the center of his being. It had been a long time since he’d wanted a woman the way he wanted her. Actually, the last time he’d wanted a woman this badly had been years ago…and it had still been Jenna. In the past twelve years, there hadn’t been anyone else who affected him the way she did.
She looked away and resumed walking. He found himself counting the hours until he could show up on her doorstep again. And then what? He knew all the businesses in town. Gus’s was the only restaurant. It was also the only bar. There was no movie theatre. No museum. As far as date options went, well, there weren’t many.
He heard the plane before he saw it. If everything was back on plan, his luggage should be onboard. And today he’d work at getting Merrilee onboard with the buyout. He’d known from the preliminary report that she was the key. If he persuaded her, everyone else in town would follow suit. But first he needed to get the proposal in front of her.
He headed downstairs, reaching the bottom stair at the same time Dalton came in the back door, Logan’s luggage in hand.
Dalton grinned at him. “Now that’s what I call timing.”
“I heard your plane coming in,” Logan said with a smile.
“Here you go. I’m sure it’ll be nice to change duds.”
“Thanks.” Logan grabbed the suitcase in his left hand and shook Dalton’s hand with his right. “I appreciate it.”
“All in a day’s work. Speaking of work…” Dalton turned to Merrilee. “I’m going to run a motor part over to Donna.” He headed for the door.
“The coffee’ll be here,” Merrilee called after him. She offered Logan a smile. “Good morning.” She nodded toward his suitcase. “Looks like your day just got a whole lot better.”
“That it did.”
“Unless you’re in a hurry, be sure to grab a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll or two.” They did smell damn good. “Lucky made them this morning. They’re not as good as Gus’s but since Gus isn’t here…” She turned her attention to the old man sitting in the rocking chair. “You want a cinnamon roll, Dwight?” she shouted. She glanced at Logan, “He’s mostly deaf.”
He’d learned last night, while hanging out at Gus’s, that the actual Gus was a Paris-trained chef named Augustina who’d taken refuge from a sadistic former fiancé in Good Riddance. Gus had returned to Manhattan but she and her new fiancé, not the sadistic stalker, were returning in December to get married. Gus sounded like quite a character, but then everyone in Good Riddance seemed to be one. Between Christmas, the Chrismoose festival, which he’d heard about from several people and the upcoming wedding, the place would be hopping in a couple of months. For such a tiny little town, it was amazing how much activity there was.
He placed his suitcase next to the stairs and poured another cup of coffee. Then he grabbed a cinnamon roll.
“Just go ahead and take two. They’re that good,” Merrilee said.
Suddenly hungry, he snagged another one and sat in the empty chair by her desk.
“I’m sure it was nice to see Jenna again after all this time,” Merrilee probed as he bit into the pastry. Butter, cinnamon, sugar and a plump juicy raisin combined with the fresh, yeasty roll was incredible. If Gus’s was actually better… He finished chewing and swallowed.
“Good, huh?”
“I’m glad I wasn’t here for Gus’s. And yes, it was good to see Jenna.” He took another bite, thinking. Desperate times called for desperate measures. “I could really use some advice, if you’ve got a minute. I asked Jenna out tonight but I don’t know where to go.”
“Is this a date?” Merrilee asked, a teasing glint in her eyes.
Logan felt like the luckiest
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