He held her door for her as they walked out, and he also got the car door for her. She’d noticing him grabbing doors for her ever since they met, but she was paying more attention than she was before because this was the official date. She had an imaginary report card going in her head so she could make sure that he hit all the key points of what she was looking for. She realized that was kind of silly, but the things on her list weren’t frivolous—they were important, like the way he spoke to her, how he handled frustration, the way he treated wait staff at restaurants. She couldn’t respect him if he wasn’t kind and she couldn’t be with him if she couldn’t respect him, so that list was pretty important.
She gave him directions on how to get to the restaurant, and when they parked, he came around and got her door again. Excellent. He came with that skill built in and she wouldn’t have to teach him. Her last boyfriend—after Xan, but before the ranch—had left her sitting in the car for twenty minutes because he’d thought she’d get out by herself and he couldn’t figure out where she’d gone. When he finally found her still sitting in the car, she explained that she never touched car door handles. He got the message, but they broke up when she discovered he was a mean drunk. Such a shame, too. A perfectly good lesson gone to waste.
Lin greeted them when they walked into the Golden Fortune and showed them to a booth. “This is the best Chinese I’ve had in a long time,” Paislee told Logan as he looked over the menu. “I don’t think there’s a single thing here I don’t like. No, that’s a lie. I don’t like the shrimp because I don’t like shrimp period. But I like everything else.”
“No shrimp?”
“No shrimp. They’re creepy. And they don’t taste good.”
He chuckled. “You got the funniest look on your face just now. Like you were looking at a shrimp in that very moment.”
“I was, in my imagination. And it had giant spider legs.”
“Well, if you put it that way, they are pretty creepy.”
The waitress came around and took their orders, then Paislee settled back in her seat. “So, are you going to give me your mysterious reason for being late now, or are you going to wait until my blood sugar is up?”
“I don’t know. Is one choice better than the other?”
“I’d say, I can take good news on an empty stomach, but I’d better have a full stomach for bad news.”
He seemed to contemplate that. “I think this is neither good nor bad, so I’ll just tell you, and if necessary, I’ll grab some egg rolls from the next table and shove them in your mouth.”
“Aw. You’d do that for me?” She batted her eyelashes.
“Yes, I would. That’s how serious I am about your blood sugar.”
“All right then. What’s this news?”
He took a deep breath, and that worried her. People didn’t usually need extra oxygen when they were delivering good news. “Kassidy came to see me just as I was getting ready to leave, and she wants us to go back into business together. I told you we ran a gym—it was actually a pretty large business, and we both have enough money to start it up again because we invested the bulk of it. And she’d like to hire you—she says you have quite a knack.”
Paislee looked down at her chopsticks. She really didn’t know what to say. “I understand that this is a nice offer she’s making, but I have to be honest—I feel like I’m being patted on the head and given a consolation prize,” she said at last. “I know that you and I aren’t anything serious right now—I mean, this is our first date—but this just smacks of . . . I don’t know. Buying me off, maybe?”
She expected Logan to be angry at that or to have some sort of retort, but instead, he nodded. “Thanks for telling me that,” he said. “I wondered if you’d see it that way—I was thinking the same thing myself, actually.”
“What did you tell her?”
“She asked me to think about it, and I said I would. It’s tempting, I’ll admit.”
So many thoughts were coursing through Paislee’s head. Three days ago, she hadn’t even known this guy. Now she was sitting across the table from him, trying to start a relationship, and he’d made her a job offer, and that was a whole lot to think about all at once. When her moo goo gai pan came, she shoveled several bites into her mouth without really tasting it. What should she say?
“I was thinking that if you wanted to take this job, you could save up for college,” Logan said, sounding like he wasn’t sure if he should bring it up.
She didn’t answer right away. That thought had crossed her mind, but when she really looked deep inside, she wasn’t sure she wanted to go to college anymore. Yes, being educated was a great thing, but if she was doing it with the goal of furthering a career path, it wasn’t necessary because her career goals had changed. Her interest in the film industry had waned since she’d started climbing, and she wasn’t about to invest thousands of dollars in a specific field of study when it wasn’t her passion anymore. Maybe she’d find a new passion, but maybe she wouldn’t—maybe she was happy right now and didn’t need to be chasing some far-off rainbow all the time.
“Whatever choice you make, you need to do it completely independent of me,” she said at last. “This is about you and your future and your dreams. You and I aren’t a package deal—you’re working on your stuff and I’m working on mine.”
“I do want to keep your best interests at heart,” Logan began, but she shook her head.
“That’s noble and I appreciate it, but listen. I’m not naïve enough to think that we’re going to be together forever. I can’t even remember your last name half the time—we obviously don’t know each other well enough to be making any future plans. You have to decide what’s right for you and only you. If you decide to reopen your business, then I’ll make my decision, but not until then. Until you know that there is going to be a gym, I’m not going to worry about it. There are too many variables, and I’m not going to waste mental energy on something that’s so wispy right now.”
Logan nodded. “You’re right, and it’s not fair of me to ask you for answers when I don’t even know my own mind.” He paused. “You’re something else, you know that?”
