“Really? Why—is it someplace naughty?” he asked.
“No. Weirdo. I just said I wanted my parents to see it.”
“So then why can’t you just say where it is?” he asked. “Seems like it must be somewhere obvious.”
“Why did I let you bait me into this?”
“I think you wanted to talk about it. I must bring out your wild side,” he said. “So the tattoo?”
She shook her head. “No. It’s embarrassing.”
“If I tell you something—”
“No. Because I imagine that you’ve done a bunch of stuff that would embarrass me but not you. And I’m not telling you about my tattoo,” she said.
“Sooner or later it will come out,” he said.
*
She yawned not because she was bored but she was tired and she hated that she wasn’t a night owl. Never had been. The latest she could stay awake was eleven and that was if she hadn’t gotten up early for work.
“That’s the first time in a while I’ve bored a woman,” he said.
“Sorry. I’m not used to staying out this late,” she admitted to him. “And I have to be in the office early tomorrow. My boss is a bear.”
“Then I better get you back home,” he said. “Though I have to say I think your boss would be understanding this once.”
“I bet he would be,” she said. “But I wouldn’t be. The moon is making me wish for things I know aren’t real and despite everything I do try to be a pragmatist.”
“Do you?” he asked as he opened her door for her and she slid in.
*
His eyes lingered on her legs and he remembered the moment earlier when he could have pushed the kiss further but he hadn’t.
She was a good girl. And they had enough going on this week without adding sex to the mix. So he’d pulled back. But he couldn’t keep his eyes or his thoughts off of her. He wanted her. The logical part of his mind thought that it was just that he wanted to distract himself and Avery was the best sort of distraction. A sexy, sassy woman who would keep him on his toes, in bed and out of it.
But he also liked her. He hadn’t realized how much until tonight. She’d been the best dinner companion as he’d gotten up and down to talk to people and do the fame thing. He knew it wasn’t easy for anyone to be with him when that was going on but she’d handled it with an aplomb that he was coming to realize was just her norm.
He dropped her off at her house and then drove up to the big house that he’d built because Whiskey River liked having a famous actor as one of its residents. And Logan wanted to give them the kind of house they could drive by and talk about, but it always felt hollow to him.
Chapter Five
The lighting company that Avery had hired to decorate the outside of Logan’s house had been out that afternoon. Everything needed to be ready on December 1st. She stood there in the big circle drive of the house that Texas Town & Country had named one of its Top Ten Most Wanted Homes.
A two a.m. text from Logan telling her he had to return to Los Angeles to do press for his movie had been unexpected. In a way she’d thought they’d connected the night before and this almost felt like him running away, but “press” was a part of his job and even though she had appointments for him to attend as co-chair she’d been sort of relieved that he’d had to return to the West Coast.
She rubbed the back of her neck. The house was big and empty. Probably she felt that way because Logan had gone back to California for a few days and she’d been trying to pretend it didn’t matter that she hadn’t kissed him and everything had changed. All of her life she’d sort of skated through things. Sure, she’d always had a burr under her saddle where her parents were concerned and she’d done things to get their attention that had inevitably backfired on her. But this felt different. She wanted something with Logan that had never been important to her before this moment.
She turned to walk toward the guesthouse that she called home. One of the things that had appealed to her about the job when she’d first applied was the fact that she would live on the property and give tours of the house and outbuildings to local groups. She walked to her place pausing to look at the front porch, which she’d draped with lighted garland to match the wreath on her front door. To left side of the door she had a bench she’d gotten over the summer when she’d gone antiquing with Savannah and Rachel. The bench had been painted a horrible blue that Rachel had called haint blue, but it was mostly all chipped off. So Avery had sanded it down, prepped and primed it and painted it white. Then she’d been decorating it for every holiday.
As a girl she’d wanted to have the kind of mom who made every holiday special but her mom had been on duty for every other holiday and little ones like St. Nicholas’s Day or Flag Day didn’t count. In the Burton household, her parents had rotated Easter, Christmas, summer vacation and her birthday.
So she’d been making up for it—in her empty house. Trying to build a perfect life that fit with the image in her head. But had she judged her parents too harshly? Consigned them to being workaholics and missed out on the little gestures they’d made?
Even the offer to fly her to Denver for the Christmas holiday hadn’t been easy for her to accept. A part of her knew that it was a knee-jerk reaction to canceled vacations from the past, but another part, well, if Logan was to be believed was just her not wanting to trust anyone.
Was it true?
She carefully sat down on the bench, wrapping her arms around her waist as she sat there. It was quiet out here where Logan’s mansion was. He’d wanted it that way. She’d thought it was a Hollywood privacy thing but then as she’d lived in Whiskey River longer she’d come to realize it was a way of being part of the town but not really being part of it.
