Love by Design

Chapter 5

“Oh, I’ve changed the deck a few times, but I never like the cards I’m dealt. Instead I decided to focus on work. That’s the only gamble I’m willing to make,” Dakota said.

“Like you, work became my focus, too. I know I was pretty vocal about my desire to go my own way, but time has a way of changing a man—and his outlook on life.”

“I know what you mean.”

“I found that the older I became, the more I realized that my parents needed me at their side. As their only child, I didn’t have the luxury of being totally autonomous anymore. Despite the ramblings of a teenage boy, I realized that as a Montague, my loyalty was to my family.”

“So that’s when you decided to come back into the fold?”

“More or less.”

“But I don’t understand. Why come back to Chicago when your parents live in Florida?”

“I have family here, and history. Besides, it makes it all the more special when I go visit them,” Logan replied. “Don’t you agree?”

Her expression shifted. “Yes. I guess absence does make the heart grow fonder.”

Logan knew something was bothering her, but before he could ask about it, Dakota began writing in her notebook. He recognized the avoidance technique from long ago and left her alone, but it was hard. She was hurting, but he did not know how to help her, or if she would even want his help.

Logan assigned himself a mission while on this trip with Dakota. His main focus was to get to know her again, and to fix the mess he had made of their relationship. If he plied her with twenty questions, he would get nowhere fast. Instead he would take a different approach by learning as much as he could about the woman she had become. What she liked, disliked. Her favorite food, and hobbies. From what he could see on the outside, she was enough to make any man’s blood stir, and the more he saw her, the more he ached for some type of connection between them besides polite business associates.

He wanted back into her inner circle. Who knew how long it would take him to earn that privilege, but it would be worth it to see her smile at him like she used to. To see her face light up when he entered the room. To hear his name drift off her lips on a moan of pleasure—

“Logan?”

It took him a moment to realize that Dakota was speaking to him. He had gotten carried away with that last wishful thought.

“What? I’m sorry, did you say something?”

“You were looking a little odd. I asked if you were feeling okay.”

He wanted to tell her the truth, but instead he said, “Yes, just fine. I guess it was my turn to daydream.”

They continued on with general conversation until Captain Tanner announced that they were making their descent into the Ian Fleming International Airport.

“That didn’t take long at all.”

“Time flies…” Logan replied.

Dakota closed her eyes and concentrated on the landing. After they had come to a complete stop, she unfastened her seat belt and glanced out over the tarmac.

“Welcome to Jamaica.”

She turned to Logan. “Hard to believe, but this is my first time here.”

“Then we’ll have to make the most of it.”

He escorted her to an awaiting car.

“Is it usually this warm in September?” Dakota asked.

Logan nodded. “It’s the hottest and most humid time to visit Ocho Rios.”

“Great,” she replied. “My suit is beginning to feel like it weighs a ton.” She peeled off her jacket and undid two buttons on her blouse.

That wasn’t nearly enough for Logan, but he refrained from comment.

The air-conditioned car was welcoming, and he watched her sink against the leather seat with a sigh of relief.

He eyed the dark pantsuit she was wearing. “I hope you brought lighter clothes.”

She shook her head. “I can’t believe I was so wrapped up in other preparations that I forgot to check the weather.”

He noted that little confession did not sit well with her. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t like anything slipping through the cracks,” she told him. “It’s not like me to forget to check on something this major.”

“It’s easy to believe that you were distracted. Especially since this arrangement came out of the blue for you.”

She glanced up at him. “I don’t get distracted.”

With her mouth set in a thin line, he watched her observe the scenery out her window. Normally, Dakota had a devil-may-care attitude about things and would have laughed her forgetfulness off, but it was obvious to Logan that that was definitely not the case.

“Everyone gets preoccupied at some point, Dakota. Since when haven’t you been able to see the humor in a situation?”