“Of course I know that.” She smiled. “Now eat your food before it gets cold.”
He dug in to his sweet and sour pork, and she turned her attention back to her plate. Amazing how life could get so complicated, so fast.
Chapter Seven
“So, then he says that Kassidy wants to hire me for the gym.”
Noah’s eyes flew wide, and Gabby leaned forward a little. “Wait,” she said. “Wait. The ex-wife wants to hire you?”
“Yeah. She says I have a real knack or flair or something like that.”
Gabby sat back. “Well, isn’t that precious. She wants to make sure you’re provided for.”
“I know, right?”
Noah looked back and forth between Paislee and Gabby. “Am I missing something here? It sounds like a job offer to me.”
Gabby snorted. “Oh, my sweet, innocent husband. No, it was a catty move made by a woman who’s scared of losing her man.”
“How do you get that from a job offer?”
“Because we know the ways of women!” Gabby patted his hand. “Men will just punch each other’s lights out and get it out of their systems. Women . . . women are passive aggressive backstabbers.”
“Really? All women?”
“Not all of them, but enough.”
Noah turned to Paislee. “Is that true?”
“I’m sorry to say, yeah. Some women really do play games to get what they want, and they can be brutal. Especially to other women.”
“Huh. Well, I guess I’ve been lucky, then—I’ve spent most of my time with the two of you, and you’ve only shown me the best parts of being a woman.”
“Awww,” Gabby said, bending over and kissing his forehead. “What a completely politically correct response, sweetheart. I’m proud of you.”
Paislee laughed. “So, what sh
ould I do?”
“Well, if this woman’s just being catty, I say you don’t take that job under any conditions,” Noah replied. He picked up the knitting needle that was resting on the coffee table and slid it down his cast so he could scratch his ankle. “Plus, I don’t want you to leave the ranch, so definitely don’t take the job, even if she was being genuine.”
“And I’d bet a million dollars that she wasn’t being genuine,” Gabby added. “There’s no way. I’m all about people changing their lives and making better choices, but the fact that she cheated on Logan and then wouldn’t even consider trying to fix the marriage sort of puts me in the anti-Kassidy camp. Maybe I’m being judgmental, but that’s how I feel.”
Paislee hoped Logan wouldn’t mind that she’d basically spilled his entire life story to her best friends—well, the parts of his life story that she knew. But she needed to clear her thoughts, and she always did that best by talking them out.
“So let’s put the job entirely to the side for a minute,” she said. “I’m starting to wonder if Logan and I shouldn’t put things on hold until Kassidy’s gone. Are we complicating things by dating right now?”
“Let’s look at it this way,” Noah said. “We don’t know for sure that I’m going to be laid up for six weeks. The doctor said that’s how long it would be until I got the cast off, but I’m losing muscle in my leg with every day I can’t walk, and who knows how long it will be before I can climb or belay. Kassidy could be here weeks longer than we’re thinking right now. Do you really want to delay your happiness that whole time?”
“Yeah, think of the relationship you and Logan could be building in the meantime, and all the fun you could be having,” Gabby said. “Waiting would just be making yourself miserable for no good reason. If Logan’s not supposed to be with Kassidy, if he’s supposed to be with you, he’ll fall for you even if she’s here.”
“You’re right. You’re totally right.” Paislee nodded. “Tomorrow’s Sunday—I’m going to sleep in and see if my thoughts are any clearer when I wake up. Having a day off will be good for me.”
“Why don’t you bring Logan over for Sunday dinner tomorrow night?” Gabby suggested. “We’re dying to meet him, and you know you can’t get too serious with anyone until Noah has given his approval.”
“I’m very aware of this,” Paislee said dryly. “In fact, I think he’s also put in his bid to give me away on my wedding day.”
“Well, obviously,” Noah retorted. “Just wait until I have this cast off so I’m not crutching down the aisle, okay?”
“What? Oh, come on. I’m not getting married that fast even if Logan is the one.” As she said the words “the one,” chills ran down Paislee’s arms. Was he the one? Was there even such thing as the one, or were there lots of nice candidates? But she’d never heard someone say, “I’m so happy. I’ve found a nice candidate.” It was so hard to know.
“I’m not so sure about that . . . you know Pastor Kevin is getting really good at putting together fast marriages.” Noah grinned.
“You frustrate me.” Paislee stood up. “What time should we be here for dinner, and what should I bring?”
“Green salad, and six?”
“Okay, will do. Of course, I should probably ask him first, huh?”
“No,” Noah said. “You call him and inform him. That way, you’re getting some practice in for when you’re married and you need to sound all wifely.”
“Hey,” Gabby protested. “What happened to my nice politically correct husband?”
He caught her hand and gave it a kiss.
Paislee was still chuckling when she climbed into the driver’s seat of her car. She’d headed over here right after Logan took her home, and her shirt smelled like Chinese food. She’d take a hot shower and go to bed. Maybe things would be a lot clearer in the morning.
***
“Well, there you are,” Jaclyn said the next afternoon, holding the door wide so Logan could enter. “I’ve been expecting you ever since you left last time. How are you settling in?”
“Really well, I think.” He gave Jaclyn a kiss on the cheek. “I’ve come so we can catch up.”
