“Is it serious? Or are you two—what do they call it now? Friends with benefits?”
“Sadie!” Jude shook her head in shock. “Where do you pick up this stuff? No. Well, not really. I mean, we’re still friends, but it’s more than benefits.” She twisted the edge of her shirt between her fingers. “Sadie, he says he loves me. That he’s in love with me.”
For the second time in two days, Sadie’s eyes filled with tears. She pressed her lips together and nodded. For a moment, neither of them spoke, and then Sadie patted Jude’s arm.
“Honey, no one deserves it more. And I hope he knows it. I’ve known both of you since you were gangly young things. I love you both. So I hope you make each other happy.”
She sniffled and yanked a paper towel from the rack to blow her nose loudly. “Now look what you’ve done. You’ve got me bawling again, like a crazy old woman. We’ve got no time for this. Give me those eggs, and you take that dotty old man outside a mug of coffee before he drops.”
Jude felt all day as though she were floating. Sadie and Mack seemed to have called some kind of truce, either in deference to Jude or maybe even inspired by romance in the air. Jude hid a smile when she spied Mack pinch his wife’s backside as he passed her. Love, young, old or somewhere in-between, was a beautiful thing.
They had a steady flow of customers, but nothing so challenging that it distracted Jude from her memories of the night before. A few of her regulars commented that they were glad she seemed to be feeling better.
“You’ve been looking a little peaked, honey,” remarked one of the crusty old fishermen who stopped for beer in the early afternoon, after being up and out on the water since before dawn. “But today you looked all perked up. Got you a nice little glow.”
Jude smiled and patted his shoulder. “Thanks, Ernie. Aren’t you a sweet one?”
The cell phone she always kept in her back pocket buzzed, and she smiled when she pulled it out, seeing Logan’s name on the screen.
“Do you miss me?” she asked, slipping out onto the deck, where it was quiet and empty.
“You know it.” His voice was husky. “How is your day so far?”
“Good.” She stepped into the sunshine and tipped back her face to feel the warmth. “How about you?”
“Excellent. How could a day that began like mine did be anything but?”
Jude laughed. “Okay. So what’s up? Or was this—what would Sadie call it, a booty call?”
“I wish. No, I forgot to tell you that I got word from the contractor, the B and B is ready for a walk-thru. If everything’s a go, we can begin having the furniture brought in this weekend. Right on schedule for opening in two weeks.”
“Oh, that’s great, Logan.” She turned in the direction of the sunny yellow house as though she could see it through the Tide. “When do you want to do it?
“I thought we could meet there after work and go through it then. I’ll make you dinner after, if you want. Either at my house or yours.”
The idea of having someone to plan with, to be accountable to again, made Jude smile.
“That would be perfect. What time?”
“Will five-thirty work? I can be there by then, and Emmy takes over at five tonight, right?”
“Yup, sounds good.” Jude turned to lean against the railing of the deck. “I’ll see you then.”
“Okay. I love you.”
He hung up before Jude could reply. Standing above the beach, feeling the salt air and hearing the roar of the sea, she was once again a teenager, hugging a phone to her chest and dreaming of the boy she loved.
Because she did love Logan. She had been sure of it, almost from the first time he kissed her only two nights before, but it hadn’t sunk in until this morning in the kitchen, when he had spoken of Daniel, of him always being part of their lives. It struck her then that she could never love someone who didn’t accept that Daniel would always be in her heart. They had shared decades, a marriage, children, a life and a death. Nothing could destroy that, and ignoring it would be somehow cheapening what they had.
Thinking of her children, Jude realized that she and Logan still had a few hurdles to jump. They had to break the news not only to Meghan and Joseph but to their own friends, as well. They had to tell the posse before someone else did.
