by Tara Randel
Serena knew and hated the feeling of being out of place. Sure, she usually ended up in that position intentionally—self-preservation and all—but it still didn’t feel good. “It would be my pleasure.”
“You’re such a special girl.” Mrs. M. glanced at her watch. “I must run. They’ll be here shortly. And thank you again.”
Mrs. M. turned to walk away with Serena hot on her heels. “Wait. Who are your guests?”
“You’ll recognize them when they walk in.” Mrs. M. wiggled her fingers at Carrie and Heidi and disappeared into the kitchen.
“What’s up?” Carrie asked as she wandered over, a cookie in hand.
Still puzzled over the woman’s abrupt departure, Serena lifted a shoulder. “Mrs. M. had to leave. She asked me to look out for some guests she invited.”
Carrie glanced around the room. “This place is starting to fill up. Heidi snagged us a table, so we should sit.”
Serena bit her lower lip. “I should probably wait by the door.”
Carrie shrugged. “I’ll be at the table.”
Women entered the house in groups, all dressed in lovely summer dresses, some even sporting wide-brimmed hats or fascinators made trendy by royal weddings, but no one Serena recognized. Mrs. M. had said she would know who her guests were, but as the minutes passed, she was stumped. She was just about to give up and head to the table, when the door opened and two tall men, dressed in tailored suits and ties, walked in.
Her mouth fell open. “Logan?”
“In the flesh.” He closed the door behind him. “This is my brother, Reid.”
Serena shook Reid’s outstretched hand, shocked to her toes to find Logan standing here. “I don’t understand.”
“Grandmother.”
A smile tickled her lips. “You’re her guests?”
He nodded, clearly unhappy.
Serena placed a hand over her mouth as a laugh escaped her.
“Go ahead. Laugh away.”
“Sorry.” She frowned, still baffled. “But your grandmother knew this was a tea luncheon. When she said she had guests arriving, I assumed she meant other women.”
“Gran is cagey,” Reid said, and Logan added, “And invited us, anyway.”
Humor and respect for Logan mingled in her heart. “And you still came? How sweet.” Logan scanned the room, his eyes narrowing. “Where is Grandmother, by the way?”
“Oh, she had to leave.”
“What?” the brothers cried in unison.
“Something came up, but she asked me and my friends to keep you company.”
Logan glanced at his brother. “She really did it.”
“Like there was any doubt?” was Reid’s strangled reply.
“Did what?” Serena asked, missing the meaning of the brothers’ exchange.
Logan shoved his hands in his pants pockets. “You do remember that our grandmother is a matchmaker.”
“Yes, but she wouldn’t...”
Logan caught and held her gaze. “Oh, but she would.”
Serena looked away as she felt her cheeks heat.
“I need something to drink,” Reid muttered, running a hand through his neatly styled hair.
“You’ll have to wait for a proper drink until we go to Smitty’s later,” Logan informed him.
Reid brushed by them, headed across the room to the tea table.
Serena looked back at Logan. “I can’t believe your grandmother would invite you guys. You’re the only men here.”
“I’m sure it’s part of her grand plan to lure Reid and me to a room full of women and see what happens.”
“You make her sound calculating,” Serena said, defending her friend.
“Grandmother to a T. And she has her sights set on you and me together.”
Even though she suspected as much, the idea flustered Serena. “C’mon. Let’s take a seat.”
With his hand at the small of her back, they wove through the tables. Was it overly warm in here? The temperature had been pleasant until Logan arrived. She slipped a finger under her collar and flapped it back and forth to whip up a breeze. Goodness, Logan had an effect on her. When she reached the table, Carrie’s eyebrows arched and Heidi let out a delighted chuckle.
“She did it again, Logan?” Heidi asked.
Logan pulled out a chair for Serena, then sat beside her.
“She’s getting desperate.” He tugged at the knot of his tie. “The pressure’s heating up.”
