The Posse (19 page)

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.”

Logan rose and gathered the
papers they’d been discussing. “Do me a favor, and don’t tell Jude
that, okay? I’ve got her fooled so far into thinking that being
with me is actually a good thing.” He winked at Abby.

“You got it, boss.”

Logan left the bed and
breakfast and made his way down the sidewalk toward the Tide. He
stopped at The Surf Line to say hello to Matt.

“Hey, Mr. Holt!” Karl stood
behind the counter, grinning broadly. “How you doing?”

“I’m good, Karl. Thanks. Is
Matt around?”

“Nah. He took a couple of
guys out on a fishing charter early this morning, and they’re not
back yet.”

“Okay. Tell him I stopped
by, would you? No reason, just to say hey.”

“Sure.” Karl cocked an
eyebrow. “Did everything go okay the other night? With Miss
Jude?”

Logan shot the boy a stern
look. “That’s between the two of us, right? You didn’t say anything
to Matt?”

“Me?” Karl looked wounded.
“I told you I wouldn’t tell Mr. Spencer. And I didn’t.”

“Good man.” Logan smiled. “I
knew I could count on you. Don’t worry, we’re going to tell
everyone tomorrow. But I appreciate your help.”

He swung back out onto the
sidewalk and headed to the Tide.

Jude was working behind the
bar, and for a moment, Logan stood just within the doorway and
watched her. A couple of old fishermen sat on stools, hunched over
mugs of beer, and she was laughing with them. Logan thought of all
the times he’d had to avert his eyes from Jude’s smile or risk
betraying his own feelings by the expression on his face. Knowing
that he didn’t have to hide anymore was exhilarating.

He sauntered into the
restaurant. Jude caught sight of him right away, and her face
brightened.

“Watch out, gentlemen,” she
said, leaning toward the fishermen. “Here comes trouble.”

Logan walked around the bar
and kissed her cheek. He paused just long enough to whisper in her
ear.

“If it were tomorrow
already, and we’d told the world, I’d show you just how much
trouble I am.”

He was rewarded by her blush
as she shook her head and rolled her eyes. The two men watching
poked each other with their elbows and snickered.

“You two, behave.” Jude
pointed at them both in turn. “Or I’ll cut you off and tell your
wives you come and sit here for an hour instead of coming right
home every day.”

They had the good grace to
look abashed. The taller man laid his hand over his heart and
looked up at Jude with wide eyes.

“As if we ever do anything
less than behave! Come in here every day only to support the local
business. Just like we did with your dad.”

His companion nodded with
the same self-righteous expression. “It’s that boy there you want
to be watching.” He gestured toward Logan. “I see the look in his
eyes. He’s up to no good!”

Jude leaned her elbows on
the bar and set her chin in her hands. “I think you might be onto
something. What’s your advice?” She tossed a smile of challenge
over her shoulder at Logan.

“Eh.” The first man waved
one hand. “Keep him close, so you can make sure he’s doing as he
ought. Don’t let him get away with anything.”

“Nah, you got it wrong.” His
friend shook his head. “Toss him back and take me instead.” He
offered Jude a beatific smile, displaying a number of missing
teeth.

Logan raised his hands and
backed away, wagging his head. “Okay, boys, I concede defeat. She’s
all yours.” He lowered his voice and added, “Just be warned. She
might be a little too much woman for you.” He raised his eyebrows
meaningfully, and the men hooted.

Jude tossed down her rag and
turned toward the kitchen. “That’s it. You’re all on your own. I
give up.”

Logan followed her into the
back and pulled her next to the fridge, where they were mostly
hidden from the rest of the room. He pulled her tight to him, his
hands molding her backside.

“Did you miss me?”

Jude linked her hands behind
his back and looked up at him. “Miss you? Have you been
somewhere?”

He kissed her once, just a
light touch of lips. “Brat. I’ve been slaving away all morning,
catching up on work that I should have done this week when I was
being your sex slave.”

“Shh!” Jude peered around
him. “Someone will hear you and think you’re serious.”

“And I’m not?”

She shot him a look and
ducked beneath his arm. “Everything go okay with Abby?”

“Yeah. We scheduled all the
shipments, and she’s meeting with Emmy and our other suppliers this
week. Everything’s on track for opening day.”

“Wonderful.” Jude began
breading chicken tenders and dropping them into the deep fryer.

“Oh, hey, guess what? Abby
thought I was asking her out.”

Jude stopped and cast him a
look. “What? Why?”

“I invited her to my house
tomorrow, and she thought it was like a date. I had to tell her the
truth.”

Jude smothered a sigh. It
was becoming less and less likely that she could keep her kids from
hearing about her new relationship from someone other than their
mom.

“So is she coming?”

“I think so. Don’t you think
Cooper would like her?”

Jude moved to the sink to
wash her hands. “Cooper? I don’t know. They’ve met, haven’t
they?”

“Yeah, but Cooper...” Logan
trailed off. Telling Jude that Cooper had been saving himself for
her wasn’t something he was ready do. “That was working. It would
be different if they met with all of us, just hanging out.”

“Logan Holt, are you turning
into a matchmaker?” Her eyes dancing, Jude tilted her head at him.
“After all the teasing you gave me about Matt and Sandra? Could it
be?”

“No.” He shook his head.
“No. Hell, no. I just thought they might like each other, is all.”
He scowled at her.

Jude just smiled at him,
saying nothing.

Logan heaved a sigh. “If I’m
just going to get harassed, I’m going home.” He stomped past her,
stopped and wheeled around.

“See you tonight,” he said,
so low she could only just hear him. “I’ll have dinner ready when
you get there.” He brushed his lips over the top of her hair. “I
love you.”

