Logan

by Samantha Chase

  On top of that, he never really gave much thought to being near his family or not being near them.

  Probably because they were everywhere.

  Seriously, the Blackthorne family had homes and businesses almost all over the country and while Logan contributed to all the businesses as needed, he never considered the option of not working with them. Or near them. Or…anything.

  So yeah, he imagined for someone like Piper the decision was hard.

  Maybe he could talk to her about it to help her with her decision…

  “Anyway,” Charles went on, “she’s a great waitress and the customers love her and I’ve always told her there’s a position for her whenever she needs it. So whether she’s here for a few weeks or a few months, I’d like to keep her on the payroll if that’s okay with you.”

  He nodded. “I don’t have a problem with it at all. She worked harder than almost anyone here tonight. Although I have to admit, I don’t like the fact that she skipped her break.”

  Charles let out a low laugh. “Good luck with that. It’s an ongoing argument I have with her. The only way you’ll get her to take a break is to physically pick her up, carry her to the back and force her to stay there.”

  A slow smile spread across his face as he imagined doing just that.

  3

  “There’s the most beautiful girl in the world!” Walking into his grandmother’s yard, Logan smiled at the sight of her.

  Nana was a tiny woman who you could spot a mile away because of her colorful wardrobe. Today’s ensemble consisted of turquoise-blue clamdiggers and a hot pink T-shirt that matched her sneakers. She was as bright as the flowers she was clipping right now.

  When he was at her side, he bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “How’s my best girl?”

  She swatted him away playfully. “Oh, you’re a silver-tongued devil, but I love you.” This was their thing–he would schmooze her and she would call him out on it. Fiona Blackthorne was still feisty at eighty-six and a lot of fun to be around. She was the one member of the family who Logan counted on to keep things real.

  “What are you up to today?” he asked. “Can I take you to lunch?”

  Fiona put her snippers down and frowned at him. “Lunch? It’s already eleven thirty. I ate half an hour ago.” Then she paused and studied him. “But I happen to have some leftover seafood salad inside. Enough for a sandwich for you if you’d like.”

  “Nana, why do you eat so early? It’s not even lunchtime yet!” he said with a laugh.

  “Because I get up at four in the morning and eat breakfast at five. By eleven, I’m starving. Wait till you get old. You’ll see.”

  He wanted to shudder at the thought.

  “Come on, I’ve got some lemonade too. We can sit inside and you can catch me up on what’s going on with you.” Before he could respond, she was already walking away. Once they were inside her cottage, which sat on the Blackthorne estate property, she immediately went to work pulling a container from the refrigerator along with the pitcher of lemonade.

  “You really don’t have to do that. I’m going to be heading to the Vault in a little while. I can get something to eat there. I was just hoping to have you join me for a little while.”

  She paused and looked at him. “So you don’t want a sandwich?”

  “Um…”

  “Fine. Don’t eat the sandwich,” she murmured, putting all the items she had just pulled out back into the refrigerator. When she was done, she walked out of the kitchen and into her living room where she sat on the couch. “Sit.”

  And he did–at the other end of the couch, but he twisted to face her. “You sure you don’t want to come with me? We’ve got some new items on the menu I think you’ll enjoy.”

  But she waved him off. “At my age, I can’t eat two lunches. Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “Well then promise me you’ll come in one day while I’m there and join me for lunch.”

  “You’re not open at lunchtime,” she countered.

  “Of course we are,” he explained. “I’m heading there now and…we’re open.” When she continued to stare at him, he realized what she meant. “Oh. You mean we’re not open at your lunchtime.”

  “Bingo!”

  “You’re something else. You know that, right?”

  She preened. “I know.”

  He sighed dramatically. “Well now what am I supposed to do? I was hoping to have lunch with a pretty girl.”

  “A few minutes ago, you said I was beautiful.”

  Unable to help himself, he laughed. “You’re right. My mistake. I meant I was hoping to have lunch with a beautiful girl. I guess I’ll have to wait for another day.” He was about to convince her to join him tomorrow when there was a knock at the door.

  Just when he started to stand, Nana called out, “Come in!”

  “Nana, you can’t just invite people in without knowing who’s at the door! What if it’s a stranger? What if it’s…”

  “Hi, Fiona!” someone called out.

  A female someone.

  When he looked up, he saw Piper walking into the room and he instantly straightened, smiling. She was dressed more casually than she was last night at the Vault. Her hair was down and she had on a pair of faded jeans and an off-the-shoulder navy-blue top. From where he was standing, he could smell the strawberry of her shampoo and he wanted to move in close so he could simply inhale as he held her close.

  I’m seriously losing it…

  She looked a little surprised to see him, but her attention quickly shifted to Fiona. She walked over and kissed his grandmother on the cheek and handed her a small, wrapped box.

  “Ooh…is this what I think it is?” Nana asked.

  Piper nodded. “I remembered how much you enjoyed the spicy peanuts I brought home the last time I was here so I went and found some more. These are Hot Habanero Chile Pepper Nuts. They claim to be hotter than hell, but I didn’t think they were that spicy.”

