She was a goner.
* * *
Two very happy boys piled into the back of Logan's car. As soon as they were strapped in, they were bouncing and chattering about their favorite parts of the movie.
"Hey, guys. " Logan slipped behind the wheel, then draped his arm over the seat to look in the back.
"You might want to brace yourselves, 'cause I'm gonna kiss your mama. "
"How come?" Luke wanted to know.
"Because, as you might have observed yourselves, she's pretty, and she tastes good. "
He leaned over, amusement in his eyes. When Stella would have offered him a cheek, he turned her face with one hand and gave her a soft, quick kiss on the mouth.
"You're not pretty. " Luke snorted through his nose. "How come she kissed you?"
"Son, that's because I'm one fine-looking hunk of man. " He winked into the rearview mirror, noted that Gavin was watching him with quiet speculation, then started the engine.
* * *
Luke was nodding off when they got to the house, his head bobbing as he struggled to stay awake.
"Let me cart him up. "
"I can get him. " Stella leaned in to unbuckle his seat belt. "I'm used to it. And I don't know if you should go upstairs again. "
"She'll have to get used to me. " He nudged Stella aside and hoisted Luke into his arms. "Come on, pizza king, let's go for a ride. "
"I'm not tired. "
"'Course not. "
Yawning, he laid his head on Logan's shoulder. "You smell different from Mom. And you got harder skin. "
"How about that?"
Roz wandered into the foyer as they came in. "Well, it looks like everyone had a good time. Logan, why don't you come down for a drink once you settle those boys down. I'd like to talk to the both of you. "
"Sure. We'll be right down. "
"I can take them," Stella began, but he was already carrying Luke up the stairs.
"I'll just get us some wine. 'Night, cutie," Roz said to Gavin, and smiled at Stella's back as she followed Logan.
He was already untying Luke's Nikes. "Logan, I'll do that. You go on down with Roz. "
He continued to remove the shoes, wondering if the nerves he heard in her voice had to do with the ghost or with him. But it was the boy standing beside her, unusually silent, who had his attention.
"Go ahead and settle him in, then. Gavin and I want to have a little conversation. Don't we, kid?"
Gavin jerked a shoulder. "Maybe. I guess. "
"He needs to get ready for bed. "
"Won't take long. Why don't you step into my office?" he said to Gavin, and when he gestured toward the bathroom, he saw the boy's lip twitch.
"Logan," Stella began.