Reid walked up with a dainty china teacup and saucer in his large hand. “You gotta be kidding me,” he said as he examined the delicate china.
Heidi let out another laugh. “Classic.”
Shaking his head, Reid took the vacant chair between Heidi and Carrie.
Serena introduced the brothers to Carrie, who said with a smile, “You guys must really love your grandmother. Either that or she’s holding something very damaging over your heads.”
“That would be preferable,” Logan said, taking his napkin from the table to place on his lap. “She’s afraid she’ll die before seeing us get married.”
Carrie’s smile grew bigger. “I knew I liked that woman.”
Guild members moved about the room, chatting with one another before lunch was served. Bonnie Masterson stopped by the table, her hair artfully styled, her makeup applied to highlight her beautiful face. Her hand flew to her chest. “She actually got you here? I can’t believe it.”
Logan and Reid both rose. “Mother.”
She put her hands on her hips. “I’m sure if I’d asked you boys to attend you would have said no.”
Reid kissed her cheek. “You didn’t have to. I’m sure Gran told you her plan.”
Bonnie didn’t even bother looking guilty. “Of course she did,” she said as she gave Logan a hug. “Now behave and I’ll talk to you both before you leave.”
“Great,” Logan muttered under his breath as he took his seat, and Serena heard him.
“You know,” she said quietly, leaning in his direction, “you’ve made two women in your life very happy.”
A corner of his mouth kicked up. “Only two?”
She blinked. She didn’t know what to say, so she took her cloth napkin with trembling fingers and shook it out before placing it on her lap.
Before long the high-pitched chatter echoed off the ceiling. The brothers were good company, keeping conversation at the table lively. Serena couldn’t deny the cascade of shivers every time Logan’s arm brushed hers. Like the night at Smitty’s, he sat close enough that she couldn’t miss his citrus cologne. Or the way his coffee-colored eyes grew darker when she caught him looking at her. Thankfully the sandwiches were tiny, because she’d suddenly lost her appetite.
When she pushed away her plate, he tilted his head toward her.
“Nervous?” His whisper brushed over her ear, setting off a cavalcade of sensations.
Serena jerked. “I’ve, um, never been to an event like this before.”
Lame, lame, lame.
Logan shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. The guild women are always getting together for some event or fund-raiser to support Golden.”
“And I’m sure they do great things in the community. It’s different than how I grew up,” she admitted.
His expression turned curious. “Your mother wasn’t involved in any civic groups?”
Serena rubbed the inside of her wrist. “She died when I was young.”
His glance moved to her wrist and back. “I’m sorry.”
She sent him a wobbly grin. “Thanks. She was awesome.”
“I’ll bet.”
His tender smile took her breath away.
Afraid her heart was slipping into the “falling for the guy” zone, she straightened her shoulders. Focused on the conversation around the table.
“We’re definitely hitting Smitty’s after this,” Reid said as he pulled apart two slices of bread to figure out the filling inside.
“Tell you what,” Heidi said. “For being good sports, we’ll buy you guys a beer.”
“Deal,” Reid said quickly before anyone could renege.
Serena took the china teapot from the center of the table to pour herself more tea, then held it out to Logan to see if he wanted a refill. He nodded and tried to fit his finger in the small handle of his cup. He gave up and wrapped his strong hand around the entire thing.
“So does your grandmother do this often?” Carrie asked, the amusement twinkling in her eyes indicating that she was in Mrs. Masterson’s camp.
“More so lately,” Reid told her. “Logan lives in Atlanta and misses most of her prying, but I’ve learned to dodge her invites.”
“You know Mrs. M. adores you both,” Heidi said as she nibbled on a cookie.
“She does,” Reid affirmed, “but you do remember all those times we hid out at the lake until her guests left.” Reid turned from Heidi to speak to the table. “Gran always managed to invite a daughter around my age to her parties.”
Serena brushed her fingers across the napkin on her lap. “You two grew up together?”
