It was finally Friday—the night of their first real date. There wasn’t really a reason to be so cryptic, but Logan had withheld the information—in part—because he worried that if he told her, she’d want to invite her whole gang. And not that he didn’t like her friends. He did. It’s just that they were aroundall the time.
“Manchester.” He glanced over from the driver’s seat. “Also, I hope I didn’t oversell it. It’s just dinner and a concert.”
“Oh my gosh,” Tess said. “Are we going to see Def Leppard?”
He smiled at her excitement. “I don’t want to beat the whole eighties thing to death, but given your fondness for the era’s music, I thought you might like it.”
“Are you kidding? I love it. Hah, this is gonna be so fun.”
On the hour-long drive south, Logan kept the conversation light and low-key. After what he’d almost done the day before, he felt so guilty that he couldn’t even mention her business.
When she’d left himalonein her office to go golfing, Cooper’s suggestion to rifle through her files had crossed his mind. He’d quickly quashed the temptation, but remained embarrassed that he’d entertained the idea for more than a second. Yes, he and Cooper still needed information, but he refused to debase himself by snooping in her stuff.
Instead, he gave updates on the construction, listened to a story about a teenage squatter, and asked about her golf game.
When they checked into the hotel, he offered to get separate rooms. She said one was fine, but to prove he wasn’t presuming anything, he compromised and requested a room with two beds.
After a quick dinner at the hotel restaurant, they walked the short distance to the concert venue.
“Third row?” Tess said when they found their seats. “These must have cost a fortune. You should let me pay you for my ticket.”
“No way.” She still thought he was poor. A twinge of guilt slid up his spine. If he couldn’t yet admit to buying her store, he should at least come clean about his financial situation. “I have a confession to make,” he said.
“Save it.” She turned toward the stage. “Show’s starting.”
Logan couldn’t help but smile watching Tess enjoy herself so freely—scream-singing along with every song, jumping and cheering like a lunatic, and of course, her special brand of “dancing.”
Midway through the show, the lead singer caught sight of Tess and pulled her out of the crowd to join him. She jumped onto the stage and eagerly commenced her herky-jerky dance moves.
At first, Logan thought the singer was making fun of her and was about to storm the stage and beat some ass. But he quickly realized the guy was getting a kick out of it and danced along with her, egging her on. Maybe her unique dance abilities werewhyhe’d invited her on stage.
The concertgoers started to imitate Tess’s jilted moves. And she didn’t seem the least bit bothered by it. She laughed and sang with the band, either unaware or unperturbed by the entire crowd mimicking her.
One of the backup singers came up behind her, trying to get her to dance with him. Suddenly, he froze, eyes wide with fear, and clutched his chest.
Tess took less than a second to pivot into emergency mode, wrapping her arms around him to catch his fall and supporting his head as he hit the floor. She laid an ear over his heart, and after a quick assessment, started CPR. Right there on the stage.
By then, the music had stopped, and someone had moved the spotlights off the stage. Logan could just make out Tess’s shadow pumping on the man’s chest while barking orders. Someone ran off stage and returned seconds later, medics in tow. Apparently, the band traveled with its own medical crew. Prudent, considering their age.
The audience watched in stunned silence until the other band members gathered around, forming a wall of privacy. The paramedics loaded the man onto a gurney and exited stage left.
The frontman came back to the microphone, visibly shaken. “Okay, folks. Wow. That was intense.” He took a breath, trying to compose himself. “We’re gonna take a little break. Get a handle on Ivan’s situation. If it looks like he’ll be all right, we’ll finish the show. If not…well, let’s not go there.”
The crowd murmured as he trudged off stage.
Tess returned to Logan’s side, her face flushed.
“Crap. I’m hot.” She fanned herself. “Let’s go get a beer.”
He stared at her, dumbfounded she could be so calm. “Tess. That guy just had a heart attack.”
“I know,” she said. “I was there.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Yeah. I guess the least I can do is buy you a beer.”
While in line at the concessions stand, a man who’d clearly been over-served already slid up next to Tess.
“Hey,” he slurred. “Whas a pretty lady like you doing here all alone?”
