by Coleen Kwan
“Thank you for inviting me,” she said, batting her eyelashes at him.
Oh God. She thought he wanted her here. With gritted teeth, he aimed a glare worthy of Godzilla at his mother, but Heloise ignored him.
“Poor Logan was so swamped he asked me to pass on the invitation,” Heloise said without turning a hair. “You’re like a breath of fresh air to him.”
Goddammit, she was pushing it. Emily was looking a little uncertain, no doubt because his thunderous face contradicted his mother’s words. Well, she was hardly to blame for his mother’s machinations. With enormous effort he rearranged his face into a semblance of a smile.
“Hi, Emily. It’s nice to see you again.” He pulled out a chair for her and waited for her to sit.
“Nice to see you, too.” She gave him a bright, slightly brittle smile.
“Oh, Emily, you look so beautiful,” Heloise gushed. “That dress, is it Yves Saint Laurent? It is? So elegant on you, but of course you’ve got the figure to pull it off.”
As his mother prattled on, Logan’s attention drifted away. He wondered what Amber was doing tonight. Was she with friends? Eating a casual dinner? Or maybe she was with an admirer. That muscly dude from the photo on her fridge, maybe. The idea was surprisingly painful. Was he becoming too attached to Amber? Yes, no doubt about it. He was getting too possessive, thinking he had a right to her. And the more involved he became, the more he dreaded seeing her disappointment when he won and she lost her store. But he had to harden his heart against her, because he had to win. For his father, his mother, his sister. For the workers who’d lost their jobs. One way or another they were all depending on him, and he couldn’t let them down. There was no way this could end well for Amber.
Forcing her from his mind, Logan turned to Emily and asked how her work was going. Both she and his mother lit up with pleasure. He was only being polite and in need of a distraction from his troubled thoughts, but he saw he’d have to tread carefully so as to not raise any false hope in the two women.
“By the way,” Emily said, leaning conspiratorially toward him, “my dad is playing golf with Jed Winston on Friday. I could get you included in their game, if you like.”
“Jed Winston? Do I know him?”
“He’s the chair of the planning committee. He’s a crusty old bank manager, but he loves his golf.”
“In that case, I’m sure he wouldn’t appreciate me talking about my planning proposal while he’s trying to sink a putt.”
“Well, I’m sure you wouldn’t be that crass. It wouldn’t hurt to be on friendly terms with him. Jed has a big influence over the other two on the committee.”
Logan found himself hesitating. He knew this was the way of the world. So much of business was about greasing the wheels, keeping the channels of communication open, establishing trust. Making himself known to Jed Winston over a game of golf was an opportunity he shouldn’t pass up. So why did he feel a little guilty, as if he were doing something sneaky behind Amber’s back?
Heloise was delighted with Emily’s suggestion. “Why, Emily, that’s such a great idea!”
Emily preened herself. “I just want to help Logan any way I can.”
“And he’s very grateful, aren’t you, Logan?”
He flattened his lips. “Of course.”
“So should I call my father and let him know?”
“Why don’t I confirm with you tomorrow?” Logan adroitly avoided his mother’s frown. “Thank you for the offer.”
Heloise sighed heavily. When she and Emily went off to the bathroom, Logan’s father turned to him.
“What’s wrong with you? That girl is offering you a golden opportunity, and you’re hemming and hawing like a debutant at her first dance. We need this mega center.”
“I know, Dad, but I don’t need any backroom deals with Jed Winston. The mega center will pass on its own merits.”
Blaine snorted. “Get real, son. You know as well as I do it’s not what you know that’s important, but who you know. Especially in a small town like Pine Falls. Jed Winston is the linchpin in the planning committee. Get him on your side, and you’re home free. So take my advice. Go play golf with the man, and make sure you don’t play too well.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“And it wouldn’t hurt to show a little more enthusiasm around the Claybourne girl. The Claybournes have influence around here, and it pays to have them on your side. She’s a nice-looking gal, and she has brains. What’s not to like?”
Logan gave his father a long look. He hadn’t intended bringing up the subject here at the country club, but he couldn’t remain silent any longer. “Look, Dad, I’m aware that you’re worried about me making mistakes, but it’s ludicrous that you won’t give me full control of the company unless I marry the right girl.”
“Your mom’s been talking, has she?” Blaine drummed his fingers on the table. “Well, we’re both in agreement. Son, I know you think I’m too interfering, but you’re still young. Young enough to make mistakes. This is just a bit of insurance I’m keeping up my sleeve.” He paused, the creases on his forehead deepening. “Y’know, I don’t talk about my first marriage because it still pains me, even after all this time.”
Logan reached out to him. “Dad, I can see this is difficult for you. You don’t have to—”
“Yes, I do.” Blaine took a gulp of his mineral water and grimaced. “My wife and I came from very different backgrounds. We didn’t share the same values. Friends and relatives warned me not to marry her, but I didn’t care. I thought our differences were trivial, but I was wrong. These things matter a lot. It didn’t take long before we started arguing, sniping at each other, saying unforgiveable things. We tore each other apart, brought out the worst in each other. It got so bad it affected my work. A business deal fell through because she embarrassed me in front of my associates, and when I told her what had happened, she just laughed. Can you believe that? To make matters worse, when we inevitably divorced, she had the gall to demand a share of the company.” Blaine paused to press a hand against his temple. “I went through hell, and I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. You’re my son, Logan. I’d do anything to protect you from that misery.”