  “Hot habanero…Nana, should you be eating something like that?” he questioned.

  She waved him off and smiled at Piper. “Pay no attention to him. No one in this family appreciates spicy foods. This was very sweet of you. Thank you.”

  “You’re very welcome. There’s also some peanut brittle in there.”

  “You can never go wrong with that,” Fiona agreed.

  “I had no idea you enjoyed peanuts so much, Nana.”

  All she did was smile.

  “Can I try some?” he asked.

  “Nope,” she said, holding the box to her chest. “Now that Piper’s graduated, who knows if I’ll ever get treats like these again. I’m going to savor them and dole them out little by little, so back off.”

  Yup, feisty.

  “So, Piper,” Nana said, effectively ending the topic of Logan sampling any of her snacks. “Tell me all about what’s new in the gaming world. Did you ever finish the shooter game you were telling me about last time or did you go with the fantasy forest one?”

  Shooter game? Fantasy forest? What?

  “I went with the fantasy forest game. We finished beta testing and it’s a hit!” Piper explained.

  “Oh, Piper! That’s fantastic! I’m so proud of you! Have you sold it and made big money from it?”

  Piper’s laugh was that low husky one he remembered from last night and he had to stop himself from groaning at the sound of it.

  “I wish,” she said, interrupting his thoughts. “I got a few offers on it, but nothing that impressed me. Most of the companies want me to sign away the rights to it and that’s not something I want to do. I’d like the chance to use the game as a way to get in with one of the big companies as a designer while keeping the rights–or at least some of them.”

  “Smart girl,” Fiona said. “Don’t just sell it for the sake of selling it. Do your research and make a deal with a business that appreciates your talents and respects you as the designer.”

  Logan looked over at his grandmother with a bit
of awe. She was still pretty astute where business was concerned and he was glad she was encouraging Piper not to settle.

  “I bet your father’s happy to have you home, huh?”

  Smiling, Piper nodded. “He is. Although I don’t know how much time we’re going to get to spend together. We’re working opposite schedules–he’s gone during the day and I’m at the Vault at night. Plus, I don’t know how long I’m staying.”

  “Make sure you make the time to be together. Family is very important,” Fiona said solemnly. “I know it’s not always easy to do, but even a few minutes a day can make a big difference.”

  She nodded again. “I know. And I’ve only been home for two days but we’re going to try to figure out when we can at least grab a meal together.”

  Looking over at him, Nana frowned. “Why are you working this girl so hard? She just got home!”

  “What? Me? I had nothing to do with it! She talked to Charles last night and they worked out her schedule!” he argued.

  With a small tsk sound, Fiona shook her head. “It’s really not very nice to pass the buck, Logan. Shame on you.”

  “I wasn’t! That’s not how…”

  “Just make sure she gets some time with Connor!” she interrupted. “Sheesh! Don’t argue with your elders!”

  Piper snickered and he shot her a look. “You think this is funny?”

  She tried to look serious, but she broke out in a fit of giggles instead.

  And he thought it was completely adorable.

  Before he could try to defend himself, his grandmother looked between him and Piper. “Take Piper to lunch,” she said.

  It wasn’t a suggestion.

  Then, as if she hadn’t just issued a command, she turned her attention to Piper. “Were the pictures of the garden I sent you helpful?”

  “Oh, my goodness, yes! There’s a whole level in the game that takes place in Fiona’s Fairy Garden,” Piper explained.

  “Oh, how fun!”

  “The colors in it are truly amazing, if I do say so myself. So thank you for the inspiration.”

  “How about you come for lunch one day and you can bring the game with you and show me?” Fiona suggested. “My coordination might not be fast enough to play, but I would love to see my garden in the digital world!”

  “Did you try the other game I recommended to you?”

  “I did! I never made it past level three, but what fun!”

  I must be having a stroke because none of this makes sense…

  “So…wait,” Logan said, interrupting them. “You play video games, Nana? Since when?”

  She shrugged but looked pretty damn pleased with herself. “Since I felt like it,” she replied. “I’m always open to trying new things and when Piper came home from college after her first year and showed me one of the games she created, I asked her for some recommendations on games I might enjoy.”

  “But…” He looked around the room. “You don’t have a gaming system.”

  “There are plenty of them up at the house. Every once in a while I go up there and play. Sometimes the ladies from my gardening club join me.” She laughed softly and looked at Piper. “That bowling game was a real hoot! Poor Agnes nearly threw her new hip out, but what fun we had!”

  Piper looked over at him with amusement. “You okay? You look a little shell-shocked.”

  “What is happening right now?” he asked.

  “He’s adorable when he’s confused, isn’t he?” Nana asked and Logan could swear he felt himself blushing.

  “I wouldn’t say I’m confused…”

  “Oh, you’re totally confused,” Piper said. “I have to admit that I was surprised when Fiona asked for game recommendations, but it’s not uncommon for seniors to play video games.” Then she paused. “Do you play?”

  “Are you suggesting I’m a senior?” he teased.

  “Don’t be obtuse, Logan,” Nana huffed, coming to her feet. “The girl was asking a simple yes or no question.” Then she looked at Piper. “I bet I could beat him at the bowling game.”