“Kind of,” Heidi said, shooting Reid a look.
“That tells me nothing,” Serena said.
“When I was in high school, my mom and I had some problems. Alveda opened her home to me and I moved in.” She shrugged like it was no big deal. “I used to go to the main house and hang out in the kitchen with Alveda.”
“Who knows how to make an actual sandwich,” Logan grumbled as he held another small square in his fingers.
Serena figured this lunch was nowhere near close to filling him up. He’d need an entire platter to satisfy his hunger.
“Who’s watching the store?” he asked.
“Lisa, one of the girls who takes an art class. She fills in for me every once in a while.”
“Still, this is a Saturday afternoon. I’m surprised they dragged you out of there.”
She chuckled at the vision of Carrie on one side, Heidi on the other, gripping Serena’s arms as they yanked her out of Blue Ridge Cottage. “I was there all morning and I’ll check back in after the tea.”
One of his dark eyebrows arched. “You won’t be joining us at Smitty’s?”
She couldn’t resist asking. “Do you want me to?”
His commanding gaze held hers, sending a shiver over her skin. “I do.”
The intensity in his eyes mesmerized her. Never before had a man focused his attention on her as if she was the most important woman in the room. Yes, she normally shied away from getting close, but with Logan it was different. It was like he sensed her reservations but found her special, anyway. Letting go of her qualms, she said, “Then I’ll make sure to be there.”
His intimate smile warmed her to her bones.
Once lunch was finished, there were a few speeches and then everyone mingled before heading home. Logan stayed by her side, which secretly thrilled Serena, until his mother called him away. She joined Heidi, who was checking her phone, and her gaze returned to Logan’s broad shoulders as he crossed the room. Her smile dimmed when his mother pulled him into a conversation with a beautiful woman she didn’t recognize.
“Heather Baine,” Heidi reported.
Serena tried to act disinterested. “Really? I don’t know her.”
“The Baines are old money. Like the Mastersons.”
Serena’s stomach sank. His family would expect Logan to be involved with someone with a pedigree, not a scam artist’s daughter.
“Don’t worry, though. I heard her college boyfriend was going to propose.”
Serena infused a little attitude in her voice. “I wasn’t worried.”
“Tell that to your face.”
Serena gaped at Heidi then rearranged her expression to appear unconcerned.
“What’s got her upset?” Carrie asked as she walked into their circle.
“Green-eyed monster,” Heidi quipped.
Serena sputtered over a denial that didn’t quite reach her tongue.
Carrie peered at the guests, not having to be told the topic of the conversation was Logan. “He’s not interested in her.”
Despite herself, Serena asked, “How can you tell?”
“Because I sat across the table from you two, and trust me, Logan only had eyes for you.”
Her stomach did a funny flip, a mix between joy and nerves. She wrapped her arm around her best friend. “You always know what to say.”
Reid joined the group. “Are you ladies ready to get out of here?”
“So ready,” Heidi said, jumping at the chance to escape.
“I’ll meet you out front,” Serena told them. She went to their table to retrieve her purse, checking her phone to see if Lisa had texted.
Relieved to find no messages, she started when Logan stopped beside her. “Checking on the store?”
“Yes. No problems, but I need to go back and close up.”
He escorted her to the door. “You know, with the right people in place, your business can run successfully even if you aren’t there.”
“I’ve put so much of my heart and soul into Blue Ridge Cottage, I guess I worry.”
“You have a sound business, Serena.”
Her shoulders rose as she inhaled. “I’m getting better at letting go.”
They stepped onto the wide covered porch.
“Everyone needs some fun time, you know.”
She pulled her sunglasses from her bag and slipped them on. “Are you trying to tell me something?”
“Maybe you should let your hair down.”
Her hand flew to her hair, which she’d pulled back in a tight bun. Not sure how guild women presented themselves at fund-raisers, she’d gone for what she hoped was tasteful. Logan took her hand in his and grinned. “I meant metaphorically.”