“Bye!” Jude called across
the room as he left. “Try to keep some of those arrows in your
quiver, Cupid!”

Logan stopped at the door,
turned and shot her a rude gesture before stalking out, leaving her
bent over, dissolved in laughter.

***

Jude kept busy all day Sunday and tried
not to worry about the evening. She loved her friends. She was
confident in their love for her. But she wasn’t certain what this
new relationship would mean to the dynamic of the group.

At five o’clock, she turned
the sign over on the door to the Riptide and locked up.  Since
Logan had driven her to work that morning, she’d asked Emmy for a
ride to his house.

The red mini-van sitting in
the parking lot was an old model, but it was carefully maintained,
the way all of Emmy’s possessions were. Jude climbed into the front
passenger seat and turned around to say hello to the kids...who
weren’t in the back.

“Where are they?” She pulled
on her seatbelt and looked at Emmy.

“My parents took them to the
mountains this weekend, up in Georgia. Totally spontaneous
grandkids and grandparents weekend. Wish I’d known earlier, I might
have planned something fun.”

“Ha!” Jude shook her head.
“No, you would have booked some extra work for the weekend.”

“True.” Emmy pulled out and
slid a sideways glance at her friend. “So...not that I mind at all,
but you want to tell me why I’m giving you a ride to Logan’s house?
You having car problems?”

“No.” Jude knew that Emmy’s
curiosity would get the best of her, and she had already decided
she wouldn’t lie if asked. “Logan drove me to the Tide this
morning.”

Emmy was silent for a beat.
“Why did Logan drive you to work?”

Jude licked her lips.
“Because I slept at his house last night.”

Emmy braked at a red light
and turned in her seat. “Are you going to make me pull this out of
you, or are you going to come clean with me?”

Jude expelled a breath.
Look at this as a dress rehearsal for telling everyone else
,
she thought.

“Logan and I
are...involved.” She chose the word with care. “We’ve been seeing
each other. And he invited everyone over tonight so we can tell you
all.”

“What does ‘involved’ mean?”
Emmy’s tone was neutral.

“God, Emmy, what do you
think it means?”

“I hope it means you’re
having hot and dirty sex with that gorgeous man.”

Jude felt the red creeping
up her neck. “Nice, Emmy.”

“Well? Is that a yes?”

She closed her eyes and
nodded. “Yes.”

“Yahoo!” Emmy thrust her
hand in the air. “I am so happy for you and so totally jealous. Not
of Logan,” she added hastily. “Just of the hot and dirty sex.”

“And here I was hoping we
could keep this whole thing on a higher plane. You know, talk about
love and all that. Old friends who grow to be more.”

“Love? Did you guys already
use the ‘L’ word?” Emmy pulled into Logan’s driveway and grabbed
Jude’s arm. “So this isn’t just, you know, a physical thing?”

“You mean friends with
benefits? That’s what Sadie said.” Jude rolled her eyes.

“Sadie knows? You told her
before you told me?”

“I didn’t tell her so much
as she caught us. In the bar.”

Emmy threw back her head and
laughed. “Whooo, boy. I would’ve paid money to see that. What did
she say?”

“She’s happy for us. She
said we both deserved a chance at happiness.”

Emmy laid a hand on Jude’s
arm, squeezed lightly. “And that’s what we’re all going to say. I
couldn’t think of two people who deserve it more. A second chance
at love.” She sighed.

“I know.” Jude leaned her
head back and closed her eyes. “I can’t really believe it. When
Daniel died, I thought that was it. I figured that part of my life
was over. No one is more surprised than me that I’m in love again.
And with Logan.”

“Every time you say love, I
want to cry.” Emmy sniffed a little. “He loves you, and you love
him...I’m so glad for you, Jude.” She opened her car door and
grinned at her friend.

“Now we get to go in and
tell everyone else.”

Jude groaned. “Just make
sure I get a glass of wine the minute I go in. I’m going to need
it.”

The front door was unlocked,
and Jude could hear noise coming from the back of the house. Taking
a deep breath, she followed the sounds.

The great room flowed into
the multi-level deck through a wall of sliding glass doors. All of
them were pushed open, as was the door to what Jude and the other
women referred to as the Posse Cave. Jude spied Logan at the
massive grill on the deck, head back as he took a swig of his beer.
At the sight of him, standing legs wide, laughing at something Eric
was saying, a possessive wave of lust swept over her.

“Look at you.” Emmy stood at
her side, murmuring. “You’re totally smitten.”

Jude didn’t deny it. She
just smiled. 

“There she is!” Mark jumped
up from where he was sitting at the kitchen counter. He hugged his
sister. “We were starting to think you’d blown us off.”

Jude kissed his cheek. “I’m
not late. It’s not even five-thirty yet.”

“Yeah, but the rest of us
have been here all afternoon.”

She snorted. “Some of us
work for a living, brother of mine. Seven days a week.”

“Mark, leave your sister
alone and let her into the kitchen. We need another hand.” Samantha
gave her husband a gentle shove. “Go outside with your little
friends and let us cook.”

Jude followed Sam back
behind the counter as Emmy wandered out onto the deck. “What can I
do?”

“Not a thing. That was just
me rescuing you from Mark. You’ve been on your feet all day, I bet.
Sit down. Want a glass of wine?”

Jude glanced out at the
grill, where Emmy was now chatting with Logan. “Sure, wine sounds
perfect. Are you sure I can’t help?”

“Nope, we’ve got it covered.
Sandra is doing the baked beans, Janet’s got the salad, and Logan
is handling the meat.” She set the tall glass of Sauvignon Blanc in
front her sister-in-law and leaned toward her. “Any movement on the
Logan front?”