“No, you’ve come because you need advice.” Jaclyn handed him the plate of snickerdoodles before he’d even sat down. “We can catch up later.”
He simultaneously sat and took a bite of cookie. “How’d you know what I need?” he asked after he swallowed.
She sat across from him. “My dear boy, you seem to have slipped a cog somewhere in that wee little noggin. Don’t you remember that I am in contact with the fairies? That they have chosen me to spread their messages to all who knock upon my door?” She wiggled her fingers for emphasis.
“Being a little melodramatic, aren’t you, Aunt Jaclyn?” A young man stepped out of the kitchen and entered the living room, a smile on his face.
“I’m trying to impress upon him the importance of what I’m saying, Joshy,” she retorted.
“Hi there. I’m Jaclyn’s nephew, Joshua,” the man said. “Nice to meet you. I’m just heading out—need me to bring you anything from the store?”
“No,” she replied. “But George has requested that marigolds be planted around him, so if you happen by the nursery and see any, you might pick up a flat.”
“Okay. See you later.” Joshua left, and Logan smiled.
“Seems like a nice guy,” he remarked.
“He’s very nice. He also believes in fairies. I don’t have to hit him over the head with them, like some people I know.” She leaned forward and poured two cups of tea from the pot in the center of the table. “All right, now that we’re both comfortable, tell me what’s on your mind.”
Logan wasn’t sure where to begin, so he just started talking. He was sure it came out all rambly, but he didn’t figure that Jaclyn cared—she’d probably understand his ramblings better than anyone.
By the time he wound down, the tea in his cup was cold, but that was all right. He didn’t much care for it anyway, but that was a closely guarded secret that he would never tell even on pain of death.
“Well?” he said when Jaclyn didn’t speak right away.
She set her cup down, crossed her legs, and gave him a long look. “You, my dear boy, are a doofus.”
“I . . . beg your pardon?”
“Doofus. From the Latin doofus nincompoopus.”
“I’m not sure I follow.”
“Well, of course you don’t. That’s because you’re a doofus.” She shook her head. “Your ex-wife, who cheated on you, has just shown up in your life again, and now, after one day, she’s decided to reopen the business, make you a partner, and hire your new potential love interest? And you’re all in a tizzy wondering what you should do? What part of that scenario does not scream ‘doofus’ to you?”
“When you put it that way . . .”
“There’s no other way to put it! Tell me how you would take that situation and make it make sense. You can’t, can you? She’s making a power play because she wants you back and she wants Paislee under her thumb. Or we could give her the benefit of the doubt and say that she’s a terrible businesswoman who runs around suggesting new ventures right and left without even checking with her banker or looking at properties or anything, but I don’t think she’s dumb.”
“No, she’s pretty smart. I’m sure she planned to do all that legwork after talking to me, though.”
Jaclyn rolled her eyes, then looked up at the ceiling. “Do you hear that? He’s defending her. Now, maybe I’m wrong here and she’s a little pink princess, but I don’t think so.” She looked at him again. “The fairies say that you’re a nice young man to stick up for her, but you’re still a doofus, and they wonder if you manage to walk down the sidewalk without tripping on cracks.”
“The fairies said that?” Logan didn’t think those were very nice fairies.
“Well, I tacked that last part on myself, but I delivered the message they intended.” She fixed him with another look. “You know fu
ll well what you should do. Why are you so reluctant to do it?”
Logan sat back and tried to reason that out. It’s not like he hadn’t asked himself that question a dozen times in the last day. “I think I just don’t want to believe that she had it in her to be so hurtful,” he said at last.
Jaclyn blinked. “But the evidence is right in front of your face. Yes, she has it in her—or at least she did at the time. That’s on her—that’s not on you.” She leaned forward and patted his knee. “You’re a good boy. You want to believe the best of everyone, but people don’t always act their best, do they?”
“No.”
“Would going back into business change the past?”
“No.”
“Then listen to what your gut is telling you. Oh, and by the way, Paislee is every bit as genuine as she seems.”
Logan blinked. “How did you know I’d been wondering about that?”
“Fairies. Fairies. Gracious, how many times do I have to say it?” She lifted her hands and lowered them again in exasperation. “Maybe you’ll understand someday. For now, stop cycling through all the what-ifs in your brain and follow your heart. It knows what it’s doing.”
His heart knew what it was doing . . . and it was definitely leading him in one direction as opposed to the other.
“Thanks, Jaclyn. I wish I could stay longer, but I’ve got an invitation for Sunday dinner, and I’d better run if I don’t want to be late.”
“You definitely don’t want to be late for this dinner, young man. Come back when you can—the rabbits and I are always home.”
***
Logan didn’t think he’d ever been scrutinized so carefully—not even Kassidy’s father when he’d come to ask for her hand. Noah and Gabby sat side by side on the couch, staring at him, and he could feel the sweat forming in his palms.
“So, Logan,” Noah began. “Do you now or have you in the past ever had ties to any sort of subversive government groups?”
Logan blinked. “Um, no. Never.”
Paislee's Path (River's End Ranch Book 48) Page 7