“I know.” When he didn’t let go, she squeezed his hand. “Thanks.”
“Just be who you are,” he suggested, which sent her stomach fluttering into a frenzy. Could having fun get her in big trouble? Guess she’d have to find out.
“Hey, you two, get over here,” Carrie called. Serena hesitantly released his hand, missing the touch immediately. Oh, dear, she had it bad. “We’re all going home to change then meet up at Smitty’s for dinner.”
“A real dinner,” Reid added.
Logan glanced at her. “You’ll be there, right?”
Going for lighthearted instead of lovesick, she said, “Where else would I be?”
“Great. Otherwise I’ll have to come get you myself and make sure you have a good time.”
Her heart tumbled. “You’re promising to entertain me?”
His killer grin said it all.
* * *
AT HALF PAST six the group sat around a table in Smitty’s, engaged in lively conversation. As agreed, they’d all changed into more comfortable clothing. Logan sported a pullover and jeans. And while he enjoyed seeing everyone in a jovial, relaxed mood, one person was conspicuously missing. Serena.
He leaned over to Heidi. “I thought we were all showing up tonight.”
“What can I say? Customers came in right at closing. True to form, Serena told us to head over here and said she’d join us.”
He appreciated Serena’s work ethic, but whether she knew anything about his case or not, someone had to show this woman how to relax and enjoy her free time. He rose. “Be back soon.”
“Where are you off to?” Reid asked.
“To find the absentee member of our group.”
He didn’t miss the glance between Heidi and Carrie. Or his brother’s grin. He’d just stepped away when Jamey arrived with their drinks.
“I’ll be back.”
His lips twitched. “Ah, I see how it is.”
“How what is?”
Jamey merely shrugged his broad shoulders, but waggled his eyebrows at the group. For which he received laughs. The innuendos were getting old. Especially since the only thing he’d done so far was spend a little time with Serena.
“Hey, that’s my friend you’re talking about,” Carrie yelled at the pub owner.
“How do you know? I never mentioned a name,” Jamey countered.
“Like that was a mystery,” Heidi joked.
Shaking his head at their banter, Logan strode from the pub.
He was met by a purple sky with a slash of orange as the sun hovered over the horizon. Traffic still moved slowly down Main and the voices of tourists carried along the sidewalks. He ignored the tantalizing scents tempting him as he passed the bakery, keeping a steady pace to Blue Ridge Cottage. According to the hours posted on the front door, the store closed at six. He wasn’t surprised when he pushed open the door to find Serena at the sales counter checking out a customer.
She glanced up when he came in, surprise in her eyes. “I’ll be right with you.”
He nodded, roaming the store while she finished the transaction. His grandmother had gushed over Serena’s artwork, but he’d never taken the time to study it. He was surprised by the skill shown in each scene of forest animals in their natural habitat, or brightly blooming flowers, all captured in a range of dazzling colors.
After seeing out the customer, she locked the door. “What are you doing here?”
“You said you’d join us at Smitty’s.”
“I will. I have...” She stopped and glanced at her watch. “Oops. Time got away from me.”
He picked up a decorative box and glanced at the woodsy scene sketched on the note cards. It was so real, so inviting, he could imagine himself in the forest, hiking a well-worn path. Inhaling the pine boughs as he passed by. “Your artwork is beautiful.”
“Thank you.” She walked back to the counter and pressed a few keys on the cash register. “I find this part of Georgia so inspiring.”
“You do it justice, that’s for sure. No wonder Grandmother is a fan.”
He strolled over and leaned against the counter. The scent of lavender surrounded him. Under the fluorescent light, Serena’s memorable blueberry-colored eyes shone. She still wore the same dress from the tea party, one that flattered her. With the two of them alone, the outside world shut out, he could imagine that this was the beginning of a date. A time to discover each other and see where things went. Problem was, she was a job. He couldn’t forget that.
