Snowbound Summer (The Logan Series Book 3) by Sally Clements Page A

eat in the couple of years
since it opened. The murmur of muted conversation and low lighting soothed away
the cares of the day as Nick reviewed the menu and made his selection.
    “Hi, Nick.” He’d taken the
waitress, Elaine, out a couple of times the previous summer. She was tall,
slender and blonde—great fun, but they’d both realized fairly quickly that
there wasn’t enough of a spark between them, so they settled on being friends. “Long
time no see.” She rested a hand on his shoulder. “Have you decided?” She leaned
over and pointed at the menu. “We’ve added a few things since you were last
here. I know you love fish—the salmon ravioli is to die for.”
    “I’m divided between that and the
beef medallions.”
    She shook her head, flirting for
real now. “You need to get out of your comfort zone. You always have the beef.
How about calamari deep fried, with tomato and garlic?”
    “Take everyone else’s order
first, Elaine. I’ll think on it.”
    She went around the table taking
everyone’s orders, then returned to him. “Okay, boss, what’s it to be?” Her
hand rested on his shoulder again.
    “You sold me on the salmon.” He
grinned.
    Sean had ordered wine for the
table so he filled his glass then turned to Summer. “White or red?”
    She was looking at Elaine, who
was scribbling down his order. And she didn’t look happy. “White, please.”
    He filled her glass.
    She lowered her voice. “You must
come here often, if the waitress knows your favorites.”
    “Elaine and I dated a couple of
times.”
    “Nick has dated most of the women
in Brookbridge,” Evie teased. “Except me. My husband wouldn’t approve.”
    “Oh yeah, he’s a real
heartbreaker,” one of the vets, Alison, said. “I think I’ve only been safe
because we work together.” She leaned over to Summer. “Or maybe it’s because I
don’t go for his type.”
    “Type?” Summer’s voice sounded
faint, as though she couldn’t believe she’d fallen into the middle of this
discussion.
    “You’re making it sound as though
I’m a man-whore,” Nick said. Sure, he’d dated most of the single women in
Brookbridge, but he’d lived here forever. And there weren’t that many of them
anyway.
    “What type is Nick, then?” Summer
asked again, looking more than interested in Alison’s answer.
    “Male.” Alison grinned. “I only
date women.”
    “So you’re not married?” Evie
tilted her head to the side as she quizzed Summer. She always had to know
everything about everyone—was obviously keen to rip away the veil of secrecy
and find out what exactly Summer was doing in Brookbridge.
    “No. I’m just out of a
relationship.”
    The truth. Surprised, Nick
gazed at her. She’d worn her hair up in a twist and added long earrings that dangled
almost to her shoulders. Her black dress was subtle, revealing the long column
of her throat, the curve of her neck and dipping down to a hint of cleavage.
Hardly seductress wear, especially compared to the short skirt and plunging
neckline that Evie sported, but he found himself unable to look away. A beaded
necklace sparkled at her throat. Her slender arms were bare. His fingertips
tingled at the memory of how they felt to the touch. Soft, warm.
    “You’re staying with Nick?”
Interest sparkled in Evie’s eyes.
    “For tonight, yes.” Her gaze
flickered up to his, then returned to Evie. “My house—my parents’ house—has no
power at the moment.”
    “You were lucky to be out of the office,”
Alison said. “We had Mrs. Malarky’s poodle in again.”
    “Oh no. Not again.” The dog had a
penchant for chocolate, and on two previous occasions had arrived at the
practice and had to have its stomach pumped. “The usual?”
    Alison’s nose wrinkled. “I caught
that one. You owe me.”
    “Nick did great work with the dog
I found in the woodshed.” Summer took a sip of her wine. “If he hadn’t come
out, I think Fella might well have died. I can’t believe