He’d grown up in the Barrels. What had that been like? Finn had been in her class and she could remember that their father had killed the Zimmerman family. That accident had set a pall over the entire town. Even her parents who were usually not affected by events that happened outside of their lab had talked about the incident with her. It had been all anyone had talked about when they mentioned his name. She also heard the rumors that Mr. Calloway had beat his sons and that he’d beaten his wife too until she ran away before Avery had moved to town. They weren’t the kind of stories that anyone wanted to believe but seeing the success Logan had now and how he kept himself still at a distance…well she knew they were true.
And it humbled her to think that he’d been willing to trust. Willing to believe in her. But she’d kept her guard up. She’d been hurt too but in no way like he had been. It made her realize that she needed to switch up her attitude. She’d been single for…her entire adult life. She’d never been able to let anyone close to her. And she knew that Logan’s life was going to go on with or without her.
But kissing him, seeing the man behind the Hollywood PR factory, made her realize that she wanted to get to know him better. When he came back she’d be ready. And no more hiding out when things got difficult.
She’d been planning to make that one of her New Year’s resolutions but she could start early.
Live life to its fullest.
She was going to do it.
She got up and turned toward her house. Starting today if it scared her she was going to go for it.
Logan.
He scared her more than anything else. He had kissed her and it had been…well more than she’d expected. All those tingles and feelings that she’d thought were just people exaggerating had gone through her body. She hadn’t expected it. His mouth on hers had been perfect. He’d tasted good, he’d angled his head the right way and his tongue rubbing over hers… She shivered remembering it.
Okay, he scared her. What he made her feel frightened her. So…? She was going to call him. She was going to reach out and invite him to do something with her. She was going to let go of the past and she was going to move on.
The old Avery had been left on the front porch with the other old-fashi
oned picture-perfect items. The new Avery was going to wade into the present and get messy.
*
His house in Malibu overlooked the Pacific and Logan leaned back in the deck chair, his bare feet on the railing, pretending that he hadn’t run away from Whiskey River in the middle of the night once again. Only this time there was no Aunt Jane to call and talk to him. He heard someone coming up the stair that led to his deck and glanced over to see Eli.
He got up and gave Eli a bro hug. “Want a beer?”
“Sure.”
Logan went to the bar on the far side of the deck and got Eli a Corona, handing it to his friend who had taken a seat next to Logan’s chair. “I’m not sure I’m ready to go back to Whiskey River.”
“I never am,” Logan admitted to Eli. “But it will be fun. The winery is the perfect project for the area. I’m really excited about it.”
“I am too,” Eli admitted.
“And you’re going to be back in time for Felicity’s Ball.”
“Why am I concerned with that?” Eli asked.
“I’m the co-chair so my friends have to go,” Logan said.
“Do I even want to know why you are the co-chair?” he asked.
“Penance.”
Eli laughed and took a long swallow of his beer. “I was surprised when you called and asked if I wanted to fly with you to Whiskey River. I thought you were already in town.”
“I was. But I needed to come back to do some press. The studio is pushing hard for me to be nominated so they wanted me to be in town.”
“Your life is strange,” Eli said. “I mean I get that it’s part of the game, but I don’t think I could do that.”
Logan had to agree that there was nothing odder than walking around talking about a character he’d pretended to be last year. But he did it. The character he played was one of those anti-heroes who’d had a dark past and the studio had tentatively asked if he’d mind talking about his own past but he’d shut them down. Sure it didn’t take a genius to figure out that he had acted the hell out of the part of a man who’d grown up with an abusive father, possibly thanks to his own upbringing, but that didn’t mean he wanted to talk about it.
“I am going to hold a Christmas party on the 23rd for the youth group from the Barrels and I think it would be good if you were there to talk to them and try to recruit some kids to work in the vineyard at the winery.”
“Good idea. I have already been in touch with the high school ag teacher. I can’t believe Mr. Thomas is still there. That dude is never going to retire.”
Logan laughed, thinking that it was nice to hang with his friend. It was odd to think they were going back to Whiskey River and that this time the town was welcoming them. “I’m glad we were able to get involved with the 4-H program. There are other ways we can get kids into different fields as well, like working with the community college to encourage them to study vineyard management and marketing.”
“I think so too. I want to go and walk the land, see what we have to do in order to get the vines planted,” Eli said.
“Sure. I’m available,” Logan said. “Except for my WOWR commitments.”
Eli laughed at him. “Damn, boy, you have changed.”
“Hell, I know it. The WOWR women used to lock their daughters up if a Calloway was on the other side of the street. I actually got an email from Paloma Kelly saying how pleased she was that I could make time for the WOWR this holiday season.”
“I guess that just goes to show the power of fame,” Eli said.
“Yeah,” Logan said. “I hope they aren’t disappointed when they realize I’m still the same Logan.”
“Why would they be? They won’t expect you to have changed just because you’re famous. You know they are all going to be throwing themselves at you.”
Logan hoped not. He turned the conversation to the vineyard, talking to Eli about the land and he was impressed once again by his friend’s knowledge. It was Eli who’d made him even think of investing in a winery. He wouldn’t have invested in the project if he hadn’t been attached to it.