Joseph called later that afternoon to check in, tell her more about Lindsay and what a terrific mother she was, and how smart and beautiful their baby was. Jude listened and put in a word here and there, but she didn’t say anything about Logan. There would be time, and it was something she would prefer to do in person, after Joseph had recovered a little from his last big shock. These few days had been an emotional ride. Though she could see the blessings now, her heart was still a little tender.
After he hung up, Joseph texted her pictures. When Jude saw the one of her son holding his son, she couldn’t help it. She sat down and burst into tears.
***
The Cove was a small town, and news traveled at lightening speed. Jude knew she had a limited time before the word about Joseph being a dad made the rounds; whispers about her relationship with Logan wouldn’t be far behind. They had to act fast to tell their friends and her kids, before they all heard it from another source.
She was relieved that Emmy seemed blissfully ignorant of everything when she arrived on Friday night. The younger woman didn’t seem to notice anything amiss with Jude’s hurry to leave, either, especially since she had the ready excuse of the walk-through at the bed and breakfast.
“I can’t wait for it to open,” Emmy said as Jude gathered her handbag and made a final check of the kitchen. “I’m already having fun putting together the pastry selection for the breakfast menu.”
Contracting with Emmy to supply their pastries and desserts had been an easy decision. Jude liked keeping everything within her little business family, and Emmy had proven herself both talented and trustworthy.
She thought about it with satisfaction as she walked up the street. Logan’s car was already on the curb in front of the house, and she spied him stepping around the side, examining something on one of the porch railings. She saw he had discarded the suit jacket he wore in the office, and the sleeves of his white shirt were rolled to the elbow. A shot of pure lust ran down her middle, and she smiled, knowing she could satisfy that need in just a few hours.
The wide and welcoming porch was one of Jude’s favorite parts of the old house, and one she had insisted they keep when re-designing it. Climbing the steps, she ran one hand over the gleaming white banister and brushed a foot across the blond oak floor. It was perfect, just as she had envisioned.
“Hey, beautiful.” Logan had come up behind her in stealth mode. He put his hands to her hips and kissed her cheek. She wondered if the same thoughts about discretion until they shared the news had crossed his mind, or whether he was just acting in deference to standing on the corner of what was for all purposes the town’s main street.
“Hi.” Jude reached behind and gave his hand a quick squeeze. “Sorry I was late. I tried to get down as soon as I could.”
“I’m early. I wanted a chance to check some of the little issues that cropped up during building, make sure they’d been addressed. They had,” he added, in answer to her questioning look. “Everything looks good structurally. The landscaping in the back is coming along nicely.”
They walked inside, and Jude oohed over the spacious foyer with its brass wall sconces. The chandelier in the dining room glittered, and the addition of a bay window in what had been a formal parlor—and would henceforth be a cozy sitting room—was perfect.
Cooper had made the new banister that accented the staircase based on Daniel’s ideas and suggestions. Jude touched it, remembering conversations they’d had about it. She could almost hear Daniel’s voice, and she smiled.
Logan covered her hand as it lay on the dark wood.
“You can feel him here, can’t you?” He looked back down the steps at the rooms below them and then glanced ahead. “Th
is was his baby. He was so excited about it. He wouldn’t miss the walk-through.”
Jude smiled and nodded, and they continued up to the bedrooms. Each room was unique, with special windows or a certain type of closet. The bathrooms were small, but they all had been updated with the most modern amenities.
“Remember what Daniel used to say? ‘People like to look at old stuff, but not when they’re in the shower.’” She giggled, thinking about it.
Logan laughed, too. “Nice thing is, we were able to incorporate some fixtures that look like antiques, but have modern functionality.” He pointed to a claw-footed tub that sat within a black and white bathroom. “The plumber retrofitted that to make it work in here. Old tub, all new faucets, pipes and trim.”
“It’s beautiful.” They were safely upstairs, completely alone, and Jude turned to step into Logan’s arms. “You should be very proud, Logan. You and Daniel had a vision, and you’ve made it come to life. I can’t wait to see it filled with people.”
