To Marry McKenzie

'McKenzie?' Chef Simon echoed abruptly, his gaze sharp on the younger

man now. ' Logan McKenzie?' he prompted softly.

'And if I am?' Logan challenged.

Darcy, for one, had had enough of this. The situation had been ridiculous

enough before, now it was becomingfarcical, with the two men eyeing each

other like contestants in a boxing match, apparently deliberating on who

would be the one to strike the first blow!

She sighed heavily. 'Logan, will you just go back to your table and get on

with your meal?' Her expression pleaded with him to comply with her

request. 'We can talk about...that other situation, some other time,' she

concluded soothingly as his eyes narrowed. 'If you really think we must.'

'Come and look at the menu, Logan!' The man Fergus had strolled over to

join them too now. 'I don't know about you, but I'm starving!' he added with

persuasive cheerfulness.

Logan looked ready to argue the point, but a glance at Darcy's rigidly set

features seemed to be enough to make him relent slightly, although he still

eyed Chef Simon belligerently, even as he answered Fergus. 'Maybe you're

right,' he agreed slowly. 'After all, this is a restaurant,' he couldn't resist

saying sardonically.

'One of the best,' Chef Simon answered almost as coolly. 'If you'll excuse us,

gentlemen; Darcy and I have some food to prepare.' He took a firm grasp of

Darcy's arm and almost frogmarched her back into the kitchen, barely

waiting for the doors to swing shut behind them before grasping her other

arm just as tightly and turning her to face him, effectively holding her

immobile in front of him. 'Now perhaps you wouldn't mind telling me what

you think you're doing, getting into cosy little corners with a man like Logan

McKenzie?' he demanded forcefully, his teasing mood of earlier having

completely disappeared.

Darey stared up at him, not altogether sure how she should answer that

particular question...

CHAPTER THREE

'HERE, have a look at a menu,' Fergus advised his cousin as he thrust one

pointedly into Logan's hands. 'And for heaven's sake, sit down,' he

instructed, already seated at the table himself. 'Then you can tell me exactly

what is going on!'

Logan resumed his own seat, aware that several of the waitresses were still

watching him curiously. Well, let them; he was more interested in knowing

what sort of conversation was taking place in the kitchen between Darcy and

her aged lover!

Because he was sure now that was what the other couple were; there was a

familiarity between the two that was unmistakable, and a protectiveness

emanating from Daniel Simon that Logan couldn't mistake as being

anything other than a proprietorial claim.

He had to admit, he had been temporarily stunned by the realisation a few

minutes ago, which was the reason Fergus had had to actually instruct him

to sit down! He had thought Darcy's infatuation to be a one-sided thing, a

crush on an older man, but now he realised there was much more to it than

that. And he didn't like it!

Which also shook him. He'd only met Darcy yesterday but even so, he felt a

certain protectiveness towards her himself. The reasons for which he did not

want to probe too deeply!

'I mistakenly believed you were on top of this situation when you told me

you were coming to Chef Simon this evening—'

Logan became aware that Fergus was talking to him. 'What did you say?' he

asked tersely, his thoughts, if nothing else, still across the room in the

kitchen.

Fergus sighed impatiently, putting down the menu. 'Let's have some drinks,'

he advised as the wine waiter hovered near their table, obviously waiting to

take some sort of order from them. 'I feel in need of one!' he added before

turning to the young man and ordering a bottle of Chablis.

Logan pulled his divided thoughts back together, aware that he had no idea

what Fergus had been saying to him a few minutes ago. Fergus's

rapier-sharp brain was such that inattentiveness around him was not a good

idea. During his earlier years as a practising lawyer, the prosecution had lost

a lot of cases when coming up against Fergus's defence, for that very

reason!

Besides, there didn't seem to be any shouting coming from the kitchen, and

Darcy hadn't stormed out, so he could only assume the lovers were kissing

and making up. Distasteful as that idea might be to him!

'You were saying...?' he prompted Fergus smoothly, once their wine had

been poured and their food order taken; Logan thought he had ordered a fish

starter and a steak main course, but he couldn't be sure!

Dark brown eyes studied him over the top of the glass as Fergus slowly

sipped his wine. 'Exactly what are you doing here, Logan?' he finally asked

thoughtfully.

'At the moment I'm drinking wine.' He held up his glass. 'And shortly, I