His voice grew gruff on his last words, causing Logan to swallow. This was a rare moment, his father revealing his vulnerabilities. His father’s decree might be over the top, but it showed that he cared, and that was something Logan couldn’t dismiss.
“Dad, I’m sorry you had to go through all that.”
Blaine let out a sigh. “Thank God your mother waited for me. She was the one I should’ve married in the first place, if only I’d had my head screwed on right. She witnessed everything I went through, and she suffered, too. She only wants to shield you from unnecessary heartache. That’s why you should listen to her.”
It couldn’t have been easy for his mom, watching from the sidelines while the man she loved married someone else, then picking up the pieces afterward.
“I try to, Dad,” he said. “Although I think I can run the company without having Emily Claybourne foisted on me.”
His father waved a hand. “If Emily doesn’t do it for you, fine. But you need someone else like her.”
A vision of Amber tangled up in his sheets teased Logan’s imagination. Had his dad’s first wife been “unconventional” like Amber? He pushed the unwelcome idea away. “I hear you, Dad, but right now I’m concentrating on the mega center.”
Blaine nodded. “Ah, yes, the mega center. I heard only one out of the five store owners is willing to sell. How are you going to get the other four?”
“I’ve been thinking about that today,” Logan said, glad the conversation had circled back to business. “I’ve decided to increase the purchase offers by ten percent.”
“Ten percent is pretty generous. That’s good. That’ll set the cat among the pigeons. You just need one or two of them to start agitating for their money, and the rest of them will fall into line. So when is
this going to happen?”
“As soon as possible.”
Emily could get the letters drafted and sent out tomorrow. For a moment he pictured Amber’s reaction to receiving the news. She wouldn’t like it, but what other option did he have? He needed the mega center, and for that he needed those stores.
The women were coming back to the table. His mother and Emily were getting along like a house on fire. If he did marry Emily, his life would be smooth sailing. Both families would be ecstatic, his father would relinquish all control of the company, and his health would improve. Logan could run the company the way he wanted. Everyone would be happy. Except for him.
…
The following day, Imelda Jones dropped into the visitor’s chair on the other side of Logan’s desk. “Thanks so much for meeting me,” she said, pulling out her notebook and pen.
Logan regarded the reporter cautiously. He wasn’t sure he’d done the right thing agreeing to this interview. Imelda said she was writing a story on his proposed home improvement center, which was good, but he had a healthy skepticism of reporters. He launched into his proposal, giving her the facts and figures, the new jobs it would create and the extra money that would be pumped into the local economy, and she dutifully recorded his words.
It was all going well, and it seemed the interview was coming to a close, when she said casually, “Of course the piece I’m writing won’t be free advertising for you. I’ll be reporting on the negatives of your plan, too.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, Imelda.”
The reporter gave him a dry smile. “You do know there’s growing opposition, don’t you? It’s suddenly sprung up in the past couple of days. Some of the locals are getting quite worked up.”
“You mean the owners of the stores on Colfax Road?”
“Oh, it’s not just the owners. They seem to be organizing a genuine protest. I’ve heard they’ve been calling customers and alerting them to the downsides of your mega center, and the word’s been spreading all of a sudden.”
Amber, Logan thought. Amber was doing this.
“So what do you think of these protests?” The reporter watched him closely.
“Everyone has the right to object,” he said calmly. “I’m not denying there are downsides to my proposal, but I think any reasonable person who’s in possession of all the facts will see that the positives outweigh the negatives.”
The reporter put on an innocent expression. “So are you saying these protesters are unreasonable?”
He wasn’t going to fall into that trap. “Not at all.”
“Uninformed, then?”
Nope, not that one, either. “People are passionate about their town. I get that. I think debate is healthy. Anyone is free to lodge an objection with the planning committee, who will, I’m sure, take all sides into consideration when they make their decision.”
“And you’re confident that decision will be in your favor?”
“I wouldn’t be talking to you today if I wasn’t.”
Imelda smiled like a cat that had caught a canary. Logan groaned silently. Had he just walked into her trap? He could see the headline now: Wright Confident of Planning Decision. It smacked of hubris, and it didn’t reflect the truth. But it was too late now.
“Thank you for talking to me.” Imelda shook hands with him, looking eager to get started on her article.
Alone, Logan gazed at the plans of his mega center and wondered what kind of opposition Amber was mustering against him. In all honesty he couldn’t scrape up any animosity against her; she was only doing what she thought was best, and she’d never lied about how she felt. And even though they were on opposite sides of the argument, that didn’t stop him from wanting to see her. In fact, it only made his need stronger.
