by Kristi Gold
Logan showed her to what appeared to be a picnic table and helped her onto a bench, taking his place beside her. During the meal of smoked beef brisket and simple side dishes, everyone treated her as if she were a part of the family. Although, Lucy O’Brien had insisted on bringing her a plate of food—something she did for every guest, Logan assured her—no one had been the least bit condescending or overly concerned. The only indication that anyone even noticed her deficit came when Dermot asked, “What happened to your eyes, Jenny?”
“You’re too nosy, old man,” Lucy said.
Jenna pushed her plate back and folded her hands before her on the table. “It’s okay, Lucy. I have a disease that’s clouded my vision. And I hope to have it restored soon with corneal transplants.”
“The miracle of modern medicine,” Dermot replied. “I look forward to you being able to see what a handsome man I am.”
The group shared in a laugh, including Jenna. Yet, it was Logan’s laughter that had caught her attention. Logan who had kept her attention. Every now and then, her thigh touched his thigh, and even that simple contact brought about a certain amount of excitement and longing.
She’d sensed him watching her throughout the meal and wondered what he was thinking. If he leaned on the superficial side when it came to women, she would probably be outclassed. But if he preferred a more natural look, she might meet his expectations. Regardless, something about her had captured his notice, she decided, right before he declared, “You have barbecue sauce on your dress.”
Great. He’d been analyzing an unsightly stain. Embarrassed, Jenna lifted the paper napkin and asked, “Where is it?”
“In a place on your anatomy where I’m sure Logan would like to help you remove it.”
“Shut up, Devin.” Logan’s tone was gruff yet hinted at humor. “Come inside with me and I’ll take care of it.”
“I bet you will, bro.”
“That’s enough, Kieran.”
Jenna determined the time had come to make a quick exit, before the stain set in and Logan had to endure more ribbing. “I’d appreciate your help,” she said as he clasped her arm and assisted her from the picnic bench.
“There’s some white vinegar in the pantry, Logan,” Lucy called while they headed back into the house. “Be sure to dilute it with cold water.”
Once in the kitchen, Jenna leaned a hip against the counter while Logan noisily poked around in what she assumed was said pantry.
“I found it,” he said, followed by the sound of running water. “Now I’m going to see if I can get this off.”
Despite the warning, Jenna had a difficult time ignoring the steady swipes between her breasts, or the acrid scent of vinegar. “Lovely. Now I’m going to smell like a pickle.”
“I like pickles.” His smile shone through his voice. “At least the spot looks better. Sorry about the cold water.”
If he only knew how warm she’d grown during the stain-removal process. “I appreciate your efforts at eliminating the evidence of my clumsiness. But being blind has one distinct advantage. I can’t see people staring at me when I’m wearing my lunch.”
“They weren’t staring at the stain,” he said. “They were too busy looking at your black eye.”
“I have a black eye? Sasha never mentioned it when she changed the bandage.” Probably to save her from total mortification.
“Just a little bruising. The cut looks better, though.”
“Did you tell anyone in your family what happened last night?”
“I told my brothers I picked you up in a bar after you engaged in a hair-pulling fight with a couple of coeds.”
Oh, heavens. “You didn’t!”
“We’re hot-blooded Irishmen. We know all about bar fights.”
“But I didn’t engage in a bar fight, Logan.”
“I’m kidding, Jenna. They didn’t ask, and I didn’t volunteer any information.”
She playfully slapped at his arm. “Good, otherwise I’m sure your family will be glad when I leave, and hope I never come back.” Oddly, she wouldn’t mind coming back.
“My parents are very impressed with you, Jenna, particularly my dad, who only gives a nickname to people he likes. The rest of the family is equally impressed. So am I, barbecue stain, black eye and all.”
Considering their close proximity, Jenna was impressed she still maintained some semblance of composure. “Speaking of your family, I only counted three brothers. Who’s missing?”
“Kevin, and he’s probably off somewhere interviewing a high-paid baseball player for the magazine. He’s never liked doing the family thing, and he hasn’t come around much since Corri and Aidan got married.”
“Why is that?”
“It’s a long story, but the abbreviated version is Corri was engaged to Kevin first, and she ended up married to Aidan.”
A soap-opera scenario was the last thing Jenna had envisioned. “She broke it off with Kevin to be with Aidan?”
“Kevin broke it off with her, and it was for the best. We all knew that, when Aidan kissed Corri in the kitchen before she and Kevin started dating, she’d picked the wrong brother.”
“They kissed on the set where she does the cooking show?”
“Not the studio kitchen. This kitchen.”
“Right here?” Her voice sounded a little strained.
“Right where we’re standing.” His voice sounded much too sexy. “Have you ever been kissed in a kitchen, Jenna?”
“Not that I recall.” But she had the strongest feeling she could very well get that kiss, especially when Logan formed his hand to her jaw and feathered his thumb over her cheek. A kiss she had secretly fantasized about since last night. She waited with an eagerness she couldn’t contain. She braced herself for the impact of his lips on hers. She resisted the urge to shout “Go away!” when someone cleared their throat, halting any possibility of making her foolish fantasy a reality.
