I shake my head. “No. I’ll be fine, just need to get going before it gets worse.”
She hands me the bag. “Thanks again for everything. I’ll get back to you ASAP with the photography dates.”
I nod, wave goodbye, and head to my car. It stutters as it starts and sure enough starts billowing dark gray smoke as I make my way out of the parking lot. I really need to get it to a mechanic. But at least I have new snow tires, I think to myself as I stare at the snow falling on the windshield.
15
Chloe
I sitin the parking lot a few minutes as my car warms up and I call Denny, Jackson’s younger brother. It goes straight to voicemail which probably means he’s working, so I leave a brief message. “Denny, it’s Chloe. Hope all is well. Look, I really need to talk to you about Paul. He’s at it again. I know you barely talk to him, but can you say something to him? I’m running out of ways to tell him to leave me alone. Call me when you can. Thanks.”
I drop my phone back in my car and jump out to brush the snow off my windows and roof. I nearly choke to death on the thick gray smoke coming out of my tail pipe. I promise myself as soon as this job is done for Terra, I’m fixing the car. Yeah the medical bills are still piling up but I need a reliable car and right now, this isn’t it. I sigh, toss my snow brush in the back seat, and buckle my seatbelt.
The drive home is not treacherous but it still stresses me out. I’m still not great at driving in snow and Paul’s phone call has me even more frazzled. Jackson and Paul never got along. In fact, when we met in high school, it was several weeks before I realized he even had two brothers because he only ever mentioned his younger one Denny. Paul was already out of the house, at his first year in Vermont, when Jackson and the rest of his family moved to Hawaii. Jackson’s original plan was to go to college in Maine but after we started dating, he decided to apply to college in Hawaii like I was doing. His dad was transferred again, so his parents and Denny moved to Florida, and I didn’t see his family again for years. And since Jackson and I eloped while we were in college with no one but my dad at our wedding as a witness, I never even met Paul until after we were married. And after college, Paul moved to Portland, which was a mere twenty-minute drive from their grandmother, but he never visited. Ever. It was Jackson and I who visited once a year and helped her with maintenance when we did, and made arrangements for her, from Hawaii, for someone to shovel her snow in the winter and mow her lawn in the summer. That’s why she left the house to Jackson and me. His younger brother Denny accepted that. Why couldn’t Paul?
Thoughts of Jackson and his dysfunctional family disappear when I pull into my driveway and see Logan standing there with a shovel in a heavy winter coat. My stairs are completely void of snow, and the path is halfway done. I am so relieved I could cry, but then I’m also slammed with guilt. I jump out of my car and he starts talking before I can.
“I know I didn’t have to do it, but I was home before you and I don’t mind,” he says as he sticks the shovel in the snow bank beside him.
“But—”
“No buts,” he says and takes a step closer to me. “How’s your head doing?”
He’s standing right in front of me, only inches away, and he pulls off a glove and reaches up and touches my chin, tilting my head toward the light above the garage. I watch him as he examines the wound. His cheeks just above his beard are slightly pink from the cold and exertion. The hood on his jacket falls back and his brown hair is visible. His fingers on my chin are gentle and warm. He finally brings his eyes to mine. “Nausea? Headaches? Dizziness?” he asks because I’m just staring and not answering.
“I’m a little lightheaded right now,” I say honestly, and he smiles slightly and steps closer.
“But not freaked out enough to go run and hide and leave me naked and alone on my couch?” Logan asks, and I blush—hard.
“I’m sorry about that. I am,” I reply sheepishly. “I told you I’m not good at this dating thing.”
“You were great at everything last night,” he murmurs and tips his head to kiss my cheek, slowly. It’s a simple, soft gesture, and it’s hot as hell.
Chewie bounds around the corner of the house, his dark fur covered in pristine white snow. He must have been diving through the snow banks. He sees me and starts toward us at a gallop.
Logan turns and shields me as he hollers. “Chewie. Heel!”
Chewie slows immediately and skitters to a stop about a foot from us, his tail wagging furiously. I walk around Logan and pet his head. “A Canadian breed that loves winter. What a shocker.”
“He is obsessed with snow. He tries to catch it while it falls and dive bombs snow banks,” Logan explains. “I’m betting Stevie and Boss are not big fans.”
I shake my head. “No. In fact, when I drag their butts out here in a minute, they’ll be basically suicidal.”
He chuckles. “Let them out and I’ll keep an eye on them while I finish shoveling the path.”
“I can’t let you do that,” I say, the guilt coming back.
“As your personal medical professional, I can’t let you over-exert yourself,” he replies and smiles at me. His smile is made of some kind of magic because as soon as his lips move upward, my body temperature rises. “As your tenant, I actually want to do it. I promise. So please don’t feel bad. And as your date tonight, I need to do it so you can go get ready and we can leave on time.”
“Well, I guess I can’t argue that,” I give in with a grateful smile and head back to the car and grab the food from his family’s restaurant and my bag. His eyes get wide when he sees the food.
“You’ve been to the restaurant?”
“Yeah. Your mom insisted on giving me free chowder,” I say, and he looks suddenly panicked. I realize he might think I told her about us, and I panic too. “She doesn’t know about you and me or anything like that. I was there to meet Terra, and she told everyone I was a study buddy from school. Your mom is an absolute doll, by the way.”
“She’s the best,” Logan agrees and his smile becomes warm again. “Now, get up there and get your dogs so I can finish shoveling and we can go on this date I’ve been looking forward to all damn day.”
I smile as I climb the clean stairs. He follows and scoops Boss and Stevie up when I open the door, and they charge onto the porch. “See you in fifteen minutes or so?”