He held her tight and rested his chin atop her dark head. “First comes furniture, then comes the people. Abby sent me an update on reservations today. We’re filled solid for the first month, and there’s a steady stream of bookings rolling in still.”
Jude turned within his embrace, resting her back against Logan’s chest, looking into the fading twilight.
“When does the sign go up?” They’d ordered a simple white shingle to hang on the porch.
“That’ll be the last thing. Cooper’s having his guy do the lettering. I wanted to talk to you about the name. I know we always said we were going to call it the Holt/Hawthorne House, but I think I’d like to change that.”
“Oh?” Jude swiveled her head back to look at him.
“I was thinking of making it just Hawthorne House. In honor of Daniel. And if you’re okay with it, I’d like to hang his portrait in the sitting room.”
She smiled. “I’m very okay with that. I like it. And so would he.”
“I think you’re right.”
Jude bit her lip, hesitating to bring up something that had been on her mind for the last few days. “We talk about Daniel all the time. But I was thinking the other day about Tess. You came very close to marrying her, Logan. Did you love her?”
She felt his arms tighten around her waist. “Tess was...she was a beautiful person, inside and out. I needed someone to take my mind off you, off what you and Daniel had together. She knew, somehow. But she was okay with it. She told me there were different kinds of love, and she thought the two of us could make a life together, be happy.”
“I remember how hard it was when you lost her.”
He nodded. “I decided then, I think, that I wasn’t going to settle again. It wasn’t fair to the other person. I felt a lot of guilt over Tess, and it took a while to move beyond that.”
Jude touched her lips to his. “If you need to talk about her, I don’t mind. Like you said, it’s silly to pretend people we love didn’t exist.”
He held her face with one hand and kissed her with lazy passion.
They stood soaking it in for a few moments. Through the window, Jude could see the town. Lights were coming on in all the businesses on Beach Street; everyone stayed open later on Friday nights. If she craned her neck, she could even see the Riptide. People strolled on the sidewalk, kids hung in groups outside the ice cream parlor and tourists window shopped.
“Logan?” She shifted a little, lay her head on his chest.
“Hmm?”
“We need to talk to the posse. And Meggie and Joseph. People are going to start to talk, and I don’t want to hurt anyone by letting them hear about us from anyone but us. That is...” She leaned back to see his face. “That is if there’s something to tell. I don’t want to pressure you into calling this something it isn’t or make you feel trapped--”
“Jude!” He held her face and kissed her, tracing his tongue over her lips before coming up for air. “I thought I expressed this clearly last night. I love you. If I didn’t think it would totally freak you out, I would be begging you for a commitment, to move in together. To plan our life. And I’m not going to wait long for that, because I don’t want to waste a minute. So, yes, I agree with you about telling everyone. I thought maybe we’d have another one of your Sunday dinners, only this time at my house instead of the Tide. What do you think? I’ll make some calls tonight, make it happen.”
“I think that sounds like a great idea. I don’t know about the Meggie and Joseph. I’m more worried about them than the others, but I think it would be better to tell them in person.”
“Joseph will be home soon, once he figures out how to deal with having a kid. And if he brings that baby up here, you can bet Meggie will be down. Let’s give it some time.”
“Okay.” She stood on tiptoe and brushed his lips. “Where are we going to eat? Your place or mine?”
They ended up at Jude’s house, where Logan grilled steak and baked a few potatoes. Jude’s contribution was a green salad and a bottle of wine she opened for them to share.
They ate on the back porch, alongside the pool, enjoying the peace and each other.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d want to come here,” Jude remarked, scooping up a bite of potato with sour cream. “Before last night, I mean. I thought there might be too much of Daniel here.”
Logan shook his head. “No, not at all. Remember last night on the beach, you’re the one who said we should go the closest house. And that just happened to be mine.”
“Time was of the essence. I was...eager.”
“Yes, you were.” Logan mock-leered and grinned.