Logan took away his hand and asked, “What do you need, Kieran?” His impatience filtered out in his tone.
“Devin and Stacy are leaving to take Sean home for his nap. Mom thought you might want to say goodbye, if you’re not too busy.” He chuckled before the click of footsteps indicated his exit.
As much as Jenna wanted to see the couple off, she was in no shape to face anyone right now. “If you’ll point me to the powder room, I’ll be back outside in a minute.”
“I can show you where it is,” Logan said.
She raised her cane a few inches from the floor. “My trusty companion can help me find it while you say goodbye to your brother. Just tell me how many door handles and if it’s left or right.”
Without further protest, he took her by the shoulders and turned her around. “Straight ahead, second door on the right. Watch out for the curio cabinet in the hall to your left.”
She greatly appreciated his confidence and trust that she could manage on her own, when so many people in her life insisted on treating her like an invalid. “I should be right out, but if I miss saying goodbye to Devin and Stacy, tell them I’ve enjoyed getting to know them better.”
“I’ll do that.” She felt his presence immediately behind her and his warm breath at her ear. “And later, we’ll work on getting to know each other better.”
Fortunately Jenna had her cane to rely on, otherwise she might dissolve into the floor. She walked the hall on rubber legs while counting doorknobs. Using the cane to make certain the path was clear, she analyzed the sensual undertones in his words, and her physical response to them.
When she reached the room Logan had indicated, she found the door ajar and stepped inside. Now she could have a few moments alone to regain her composure and—
“Hi, Jenna.”
She immediately recognized Mallory’s voice. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you were in here.”
“It’s feeding time for the girls.”
“You feed them in the bathroom?”
Mallory laughed softly. “You’re not
in the bathroom. This is my old bedroom, which has now been converted into a nursery.”
Wonderful. Her transformation from bumbling barbecue eater to total idiot was now complete. “Logan told me the bathroom was the second door to the right.”
“Logan must have forgotten to count the utility room. That’s strange considering he’s always been good at math.”
Jenna assumed he was good at many things, the least of which was arithmetic. She pointed behind her. “I need to go one more door, then.”
“Yes, but Corri’s in there now, feeling the effects of morning sickness that continues all day.”
“I didn’t know Corri was pregnant.”
“Oh, yes, and not feeling very well. You can go to the end of the hall and use the master bathroom if you’d like.”
Jenna shook her head. “It’s no emergency. I wanted to remove all the remnants of barbecue sauce in case it’s on my chin as well as my dress.” And splash a little water on her face to alleviate some of the heat.
“I don’t see one drop anywhere, so keep me company while I nurse the girls. You’ll find a chair about four steps in front of you.”
Seeing the opportunity to question a woman who probably knew Logan better than most females, Jenna made her way to the chair and took a seat. The soft suckling sounds sent a surge of longing through her, and the memory of unforgettable moments. “Do you feed both girls at once?”
“Rarely. Lucy’s in the crib, playing with a newly discovered toy—her feet. She’s the patient one. Madison is the chow hound and demands to eat immediately, or she throws a tantrum. But she falls asleep as soon as her belly’s full.”
Much the same as John David when he’d been a baby, and she’d still been able to care for him herself. “What do they look like?”
“They’re identical. Both have Whit’s dark hair and my green eyes.”
“I’m sure they’re beautiful.” She instinctively suspected Mallory was, too, at least according to her husband who’d had no qualms about calling her “beautiful” several times during lunch.
“Would you do me a favor and hold Maddie while I feed Lucy? She’s almost asleep.”
Little did Mallory know, she was doing Jenna a favor by allowing her to cuddle a baby. “I’d love to.”
The creak of a chair signified Mallory’s approach right before her cloudy image came into Jenna’s view. “I’m putting a burp pad on your shoulder, just in case,” she said. “However, Maddie’s not one to spit up, unlike Lucy. That’s why I always give Lucy’s burping duty to Whit.”
Jenna smiled. “Husbands do come in handy at times, don’t they?”
“Definitely. Whit’s handy with a lot of things, which is how I got pregnant in the first place.”
Jenna could relate on some level, although in the few months before the divorce, hers and David’s lovemaking had been nonexistent. Yet, he had been good with J.D., and that had been her only priority at the time.
“Here she is,” Mallory said as she laid the soft bundle in Jenna’s arms.
Carefully Jenna lifted the baby to her shoulder and gently patted her back, once more filled with bittersweet recollections of good days gone by—the baby smells, the soft, soft skin, the beat of a tiny heart beneath her palm. “I’d forgotten how wonderful this feels,” she said. “It’s been a while since I’ve held a baby this small.”
“I’d never held one this small before my nephew was born. I didn’t baby sit when I was younger, but fortunately Stacy let me practice with Sean.”
“I never babysat, either.” Aside from having no need to earn extra money, she’d never trusted her weakened eyes enough to take on that responsibility. “But I do have a son.”
“Logan didn’t mention that to us.”
“Logan didn’t know until today. John David doesn’t live with me at the moment. He’s in Tennessee with his father and his new stepmother for the next few months.” Longer, if David had his way, even if Jenna did have the transplants.
