after stoicism in the Jeffries household. His father had hammered home the one and his mother had been in charge of the other.
Jenna buttoned up and offered him another of those sunny grins. Damn, he could bask in her smile all day long. “All right, then, come on and meet Good Riddance. You’re going to love it here.”
She really didn’t get it. It was on the tip of his tongue to point out that loving it, or even liking it, was immaterial. He just wanted to buy it and offer everyone a better life with the money they’d make. And not that it mattered, but somewhere inside, he knew that would disappoint Jenna. And he found, rather surprisingly, that he was loath to do that just yet. She’d come around to his way of thinking before all was said and done.
So, he nodded. “I’m sure I will.”
L OGAN MUST SERIOUSLY BE on another planet if he thought he could buy the town, but he was cute in his earnestness. No worries. He’d get it soon enough. And Jenna really liked the way he held her coat and the door. She tamped back the inkling of disappointment that he hadn’t actually come to see her and then let it go, determined to live in the moment.
Jenna preceded him out onto the snow-covered sidewalk. “Thank you, kind sir,” she said, feeling a little bit like a princess in one of the Disney movies she loved to watch. Mulan, Tangled and Beauty and the Beast were her three faves. She’d bought all of them on DVD.
“You’re welcome. Jenna, when you’re introducing me today, let’s not mention the buyout until I’ve had a chance to talk to Mrs. Swenson first. You know, out of respect, since she’s the founder and mayor.”
She stopped on the sidewalk and he skidded to a stop beside her. “You haven’t told Merrilee yet?”
He looked kind of funny. “Well, no.”
“So, why’d you tell her you were here?”
“I didn’t say exactly. We got off on a tangent when I asked her about you.”
“What? So you haven’t mentioned wanting to buy the town to Merrilee?” That had never occurred to her. Merrilee hadn’t been too busy to tell her about Logan’s plan—she was in the dark. It explained a lot, like why Logan still saw buying the town as a viable option and why Merrilee hadn’t called her a second time. Jenna remembered Merrilee’s teasing tone, Teddy looking through the window at Jenna and Logan in a near-kiss and suddenly, it all spelled misunderstanding.
“No. I was going to talk to her and then…things just got kind of off track.”
“Oh, great. This is just great.” It was one thing if she’d thought at first that Logan had come to see her. But now everyone would think it. She felt kind of ill.
“You’ve lost me.”
“Now everyone will think you came for me.”
“Is that such a bad thing?”
“It’s embarrassing.”
“Thanks.” She could’ve sworn she saw a momentary hurt in his eyes. There was certainly no glimmer of a smile.
Good grief, men and their delicate egos. “I don’t mean you’re embarrassing. People will be all excited because I’ve got a new man in my life. Then, I’ll be pitied because you’re not the new man in my life. So, then it’ll be like oh, he’s just here to buy the town and not because he came to see Jenna.”
“I’m frightened to say that I almost, not quite, but almost, followed that illogical reasoning.”
She planted her hands on her hips and glared at him. “I could kill you.” Except she really did want to kiss him, at least just once, just so she could actually know what it felt like. That mouth…
“No worries. If we keep standing out on the sidewalk to have this conversation, I’ll freeze to death sooner than later.”
“I thought you were a big macho man who didn’t need my scarf or hat.”
“I don’t, honey—”
“Don’t call me honey in that condescending tone.” Not when she’d fantasized about hearing it for real. “I don’t, Jenna, as long as I’m moving to keep my blood flowing and not
Jenna buttoned up and offered him another of those sunny grins. Damn, he could bask in her smile all day long. “All right, then, come on and meet Good Riddance. You’re going to love it here.”
She really didn’t get it. It was on the tip of his tongue to point out that loving it, or even liking it, was immaterial. He just wanted to buy it and offer everyone a better life with the money they’d make. And not that it mattered, but somewhere inside, he knew that would disappoint Jenna. And he found, rather surprisingly, that he was loath to do that just yet. She’d come around to his way of thinking before all was said and done.
So, he nodded. “I’m sure I will.”
L OGAN MUST SERIOUSLY BE on another planet if he thought he could buy the town, but he was cute in his earnestness. No worries. He’d get it soon enough. And Jenna really liked the way he held her coat and the door. She tamped back the inkling of disappointment that he hadn’t actually come to see her and then let it go, determined to live in the moment.
Jenna preceded him out onto the snow-covered sidewalk. “Thank you, kind sir,” she said, feeling a little bit like a princess in one of the Disney movies she loved to watch. Mulan, Tangled and Beauty and the Beast were her three faves. She’d bought all of them on DVD.
“You’re welcome. Jenna, when you’re introducing me today, let’s not mention the buyout until I’ve had a chance to talk to Mrs. Swenson first. You know, out of respect, since she’s the founder and mayor.”
She stopped on the sidewalk and he skidded to a stop beside her. “You haven’t told Merrilee yet?”
He looked kind of funny. “Well, no.”
“So, why’d you tell her you were here?”
“I didn’t say exactly. We got off on a tangent when I asked her about you.”
“What? So you haven’t mentioned wanting to buy the town to Merrilee?” That had never occurred to her. Merrilee hadn’t been too busy to tell her about Logan’s plan—she was in the dark. It explained a lot, like why Logan still saw buying the town as a viable option and why Merrilee hadn’t called her a second time. Jenna remembered Merrilee’s teasing tone, Teddy looking through the window at Jenna and Logan in a near-kiss and suddenly, it all spelled misunderstanding.
“No. I was going to talk to her and then…things just got kind of off track.”
“Oh, great. This is just great.” It was one thing if she’d thought at first that Logan had come to see her. But now everyone would think it. She felt kind of ill.
“You’ve lost me.”
“Now everyone will think you came for me.”
“Is that such a bad thing?”
“It’s embarrassing.”
“Thanks.” She could’ve sworn she saw a momentary hurt in his eyes. There was certainly no glimmer of a smile.
Good grief, men and their delicate egos. “I don’t mean you’re embarrassing. People will be all excited because I’ve got a new man in my life. Then, I’ll be pitied because you’re not the new man in my life. So, then it’ll be like oh, he’s just here to buy the town and not because he came to see Jenna.”
“I’m frightened to say that I almost, not quite, but almost, followed that illogical reasoning.”
She planted her hands on her hips and glared at him. “I could kill you.” Except she really did want to kiss him, at least just once, just so she could actually know what it felt like. That mouth…
“No worries. If we keep standing out on the sidewalk to have this conversation, I’ll freeze to death sooner than later.”
“I thought you were a big macho man who didn’t need my scarf or hat.”
“I don’t, honey—”
“Don’t call me honey in that condescending tone.” Not when she’d fantasized about hearing it for real. “I don’t, Jenna, as long as I’m moving to keep my blood flowing and not
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