Something was wrong. He noticed how she bristled when George Weedle called her "girl," but there was something more. He knew she’d told him the truth about the appointment. Kelli would never lie, especially about Ruth’s health. So why were her shoulders slightly slumped? And why was the spring missing from her step? He turned toward George. "If you can manage on your own, I think I’ll go get lunch." Then he headed toward the house behind the young woman who had become so important to him.
#
"I’m telling you, son, if I didn’t know better, I’d swear she was sulking."
Logan glared at his uncle. "Why are you two assuming I have anything to do with it?"
Ruth ran nervous fingers over her apron. "We didn’t say you did, Logan. It’s just that Kelli’s acting strange."
"How?"
"She doesn’t sparkle."
Privately Logan agreed with his aunt’s assessment, but he’d eat spinach before admitting it. "Maybe it’s a full moon, or maybe the planets are misaligned. Lord, the woman believes in fairies—there is no telling what’s upsetting her."
Henry pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down. "She was fine this morning when she left with Ruth. When she came back for the meeting with George, she was upset."
Ruth checked on the chicken roasting in the oven then sat down next to Henry. "She was fine at the doctor’s." She thought for a moment longer. "Until she turned down your invitation to lunch."
"Are you trying to tell me I upset her by inviting her to lunch?"
"Of course not, son. It just seems funny that she turned you down and then hurried on home after saying she had errands to run." Logan took a deep breath. "So what would you two like me to do about it? Avoid asking her to lunch?"
"No," said Ruth, "we want you to be especially nice to her. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, so go out to her workshop and get her."
Logan stood up and scowled at his relatives. He muttered a few choice words under his breath as he walked out of the kitchen and headed for the workshop. This was not his day.
He’d nearly gone into shock earlier when the doctor explained about his aunt’s heart. When he learned that she’d been under the doctor’s supervision for the past eight years, he’d felt guilt pressing on his chest. Eight years! Where in the hell had he been during that time? In some godforsaken country working on his tan.
He jammed his hands deeper into the pockets of his jeans and marched up to the warped door of Kelli’s shop. He forced himself to relax. The person who’d shouldered his responsibilities, had been Kelli. Sweet, beautiful, kissable Kelli. When he returned from lunch with Ruth, he had seen her in the shop painting the last of the statues. Henry was right, the sparkle was gone. Her eyes had held an "I lost my puppy" look.
Determined to be witty, cheery, and totally charming, Logan threw open the door. "Kelli, how would you like to see my shorts? They have cute little bunnies all over them."
#
Kelli made herself concentrate on the plate of food in front of her. She could feel Ruth’s and Henry’s curious glances, but every time she looked up she saw only Logan. He was sitting across from her innocently eating his dinner, as if the scene in her shop had never happened. At his grand entrance, Kelli had spun around and dropped her paintbrush. He had swaggered into the room with his chest puffed out and white teeth flashing. She had taken one look at his strut and burst out laughing. All the way back to the house she begged for a peek while he pretended to be offended by her mirth.
"Aunt Ruth, you really outdid yourself tonight," Logan said. "The chicken is delicious." A spark of mischief gleamed in his eyes as he looked at Kelli. "Kelli, would you please pass the carrots, I have this uncontrollable craving for some."
Kelli bit her lower lip to prevent a giggle from escaping. She picked up the small relish tray, and passed it.
Logan wiggled his nose in thanks.
She choked on
#
"I’m telling you, son, if I didn’t know better, I’d swear she was sulking."
Logan glared at his uncle. "Why are you two assuming I have anything to do with it?"
Ruth ran nervous fingers over her apron. "We didn’t say you did, Logan. It’s just that Kelli’s acting strange."
"How?"
"She doesn’t sparkle."
Privately Logan agreed with his aunt’s assessment, but he’d eat spinach before admitting it. "Maybe it’s a full moon, or maybe the planets are misaligned. Lord, the woman believes in fairies—there is no telling what’s upsetting her."
Henry pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down. "She was fine this morning when she left with Ruth. When she came back for the meeting with George, she was upset."
Ruth checked on the chicken roasting in the oven then sat down next to Henry. "She was fine at the doctor’s." She thought for a moment longer. "Until she turned down your invitation to lunch."
"Are you trying to tell me I upset her by inviting her to lunch?"
"Of course not, son. It just seems funny that she turned you down and then hurried on home after saying she had errands to run." Logan took a deep breath. "So what would you two like me to do about it? Avoid asking her to lunch?"
"No," said Ruth, "we want you to be especially nice to her. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes, so go out to her workshop and get her."
Logan stood up and scowled at his relatives. He muttered a few choice words under his breath as he walked out of the kitchen and headed for the workshop. This was not his day.
He’d nearly gone into shock earlier when the doctor explained about his aunt’s heart. When he learned that she’d been under the doctor’s supervision for the past eight years, he’d felt guilt pressing on his chest. Eight years! Where in the hell had he been during that time? In some godforsaken country working on his tan.
He jammed his hands deeper into the pockets of his jeans and marched up to the warped door of Kelli’s shop. He forced himself to relax. The person who’d shouldered his responsibilities, had been Kelli. Sweet, beautiful, kissable Kelli. When he returned from lunch with Ruth, he had seen her in the shop painting the last of the statues. Henry was right, the sparkle was gone. Her eyes had held an "I lost my puppy" look.
Determined to be witty, cheery, and totally charming, Logan threw open the door. "Kelli, how would you like to see my shorts? They have cute little bunnies all over them."
#
Kelli made herself concentrate on the plate of food in front of her. She could feel Ruth’s and Henry’s curious glances, but every time she looked up she saw only Logan. He was sitting across from her innocently eating his dinner, as if the scene in her shop had never happened. At his grand entrance, Kelli had spun around and dropped her paintbrush. He had swaggered into the room with his chest puffed out and white teeth flashing. She had taken one look at his strut and burst out laughing. All the way back to the house she begged for a peek while he pretended to be offended by her mirth.
"Aunt Ruth, you really outdid yourself tonight," Logan said. "The chicken is delicious." A spark of mischief gleamed in his eyes as he looked at Kelli. "Kelli, would you please pass the carrots, I have this uncontrollable craving for some."
Kelli bit her lower lip to prevent a giggle from escaping. She picked up the small relish tray, and passed it.
Logan wiggled his nose in thanks.
She choked on
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