“How old is he?” Mallory asked.
“Three and a half. He has to be watched closely these days, otherwise he’s into something the minute you turn your back.”
“Being away from him must be difficult for you. I barely make it through four hours of work before I’m dying to see the girls. Fortunately, my law firm has an on-site daycare and I’m only working part-time.”
No one could know how very difficult it had been unless, like Mallory, they’d experienced motherhood. “J.D.’s father and I share joint custody, which was fine until he took the job out of state. Now I have to wait my turn to be with my baby. But I do talk to him every day.” She sang him his favorite songs, told him silly stories, yet it still wasn’t the same as tucking him into bed and kissing him good-night.
“How do you manage when he’s with you?”
Jenna found Mallory’s candor refreshing. “It isn’t always easy, but it’s doable, as long as I make sure there’s someone else around.” And that also had proven to be difficult, knowing she had to rely on a member of the staff to help her care for her own child.
A brief span of silence passed, interrupted by the steady rasp of the rocker moving back and forth. Jenna shifted little Madison into the cradle of her arms and made the decision to pose a few quetions while the opportunity existed. “What’s Logan like?”
“Poor guy. He was hiding under the delivery table when they passed out the looks.”
Not at all how she’d pictured him, even though it didn’t matter. “I meant what’s he like as a person? I’ve discovered that looks aren’t as important as a man’s character.”
“Oh. First of all, I wasn’t serious about the looks thing. In fact, I’d describe him as very handsome, but then I’m biased. As far as his character is concerned, he has a great personality, or he did have until…”
Mallory’s faltering words caused Jenna a good deal of apprehension. “Until, what?”
“Until he hooked up with hellacious Helena Brennan, his onetime fiancee.”
She recalled Logan mentioning the ex-girlfriend, but not in the context of a previous engagement. The first in what Jenna surmised would be a long list of surprising discoveries. “What happened?”
“Helena had more money than sense, and a devious side. She faked a pregnancy in order to trap him into marriage. Fortunately he discovered the truth on the eve of their wedding, before it was too late.”
Jenna questioned whether Logan thought she’d done the same with David. In reality, she’d resisted the marriage until both he and her father had finally worn her down. “How long ago was this?”
“Almost a year. Since then, he’s pretty much avoided any serious relationships, even if he hasn’t necessarily avoided women. Logan’s never been lacking for female companionship.”
All the more reason why Jenna found it odd he would want to be with her. “I’m sure it’s been hard for him to recover after being burned so badly, especially if he cared for the person doing the burning. I assume Logan did care for her.”
“At the time it looked that way.” Mallory sighed. “I never knew what he saw in Helena, but that’s Logan in a nutshell—always seeing the good in people. He befriended kids in high school who were basically social outcasts and he took the shyest girl to the prom. That’s what made him so popular with everyone.”
And that could explain why he’d befriended her—poor blind Jenna. “That’s a very honorable trait.”
“Yes, it is, but if you’re thinking that’s why he’s with you, think again. He might be benevolent, but in your case, he’s infatuated.”
What a ridiculous thing to assume. “We’ve known each other less than twenty-four hours. I promise he’s not infatuated. He’s only being nice to me.”
“Yeah, right.” When Mallory laughed, Lucy gave a little whine of protest. “Think what you will, Jenna, but I’ve seen the way he looks at you, like he’s just discovered a new Corvette in the driveway. Trust me, he’s definitely got a thing for you.”
Since she couldn’t see how Logan looked at her, she’d have to take Mallory’s word for it, although she had a hard time believing Logan’s invitation today had involved anything but kindness. “Believe me, Mallory, Logan and I are only friends. There’s nothing serious going on.”
“So is this thing between you and Jenna serious?”
Logan continued to stare at the driveway that Devin and Stacy had left a few moments before. “I’ve just met her.”
“Then your answer is no, it’s not serious?”
He leveled a hard stare at his brother. “Are you intentionally being dense?”
Kieran grinned. “Nope. I’m just wondering why you looked like you wanted to jump her all during lunch.”
“I sure as hell did not.” Unfortunately, he sounded defensive enough to keep Kieran making more assumptions.
“Yeah, you did. And maybe you’re not looking for a serious relationship, but you’re seriously looking to get her into bed.”
“Okay. I admit it. The thought’s crossed my mind.” More than once since he’d met her. “But that doesn’t mean a damn thing, and I don’t intend to act on it.”
Kieran let go a loud laugh. “Sure, Logan. When you succeed in ignoring your animal urges, that’ll be the day everyone in Houston carpools.”
To hell with it. Kieran was on a tear and nothing Logan could say would change his mind. That meant the time had come for a change in subject. “By the way, where’s Cindy?”
“We broke up six months ago.”
“I didn’t know that.”
Kieran patted his back. “You’ve been too busy hanging out in bars and bedding hot babes to know what’s been going on.”
He refused to feel guilty over his absence from family dinners, even though he wasn’t meeting much success. “Nothing wrong with playing a wide field. And I’m not looking for anything permanent.”