  “I’m not playing any bowling video game with you right now, Nana,” he said, beyond frustrated.

  “Of course you’re not,” she said, walking toward the kitchen. “You’re taking Piper to lunch.” She looked over her shoulder at him. “And make sure you give her some time off to spend with her father. He misses her.”

  “You have to know I had nothing to do with this.”

  Piper merely glanced at him as they walked across Fiona’s yard and out through the white picket gate.

  “I’m serious,” he persisted. “I came here to take Nana to lunch but she already ate.” He shook his head. “Who eats lunch at eleven in the morning?”

  “Uh...someone who gets up before dawn?” she said with more than a little annoyance. Jeez, didn’t this guy pay attention to anything? “Seriously, Logan, it’s a well-known fact that senior citizens eat every meal early–hence the phrase ‘early bird special.’ Ring any bells?”

  Beside her, he chuckled. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “Are you this snarky with everyone or is it just me that brings it out in you?”

  Hmm…

  “Honestly? I do tend to have a bit of a sarcastic side but there seems to be something about you that makes it come out more than I realized. Sorry.” They were next to his car and she began to wonder just what she was supposed to do. It wasn’t like she was completely opposed to having lunch with him.

  Just not today.

  Not yet.

  She was up for hours last night thinking about their conversation and what would have happened if she had stayed and hung out with him. There was no harm in it–after all, they’d known each other for years so there wasn’t anything weird about it. What was weird was how she felt around him.

  Giddy.

  Excited.

  Like being asked out by the captain of the football team in high school when you were a member of the chess club.

  Yeah. Like that.

  The last time she and Logan spent any real time together was the summer when she was ten and he was thirteen. His mother made him take dance lessons and he needed a partner to practice with. Other than that, it was the occasional wave across the yard whenever he and his family were in town for the summer or visiting Fiona. They didn’t have anything in common so...at least, she didn’t think they did. From where she was standing, he lived in a world that she couldn’t even wrap her brain around. The Blackthornes were beyond wealthy and were able to do things Piper could only dream of. She imagined any conversation they had would be of Logan telling her about something she couldn’t relate to–something fabulous and out of the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous handbook–and she’d tell him about how creative she learned to be with amen noodles while in college.

  Awesome.

  Logan opened the passenger door for her and looked at her expectantly.

  Right. Lunch.

  “Logan, listen,” she began, “we really don’t have to do this. I’m sure you have better things to do with your time and I had already planned on making myself a sandwich for lunch and maybe watching a little TV before I had to get ready for work.”

  His smile never faltered as he kept his hand on the open door. “It’s just lunch, Piper. Last night you didn’t want to stay and catch up because you were tired. I’m guessing you slept okay because you don’t look tired right now.”

  She rolled her eyes at his oversimplification of the situation.

  He took a small step toward her. “I’ll call in an order to the Vault and we’ll pick it up and go eat down at Harbor Park. We’ll make it a little picnic and enjoy the beautiful day and if, in an hour, you're still totally opposed to hanging out with me, I’ll bring you home. What do you say?”

  This time she couldn’t help but laugh. “I never said I was opposed to hanging out with you…”

  “You didn’t have to. The fact that you keep coming up with excuses not to says
it all very clearly.”

  “It’s nothing personal.”

  “It feels personal.”

  And for the first time, he didn’t look quite so smug or sound like his usual confident self and that stopped her. While she enjoyed their teasing banter, she certainly didn’t want to come across as mean. Meeting his gaze, she said, “I’m sorry. That really wasn’t what I meant.”

  He didn’t look as if he believed her.

  Letting out a long breath, she said, “I just feel a little weird about...spending time with you.”

  “Why?”

  She fought the urge to roll her eyes. “If you’re just wanting to catch up to be nice, then fine. But it’s not like we’re friends, Logan. Not really. I guess I’m wondering why you’re trying so hard.”

  Okay, that was maybe a little more brutal than she intended, but...there it was.

  Now his expression went a little fierce. “First of all, why aren’t we friends?”

  “Are you serious right now?”

  He nodded.

  “How are we? Other than the occasional conversation once or twice a year, I don’t really see how that makes us friends. It’s easily been five years since we’ve even seen each other and even then it was little more than a passing comment about how we’ve been.” She paused. “Tell me something about me.”

  “Uh...what?”

  She nodded. “As a friend, you should know something about me. So...tell me something.”

  Ugh...I really am being bitchy.

  Holding up a hand to her, Logan pulled out his phone and quickly typed out what she assumed to be a text and then slid his phone back in his pocket. Then, he smiled and said, “You have a degree in game design.”

  And for some reason, it bothered her. “If you’re not going to take this seriously…” She turned to walk away, but his hand on her arm stopped her. With a huff of annoyance, she faced him again.

  “You hate thunderstorms and you have a weakness for chocolate chip cookies,” he said and Piper was sure her jaw hit the pavement. He moved in closer. “You hate dancing but enjoy watching people who can. You love Linkin Park but your father insists it’s not real music and always asks you to turn it down.”