“Thanks again for putting up the money,” Eli said as they were driving to the small airstrip where Logan kept his private planes. They’d be using his G6 and the crew he kept on standby to fly it. But Logan had his pilot’s license and sometimes took up his de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver single engine bush plane on his own.
“No problem,” he said. “Avery has someone coming to the mansion in the morning to fit us for tuxedos for the gala.”
“I have to wear a tux?” Eli asked. “Does Harlan?”
“Yes. It’s a formal event. You’ll love it,” Logan said.
“How will I love it?” Eli asked.
“The women at the gala will be throwing themselves at you,” Logan said. “That always makes dressing up worth it.”
“I’ll take your word for it. My truck is being delivered tomorrow morning as well,” Eli said.
His friend had finally bought the truck he’d always wanted and had custom ordered it. It was a Ford F150. “Great. Can’t wait to see it. I am driving the Lincoln that I got when I did those commercials for them.”
“Your life is surreal.”
He had no idea. It was hard for him sometimes to figure out what was real. When he was on the West Coast he got his life and his place in the world but when he was in Texas it always felt like he was out of step. A part of him was Danny Calloway’s son and the kid who’d had bruises all the time in school, the one who’d taken beatings for his brothers because he had done everything he could to protect them and then there was this part now where everyone wanted to talk to him and ask him for money.
He gave it because of Aunt Jane. She had shown him what it meant to put someone else first.
*
Riva’s Java was packed as Avery made her way through the crowd made up of mainly moms and preschoolers. Felicity’s Ball would be happening tomorrow—Saturday evening. Christmas music played in the background and lighted garland had been draped along the counters. A few local writers who had headphones on were working intently on their laptops.
“Avery,” Savannah called, waving at her from the back of the café.
She waved back making her way toward the table where her friend waited. “Hiya. How’s things this morning?”
“Okay. We just heard that Whiskey River Construction has been sold. No one knows who the new owners are yet,” Savannah said.
“That is very mysterious,” Avery said. “I’m sure you’re going to be fine. I mean you pretty much run that place.”
“I know. But what if the new company already has an office manager that they want to bring here?” Savannah asked.
“I can’t believe they would, but if that is the case I will—”
“What? Force them to keep me? Tell them Logan won’t put up the money for the winery if they don’t?” Savannah said. “I appreciate it, Ave, but I think this is one of those things that is out of our control.”
“I know. I just hate that you are worried. You love that job and you’re really good at it. It’s not fair,” Avery said.
“What’s not fair?” Rachel said as she sat down across from them. She looked harried but then Rachel worked very hard and was committed to being the best mommy she could be to three-year-old Katie.
“Someone bought the construction company and Savannah doesn’t know if they will be bringing their own office manager.”
“That stinks,” Rachel said.
“It does. So let’s talk about the gala. Rachel, did you pick out a dress yet?” Savannah asked, changing the subject.
Rachel focused on turning her reusable to-go cup in her hands and running her finger along the seam where the plastic lid met the insulated cup.
Avery knew that Rachel didn’t want to leave the kitchen the day of the gala. But she and Savannah wanted their friend out there. She always stayed in the background working harder than one of Santa’s elves getting ready for Christmas Eve.
“Not yet. But it’s on my list,” Rachel said.
“Sure it is,” Savannah said. “Did you get a hair appointment? I stopped by Tips, Tops, & Toes and they still had a few slots open on Saturday.”
“I’ll do that today,” Rachel said.
Avery took pity on her friend and diverted the attention off of her. Savannah and Avery were determined to be Rachel’s fairy godmothers for the gala whether she wanted them to or not. “I found the perfect dress. I ordered it yesterday and had it delivered to Logan’s jet. I figured why pay for overnight shipping when he’s flying out here.”
“Good thinking. What does it look like?” Savannah asked. Her friend tucked a strand of her auburn hair behind her ear and took a sip of her coffee. Seeming to be more relaxed than she had been when Avery arrived.
“It’s a burgundy velvet sheath. It’s knee length so it will cover that tattoo on my thigh,” Avery said.
“I think Sylvester the cat needs to be allowed to attend the gala too,” Savannah said.
Avery shot her friend the bird. “Sylvester is lucky I haven’t saved up enough money to have him removed yet.”
“It might be his last chance to party,” Rachel said. “I’m with Savannah on this one.”
“Ha. Well it’s not happening,” Avery said. Her phone pinged. It was time for her to go and stop by the florist and approve the centerpieces for Saturday and then she had to switch her car for Logan’s Lincoln SUV and go and pick him up.
“I’ve got to run,” Avery said. “Logan wants me to bring his SUV to the airport.”
“When did he leave?” Savannah asked.
“On Tuesday,” she said. After they’d gone out to dinner and she’d kissed him and flirted…but that didn’t matter. “He had to something for the studio.”
“It’s hard to believe that Logan is so famous now,” Savannah said.
“When I have more time maybe you can tell me what he was like growing up,” Avery said. “Never mind, scratch that. I’m not crushing on my boss…but if I was, Savannah, remember how you asked whether his muscles were airbrushed on?”
Once Upon a Texas Christmas Page 5
