Sweet Talk by Julie Garwood Page B

to see me every evening on his way home from work.”
    “Logan has a job?”
    “He’s working as a mechanic at Roger’s Rent-A-Car company. He helps out at the counter, too. Logan says the owner is giving him more responsibility, and he doesn’t want to let him down. He worries about me. He never used to.”
    “He was too drunk and too stoned to worry about anyone.” She saw Jane’s expression and hurriedly said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”
    “No, it was true, but not any longer. He brings me carryout and told me that when I get home, he’ll come over and cook for me.”
    “Maybe rehab worked this time,” Olivia said, though she didn’t hold out much hope. Jane was an eternal optimist. Olivia wasn’t. Logan hadn’t gone willingly; rehab had been court mandated. Jane’s older brother had been a mess for as long as Olivia had known Jane. He drank alcohol like water, and his drug of choice was cocaine.
    She hoped for Jane’s sake that Logan had decided to change his life. She was about to ask another question about Logan when he walked into the room. He was tall, gaunt, and painfully thin, but there was a light in his eyes Olivia hadn’t seen before. He put his finger to his lips to let Olivia know he didn’t want her to say anything, then quietly snuck up behind Jane. He leaned down and whispered, “Boo.”
    Jane jumped. “Logan, will you stop doing that,” she demanded. “Why you think it’s funny to scare people is beyond me.”
    He laughed. “Hi, Olivia. How are you doing?”
    “I’m fine,” she answered.
    He turned to Jane then. “I’ve been all over this hospital looking for you. What are you doing here?”
    “Olivia’s giving me her blood,” Jane said. “She’s keeping me alive with her antibodies.” She realized she shouldn’t have joked when she saw Logan’s expression. He looked stricken. “I’m going to be fine.”
    “Don’t try to protect me,” he said. “I know you’re sick. Always tell me the truth, okay? I can handle it.”
    “Jane’s anemic, that’s all,” Olivia said, trying to help Jane downplay her illness.
    “And your blood will make her better?”
    “Yes, that’s right,” Jane said and then hastened to change the subject. “What about the art show? Did you get permission?” Turning to Olivia she explained, “Logan has a nine o’clock curfew at the halfway house.”
    Logan grinned. “Yes, I got permission. I can stay out until ten thirty.” He leaned down and kissed Jane on the cheek. “I’ve got to go. I’ve got a meeting in thirty minutes.”
    Jane waited until Logan had left the room and then said, “What do you think?”
    Olivia smiled. “I think he’s on the right track.”
    “I do, too. He’s different now in a good way. He’s been clean and sober over a hundred and twenty days. That’s the longest he’s ever gone,” she added. “And he isn’t hanging out with all those losers anymore. I wish Mom were alive to see his recovery.”
    Jane took a breath. “Okay, we’re through talking about my brother. I’ve got really funny news to tell you. You’ll never guess what Collins did. I’m not supposed to tell you because she wants to, but you need to be warned so you won’t laugh the way I did. She was furious with me. I couldn’t help it,” she added. “I swear you’ll never, ever guess.”
    “Is she in trouble?”
    “No.”
    “Just tell me.”
    “She took the exam and she passed. Aced the interviews, too. In fact, they actually recruited her.”
    “They?”
    “FBI,” Jane said. “Collins has decided to become an FBI agent. It’s kind of ironic, don’t you think? This news coming on the same day you have a run-in with the FBI?”
    “It wasn’t a run-in. It was a mistake,” Olivia argued. “Collins in the FBI—that’s a good one.” She laughed. Miss Sensitivity an agent? Not possible.
    “I’m not joking. Can you picture it? Collins carrying a gun?”
    “Dibs on telling Sam.”
    “I