Pulling on a tee, he watched her walk away. So beautiful. So proud. So honest.
In the doorway she paused, then turned.
“Why did you do this, really?” she asked. “We could have retracted that tweet. You could have b-b-blamed me.”
He was quiet for a moment, but he knew he owed her equal honesty. “Firstly, it was an impulse. Then I got to thinking. I didn’t want you to lose your business. I didn’t want to come here alone. And I guess I wanted to prove to the world that I could stick at a personal relationship for more than two days.”
“But it’s not a real relationship.”
That kinda got him in the chest. “Isn’t it? We’re friends now, aren’t we?”
“Friends don’t tend to coerce people into staying with them, or offer to pay for their c-c-company.”
“I already explained it was from a basis of care that I made that offer.” And, he realized, it was. Now, he truly did care.
Shit.
“Okay.” She watched him so closely, her expression serious, and whispered. “We’re friends.”
He had to pull it back to playful. “But still competitors in one arena.”
She stepped into the bathroom and shut the door.
To Min’s relief, Logan’s parents weren’t at breakfast. But Dani was just finishing. She looked up with a grin as soon as Logan and Min walked in.
“Weather’s looking good,” she said brightly. “All remaining guests should be able to land no problem. Storm’s not gonna hit ‘til later according to the forecast.”
“Good,” Logan answered absently. “Did you organize—”
“Yes,” Dani turned to Min as she stood up from the table. “You, Chelsea and I are all booked for the full spa treatment, then hair, make-up, the works.”
Min shot Logan a teasing look and whispered to him. “You think we need the works?”
“Of course not,” he answered promptly. “You’re all naturally stunning. But I thought you might like the pampering. You’ve had such a hard week and all...”
Oh she had. And this would be the perfect filler before the dreaded party. “What are you going to do?”
“Oh I’m having a spa treatment too,” he winked.
She laughed.
“You seen the news about your boutique brewery, Logan?” Connor walked in and went straight to the coffee jug.
“No.” Logan looked up. “What’s happened?”
“Their new ale won that industry gold medal last night.” Connor poured himself a cup and swallowed a hit. “Just like you said it would.”
“You have a b-brewery?” Min stopped eating her French toast and stared at Logan. Seriously?
He laughed at her expression. “No. I’m just an investor.”
Connor frowned at Min as he headed back to the door he’d come through. “You know Logan likes funding projects that he thinks have potential.”
Actually she didn’t know.
“It’s not the projects,” Logan interrupted, flicking his fingers at Connor as he walked out of the room. “I like finding people with passion.” He waggled his eyebrows.
Why wasn’t she surprised that he’d make a joke out of it? “What other projects have you invested in?”
“All sorts.” He reached out and grabbed piece of toast. “A few tech. Some weird inventions. A coffee company... I have to do something with my idle time and my pots of money, right?” He winked. “I’m thinking maybe an ice-cream venture next. Gourmet, artisan creators of some caramel and cashew combo.”
“So you help people reach for their dreams?” She asked, placing a mock impressed hand over her heart.
Except she was totally impressed.
“I know what it’s like to fight to realize your own goals.” He batted his lashes at her, teasing.
But there was a spark of truth in every joke. And her fallen angel was a real angel after all. An angel investor.
“I bet they love having you on board,” she murmured, swirling her toast in maple syrup.
He shook his head. “I prefer they don’t know. I don’t use my name. Or the Summerhill brand.”
“You’re the silent benefactor?”
“Uh huh,” He sent her a wicked look across the table. “You like me more now?”
She shook her head. “You invest in other people’s passion, but where’s your own?”
“You know exactly where.” He grinned wolfishly. “Now come walk off that breakfast.”
She sent him a deliberately sultry look as she took his hand.
“You’re so not gonna win.” He laughed.
No, she probably wasn’t. But she was damn well going to try.
The pool was unbelievable. Surrounded by natural stone, it looked like it was some ancient thermal beauty spot, except the huge room was encased in glass, and beyond that glass was ice and snow and massive mountains. It was pure magic. Pure decadence.
“You can leave me now, it’s not long ‘til my appointment. I’m going to take a swim.” She’d grabbed a bathing suit from the resort store. A Summerhill original. Nice it was too.
