Chapter Fourteen
L ogan helped me climb in the jeep again. It took longer to get situated this time, my fingers were a little clumsy. When I was buckled in, he pulled back on the road toward home.
After a few minutes of silence, I noticed he was tapping the steering wheel as he glanced my way. I assumed Logan was also struggling with what to say.
The sun was setting and it would be dark by the time we got back to the building.
I knew I wasn’t ready for the evening to end. It was probably the alcohol in my system that gave me courage.
“Thank you for dinner. Would, uh… would you like to go back to my place? We could have another drink and talk a while longer.”
The tapping stopped and the corner of Logan’s mouth raised. “That sounds great. ”
As he drove back into Ormond-by-the-Sea, I watched the beach pass by, inhaling air deeply, trying to clear my fuzzy mind a bit.
When we reached Mr. Vincent’s bungalow, he was out in his chair still and raised a beer in greeting so I gave my normal wave. When he recognized me riding in the jeep with Logan, he grinned and then winked at me.
We rode the elevator up to the sixth floor. When it opened, Logan gestured for me to exit first. I took a step but then halted when I saw Ina and Fred chatting with their neighbors from 602.
“Crap,” I whispered and quickly hit the button to close the door again.
Logan looked from it to me, undoubtedly confused.
I started to ramble as I paced back and forth.
“Look, I don’t exactly know what we’re doing here and I’m totally fine with whatever it is, but I also have no desire to turn us into the new building topic of gossip because Ina sees me taking you into my uncle’s condo. She tells anyone who will listen about the ‘hussy ’ down in 404 who likes to ‘make eyes ’ at her Fred. I love the dear woman, but I don’t think we want to give her fuel to spread the word about whatever this is or isn’t, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she has my mother on speed dial. ”
I came to a standstill and eyed Logan as I caught my breath, mortification spreading as I replayed the tangent I’d just verbalized in my head.
He was smiling and possibly trying to hold in a laugh. “I understand. We can go to my place instead.”
He reached past me to the elevator buttons, and I was relieved as it started to lift again. I turned to the door to wait with him, excited that he must not be ready to part ways yet either despite my little dramedy.
“Speed dial is kind of a given these days,” Logan teased me.
“Ina still refuses to get rid of her landline. They still have an old phone with a cord between the base and receiver hanging on the kitchen wall that looks like it’s from the 90s.”
“So, you might have a point,” he acknowledged with a chuckle.
The screen above the door flashed 11, but the elevator continued to move. I scrunched my face in confusion, trying to think of exactly what to ask when it stopped, and the door opened directly into living space.
I just stood there, feeling like a deer in headlights.
Logan chuckled again and I felt his hand on the small of my back, gently propelling me forward a few steps.
There was a beautiful painting on the wall directly in front of us with a gorgeous antique entry table underneath it. I stared at them before my eyes snapped to his profile.
“What… is happening right now?” I asked, even though my wine-dosed brain was figuring it out already .
Logan took a few steps forward and turned with his hands out. “Welcome to my home.”
I was led out of the entryway and down a wide hall. We passed French doors that opened into a formal dining room on the left; it had big bay windows in the direction of the Halifax River to the west. Past that room, the wall jetted out at an angle, two closed doors along the way, then opened to a bar in front of a huge, gorgeous kitchen done in all white cabinetry and granite, a casual dining set under the windows. Past the kitchen was the start of a long hallway with large windows all along the right side.
“I can see what wines I have,” Logan offered.
I shook my head. “I will take something stronger if you have it.” I wasn’t usually a big fan of liquor, but it felt like a perfect time for a stiff drink.
“Make yourself comfortable.” Logan gestured to the living room before heading into the kitchen. I turned and took in my surroundings in awe.
Directly to the right of the long hallway was the doorway of what appeared to be an office by the furniture I could make out in the shadows. Further down that wall were two more sets of French doors that led outside, the night sky showing through the glass panes.
The right side of the penthouse opened into the large open living room. The back wall was almost completely glass with large windows running along it, comfortable-looking chairs, and accent furniture spaced out under them.
The room felt huge with its high vaulted ceilings. A large plush sectional was in the center of it, one side of it parallel with the wall of glass, the other half facing a long wall to the right with a closed door near the windows. Further down was a rather large flat-screen television surrounded by a built-in entertainment center with a gas fireplace at the bottom.
My shoes sank into the thick, pale-colored carpet as I made my way to the sofa. I couldn’t study anything hanging on the walls or the heavy, expensive-looking furnishings in the low light from the kitchen so I faced the windows that would look over the ocean in daylight and sat down. Still feeling a little stunned to be there, I looked out at big poofs of clouds, outlined in the dim light from a full moon. It felt like I was so high in the sky that if I reached out, I could touch them.
Logan joined me and handed over a glass. “Let me get us a little more light in here.”
He went to the wall by the French doors and flipped a switch that brought up outside lighting that reflected into the room without it being overwhelmingly bright.
He returned and sat on the other half of the sectional as he lifted his glass. I took a sip from mine and coughed as the whiskey burned my throat.
Logan leaned toward me with concern but I waved him away.
“I’m fine, just… blown away.” I continued before he could say anything. “For three years, I thought you were a handyman the board hired. In the last few days, I’ve learned you own not one, but two businesses, and now I find out you live in the penthouse.” I’d been glancing around again as I spoke and did a double take on the area beyond the French doors now bathed in soothing blue light. I waved my hand over his shoulder. “With a freakin’ pool on the roof!?”
The outline of plants and lounge furniture with thick cushions were now visible in the light. A hot tub was in the far-right corner and a swimming pool almost as big as the one on ground level took up most of the space.
Logan was humble enough to look sheepish. “I’m sorry if you felt misled. I’m kind of a private person.”
I gestured with my glass, the contents splashing dangerously close to the rim. “No, we’re fine there. I do think there has been enough Mister Dark and Mysterious though. It’s your turn to spill a little.” I took a big gulp of the whiskey, felt instant regret, and held the glass out to him. “But first, can you please take this away and get me some water instead? I’ve most definitely overdone it now.”
Logan took it from me, trying not to smile. “I think that’s probably a good idea.” He headed back to the kitchen, downing the rest of the liquor in my glass as he circled the bar.
When he returned, he handed me a large tumbler of ice water before he sat down again. He settled himself, scratched his jaw then rested his hands on his knees, tapping them with his fingers. “Alright, what would you like to know?” he asked.
I drank for a few seconds then shook my head.
“I’m not clear-minded enough to ask intelligent questions at the moment. I need to hydrate first. Can you start around the beginning?” I took another sip. “Oh, I know! The whole Chicago, Savannah,” I stuck up a finger and twirled it around indicating the room, “and how you ended up here connection also please.”
He cleared his throat and opened his mouth to oblige.