“Yeah, they cleared it out after your grandfather sold the land to the town. Turned it into a nice little neighborhood.” I point beyond his house. “They made part of it into a park, too. I'm sure Violet will like the playground. It's one of Cookie's favorite places to walk.”
I tug on my hand again, and he finally releases it with a grin.
“We'll check it out, thanks.”
We stare at each other for a long moment, and I can finally see that tall, lanky kid that I loved so long ago. Before he lefttown and became a superstar baseball pitcher, that is. The scars make sense now.
I lift my chin toward his shoulder. “I was sorry to hear about your injury. That really sucks.” I hadn't followed his baseball career, but everyone around town had been talking about how the torn rotator cuff had taken out the town's golden boy.
Logan grunts, rubbing the joint. “Yeah. But it was time for me to check out. It was tough keeping up with all the young kids coming in.”
“I bet.” If I remember correctly, he’s a year older than me, which makes him thirty-two. Still in great shape, though. Clearly the shoulder injury hasn’t affected his ability to do whatever workout routine is responsible for that mesmerizing chest.
He keeps staring at me, and I clear my throat awkwardly. “So, um… Cookie and I need to get to work.” I gesture over my shoulder toward town. “We run the library. You should bring Violet by. I've been building the children's section and it's pretty cool, if I do say so myself.”
His grin widens, and those two dimples I used to daydream about pop out. “Cookie runs the library, too?” He glances at the dog, who is still plastered against Violet. “I can believe that.”
“You should.” I snort. “Sometimes it's tough to remember who the boss is. Hint: it's not me.” I flap my arms. “Well, anyway. It's good to see you, Logan. And you, too, Violet. Next time you want to visit, just ring my doorbell, okay? I don't want you sitting out here by yourself.”
Violet gives me a serious nod. “Can I come over and play with Cookie?”
“You sure can. Just as long as we're home, okay?” I pat my leg. “Come on, Cookie. We need to go.”
She delivers a licking kiss to Violet's cheek, then hops off the swing and sashays to the car. Logan and Violet watch us as wepull out of the driveway, and I wave, wondering why it feels like my life has somehow changed.
Chapter 4
Logan
“Ican't tell you how glad I am that you're taking over here,” Barry Snyder comments, for probably the fifth time. The mayor is starting to sound like a broken record. “It's quite a coup to get a home-grown Pelican Point guy here.”
Yep, I've heard that a time or two today, as well.
“We're really hoping you can do something to build this place back.”
And that, too.
“That's my plan, Barry.” My gaze sweeps the pristine baseball field, impressed at the investment the town has made in their team facilities. It’s much better than I had anticipated. “You've done a great job with this field, and that's the first piece of the puzzle. I have some ideas for the next step that I'd like to toss around with you and the town council at some point, ways to get the community involved.”
“Sure. Sure.” He smiles, showcasing his pearly white caps that must have cost a fortune. “We'd be glad to hear what you've got. Our next meeting is Friday. You're welcome to stop by.”
“Good.” With a nod, I turn, ready to get out of here. “Well, I appreciate you stopping by. I need to run.”
On the way to my office, I check my phone. No messages. I let out a quiet sigh of relief. My nerves have been tight all day. Violet started preschool this morning, and I’ve worried how she'd handle it. Normally, I tell myself no news is good news. But the need to see for myself gnaws at me, so I set off. The preschool's only a couple blocks away, so it’s an easy walk from the ball field.
Pelican Point has grown over the last few years, but the downtown area is still small and walkable. Fresh paint covers buildings that had previously been eyesores, and there’s even a coffee shop, a bakery, and a florist. Who could have imagined the town had blossomed so much? Part of me wishes I'd been here to see the transformation instead of just hearing about it secondhand.
“Hi, Mr. Maddox!” The preschool’s bubbly receptionist straightens in her seat. “How can I help you?”
“Just stopping by to check on Violet since it's her first day.” I glance around. It's completely silent, and there are no kids anywhere.
“Oh, it's library day. They take the children over so they can check out books, and then the librarian has reading time with them.” She points toward the beach. “You should go see them. It's just a few blocks down on the right. Look for the lighthouse. It's the big white building next door.”
I glance at my watch. My next meeting is in two hours. “When will they be back?”
“It'll be at least another hour or so. They like to give the kids plenty of time with the books.”
“Alright. Thanks.”