“Well, I’m glad you don’t mind being here.”
“I don’t. But that being said...” He laid his knife across the edge of the plate. “Have you given any thought to what you want to do with the house?”
“Do with it? Well, I live here.”
“Yes, I know. But I’m hoping that pretty soon, we won’t need two houses. And eventually, we should talk about which one makes more sense for us.”
Jude toyed with a piece of lettuce. “I can’t think of that yet. I’m just getting used to the idea that we’re in love. Thinking about moving in together will have to wait until next weekend.”
She expected Logan to protest, but instead, his lips curved into a smile and his eyes were bright. “So we’re in love?”
She cocked her head. “Didn’t we have this discussion already?”
“No. I said I was in love with you. You said you needed time.”
“I did? Well, that was then. I took the time I needed. And now I’m telling you that I’m in love with you, too.” She paused, considering. “I guess there was a more romantic way to handle that, wasn’t there?”
“Nope. That was totally Jude. And as long as you’re telling me that we are in love, together, you can say it any way you like.”
***
Logan was nervous.
He hadn’t expected nerves over this. In his mind, telling Jude how he felt, trying to convince her that the two of them together was not only a good idea but meant to be was going to be the hard part. But now they had to tell the most important people in their lives that they were in love. Even knowing that it wasn’t going to come as much of a surprise to the posse didn’t relieve Logan’s anxiety.
And of course, that was another cause for worry. Logan knew Jude was a reasonable person, but he didn’t think it was wise to share the posse’s plan to woo her. Women were funny about those kinds of things.
He spent half of Saturday working on business he’d let go over the course of the week, making telephone calls and meeting with Abby, the woman he’d hired to run the bed and breakfast for them. She was an experienced hotel manager in her early thirties, pretty with blonde hair and wide blue eyes. As they chatted, Logan thought about Cooper, the lone unattached member of the posse now that Matt was dating Sandra and he was with Jude.
“Hey, are you busy tomorrow afternoon?” His words were an abrupt c
hange of subject, and the surprise showed in Abby’s eyes.
“Ah...” She cast her eyes up and ran a tongue over her lips. “Well, no. I mean, I was thinking of hitting the beach if the weather holds, but if you need me to do something, I can absolutely cover it.”
“No, not work. I’m having a bunch of my friends over to barbecue and hang out. Since you’re new to the Cove and you’ll be working with some of these people, it might be a good time for you to meet them.”
Abby shifted in her chair. “Sure, I can do that.”
“I should probably warn you, though, that I have an ulterior motive for planning this for tomorrow.”
Abby looked at him with a frown, and Logan thought he even detected worry. “Oh, really? What’s that?”
“Well, can you keep a secret? At least until tomorrow? Jude and I are...together. And we’re telling our friends tomorrow.”
Abby leaned back in her chair, smiling. “That’s wonderful. Congratulations. Jude is a terrific person. I haven’t gotten to know her real well, but I’ve been down to eat at The Riptide a few times, and she’s always so nice.”
Logan felt the stupid grin that spread across his face, but he couldn’t help it. “She’s great. This wasn’t anything we planned, you know, and it’s still kind of new, but...” He spread his hands in front of him. “I’ve never been happier in my life.”
Abby laughed. “Well, that’s good to hear. I have to confess, when you started talking about tomorrow, I was afraid—God, this is going to sound conceited. But I thought you were about to ask me out.”
Logan stared for a minute. “I’m sorry, Abby. I didn’t mean to give you that impression. I mean, you’re, umm, very nice, and pretty--”
“Stop!” Abby shook her head, still laughing. “I’m relieved. Not that you aren’t attractive, but I’m just not looking for that in my life right now.”
“No? That’s a shame. Lots of good men in the Cove.”
Abby smiled. “I appreciate that, but for the time being, I’m focused on my work. No offence to you, but I’ve decided men are too much time, energy and work.”
The Posse Page 12