Chelsea and Dani were already seated on loungers at one end of the pool, a selection of snacks and drinks laid out on a small table between them.
She leaned in close to Logan, teasing before she left him. “You worried I’m going to give the game away?”
He shook his head. “Call me crazy, but I trust you.”
Min turned and walked away from him before she dropped to her knees and begged. The more she got to know him? The more he opened up?
The more she fell.
But her pace slowed as she neared the two women. Her skin burned as she remembered her quick departure from the restaurant last night. She didn’t know which of the guys had walked in on her and Logan practically rutting, but she was certain Chelsea knew about it.
“Are you knitting?” Chelsea was staring at Dani who was clad in a cute bikini and had just pulled a giant ball of wool onto her lap.
Dani nodded and started clacking her needles. “Don’t laugh.”
“Wasn’t gonna.” Chelsea reached forward and grabbed a green grape from the bunch beside her. “Come and sit down, Min. Let’s relax and have a swim before we get plucked and preened.”
“Thanks.” Min perched on the edge of one of the loungers.
“What are you going to have done?” Chelsea asked Dani. “Gonna go for a neon green streak to freak your parents?”
Dani chuckled. “Oh I so should.”
“No you shouldn’t. Forget I ever said it.”
Min was struck by a hideous thought. “Your mom isn’t going to be at the spa, is she?”
“My mom would never go there,” Dani glanced up from her knitting with a baffled look on her face. “The beauticians go to her. She has a tribe up in her room now.”
“Oh.” Right. Of course.
Min caught Chelsea’s eye and they both laughed.
“I’m looking forward to tonight,” Dani put her knitting needles down.
“You are?” Min didn’t think any of the Hughes clan were actually looking forward to it.
Dani nodded. “I have a new dress. I’m nearly twenty...”
“And is there some guy you want to see you in that dress?” Chelsea asked, her eyes sparkling.”
“No.” Dani answered too quickly and a second later her cheeks turned bright pink. She stood up. “I’m going to swim before I’m due at the hairdresser.”
“How formal is your dress?” Min asked.
“Long,” Dani answered just before diving in smoothly and swimming the length of the pool.
“Mine too,” Chelsea said as she watched Dani go. “To the floor. You’ve got something?”
Min nodded, relieved over one thing on her panic-list.
“But you’re worried?” Chelsea asked shrewdly.
“I’m embarrassed,” Min whispered. “I’m sorry not to have said goodbye to everyone properly last night.”
Chelsea laughed. “Don’t wor
ry, I know what it’s like when you just can’t help...” Her shoulders lifted and she giggled. She looked at Min and suddenly leaned forward. “Early on in our relationship, Xander and I had wild sex by the rooftop pool of our apartment building. It wasn’t ‘til after that I remembered the whole area is covered by security cameras. Every angle.” She shivered and pulled a face. “I still have no idea where that footage is.”
“At least it isn’t all over the internet.” Min smiled.
“Well, that’s right. Poor Logan.” Chelsea shot her a look. “But you’re okay with it?”
Min hesitated, wary of opening up, but there was something about Chelsea’s honesty—the woman was nice. “I’m okay with the sex clip, it’s this thing tonight that’s my worst night m-m-mare,” she whispered. “I l-l-loathe public speaking. And I have no idea what to say.”
“It’s a party. It won’t be that serious.”
Min gave her a skeptical look. “But I’m the fiancée. They’re all going to be staring. I have to perform.”
“Yeah.” Chelsea nodded. “I get it.” She angled her head. “You know you’re cute-as-hell, right? Amazing hair, eyes…”
Min rolled them. “I don’t want to look like an ornament. Everyone would know he’d be bored within a week.”
Chelsea’s eyes lit up. “You get that about him?” She suddenly smiled. “Why don’t you give them something they don’t expect?” She leaned forward and adjusted her towel. “I know what it’s like to have a weakness. You work with it. Get through it. Do the thing they least expect you to do.”
“It’s not possible for me,” Min whispered. It wouldn’t work. She could control it so much of the time, but in front of a large crowd when she was nervous?