But he had to keep his concentration on the main game. Just this morning his mother had told him the estimate for Sophie’s wedding, and it was enough to make his hair stand on end, especially when he realized that the figure was likely to be twice that in the end. But he hadn’t murmured a word of protest. His sister would have her dream wedding, and his mother would be ecstatic, and his father would feel like he was still the great provider. Somehow, Logan would make it all happen.
With a sigh, he picked up the phone and dialed Emily Claybourne. If playing golf with Jed Winston would help his cause, then he had no choice. It was time to stop daydreaming and face reality.
…
Amber climbed out of Caleb’s truck and stood on the sidewalk. “Thanks for the lift home and everything else.”
“Talk to you soon.” He waved before pulling away from the curb.
Colfax Road was quiet at this time of night. The stores had closed hours ago, and she was the only resident on the block.
Scrabbling in her purse for her house key, Amber walked around to the back of her store and let out a shriek as she almost cannoned into a tall, dark figure standing in the shadows.
“Logan!” Trepidation gave way to surprise. “What are you doing here?”
“Who was that?”
Her heart was still galloping, no longer with fright but with pleasure at seeing him. In the murky light it was difficult to make out his expression, but it wasn’t hard to detect the note of annoyance in his voice.
“Who?” she asked.
“The guy in the truck.”
“Oh. That’s Caleb. You’ve seen the picture of him and me.”
“Yeah. You must be real good friends. You kissed him.”
“I…yes, I kissed him. On the cheek.” Squinting up at Logan, she couldn’t help grinning. “Are you jealous?”
“Have you slept with him?”
Amber stopped smiling. “Have you slept with Emily Claybourne.”
That seemed to halt him in his tracks. He stared at her, silent and brooding.
When he didn’t speak, she said, “My mom saw her with you and your parents at the country club last night.”
“Oh.” He shuffled his feet. “That was my mother’s doing, not mine.”
“You let your mom fix you up on a date?” She couldn’t help sounding incredulous.
“It wasn’t a date.” He stopped and peered at her more intently. “Well?”
“Well, what?”
“Have you slept with Caleb?”
“I told you before we’re just friends,” she said sternly. “So, no, I haven’t. Not that it’s any of your business.”
“You’re right. It’s not. I’m sorry.” He sighed, ran his fingers through his hair. In a very different tone he asked, “Can I come upstairs?”
She should have sent him away after those nosy questions, but instead she shrugged and led the way up to her apartment. It was better than risking the chance of someone spotting them together. But she couldn’t really fool herself. Deep down, she acknowledged she’d missed him. She’d spent this evening and the one before with Caleb and Hannah, calling people, informing them how the proposed mega center would ruin their town, and organizing their protests. She should have felt nothing but antagonism toward Logan, but when she let him into the apartment and shut the door, and they were alone, her animosity faded.
“Well?” she said, leaning against the closed door.
He turned to her. “Well, what?”
“Have you slept with Emily?”
“Of course I haven’t.”
Her heart flipped. Okay, so he’d never fooled around with Emily, but that didn’t mean she could dismiss Emily Claybourne and everything she represented to Logan. “Just confirming.”
“Can we forget about all the Calebs and Emilys?” he asked, a little impatient.
“Is that possible?”
“Yes. You just have to put your mind to it.” He stepped forward, invading her personal space.
She pressed her spine against the door, anticipation building. His earthy, sandalwood scent made her heart beat faster. She wanted that fragrance smeared all over her, indelible on her skin. It didn’t make sense, this raw need sh
e’d never experienced before, that only he could fulfill. She didn’t want to pause and analyze her gnawing hunger. Go with the flow, he’d said. Her senses agreed. The flow was taking her into dangerous rapids, but she couldn’t resist. Didn’t want to resist.
“You make it sound so simple,” she murmured.
“It is. Let me show you.” He braced his hands on either side of her, blocking her in, and then he leaned in and kissed her, his mouth rough and hungry and primitive. She gulped in the kiss, greedy for more. For long moments they stood there, his ravenous mouth pinning her to the door, until the mounting fever broke through, and he pulled her into his arms. Wrapped in his embrace, she walked him backward. Her bedroom was just a few paces away. She pushed him onto the bed, and he fell, taking her with him. Their breath whooshed out of their chests, and for a moment they were silent, eyes locked together.
She moved her hips against his, slow yet urgent. “Show me,” she whispered against his mouth. And he did.
Chapter Ten
Early Friday Amber glanced at her neighbors assembled in her store, all holding similar letters to the one she’d received this morning. Martin was plucking at his tie, barely able to look her in the eye.
“Well, Martin?” She couldn’t suppress the resignation in her tone. “I’m guessing you want to accept this new offer from the Wrights?”
He coughed and nervously wiped his mouth. “It is ten percent more. We’d never get an offer like that again. I—I think I’m going to accept, and—and I think you all should, too.”
“Of course you’d say that,” Peggy snapped, jutting out her bony chin. “Because you won’t get all that moola unless we all fold as well. You’re just thinking of yourself.”
“N-now hold on a minute,” Martin stammered, his brow breaking out in a sweat. “That’s not fair. I’ve been a good business neighbor for years. I—I don’t see why you have to turn on me.”
“I’m just telling it like it is.” Peggy grumpily folded her arms.
