Between You and Me

“I’ll pick you up at nine thirty, if that’s all right by you.”

“That’s fine. What am I wearing? This place is casual?”

“Extremely. Wear your yoga pants if you want.”

“Gets better and better. Thanks for the invite, Logan. See you then.”

“Great, you got it. See you tonight.” He ended the call, shoved his phone in his pocket, and raked his hands through his hair. Holy shit, he’d really done that. And holy shit, she’d said yes, and holy shit, he’d be spending New Year’s Eve with Tess Harrison of the New York Harrisons. He didn’t know what had possessed him. It wasn’t Terrence’s hinting or his mother’s interference. He never went on impulse like that anymore. Interesting. Huffing out a laugh, it flew out of him in a burst of white steam against the frigid air.

Chapter Six

“After you.” Logan held the door open and Tess stepped into the small building. As she followed him farther inside, she looked around. Pale polished wood and vintage-looking chairs and love seats, all covered in rich fabrics and velvets. Dimly lit, the strings of colored lights strewn across the high beams and ceiling gave the room a soft glow, a more intimate feel. Country-rock guitar music played softly. Ford’s Coffee House was a warm, cozy place. Tess liked it immediately.

“This is great,” she said to Logan. “I already know I’ll be back again.”

He grinned. “Good, glad to hear it.” He looked over toward the bar and called to one of the baristas. “Hey, Caleb. Ford held a spot for me?”

The young man behind the counter nodded as he said hi, then gestured toward a carved-back love seat in the far corner that had a “Reserved” card perched on it.

“Okay,” Logan said to Tess. “That’s ours.”

“Oh really?” She looked up at him with a mischievous smile.

“Good to be friends with the owner.” He winked and walked through the small crowd, bringing her along with a hand at the small of her back. The small touch warmed her. He leaned down to be heard over the music as he said, “It’s not usually this packed, but with it being New Year’s Eve and all, I wanted to make sure we’d have a good place to sit.”

When they reached the love seat, covered in burgundy velvet, they took off their coats and sat, slightly turned so they were facing each other.

“Been friends with the owner a long time?” Tess asked.

“Ford? Yeah, since high school. Played football and baseball together.” Logan stretched out his long legs, then leaned back a bit, easing into the plush cushions. He was such a big guy, even his most simple movements seemed powerful. “Ford’s savvy as hell. He moved here after college to start up a business, and after a few different ones, started this place . . . maybe three or four years ago, now? Something like that.”

“Good for him. He has great taste. This place is lovely.” Tess swept her hair back over her shoulders. “So you guys grew up not far from here?” She stuck with the easy questions. Something told her even though Logan had asked her out—possibly to prove he wasn’t holding his grudge anymore, that was her guess—it didn’t mean he’d spill his guts. He was a private man, slow to open up, and that was fine with her. But it only made her more curious.

“We grew up in Arsdale,” he said. “Maybe a half hour’s drive west of Aspen. Not far at all.” He leaned in, resting his elbows on his knees as he asked, “Where’d you grow up? New York, right?”

“Yes, on Long Island. On the North Shore. It’s about a forty-minute drive east of the city.”

“The city being New York City,” he guessed.

“Yeah.” She grinned and added, “To anyone who lives within a two-hour radius of it, we just call it the city.”

He nodded. “I’ve never been there. New York City.”

Her eyes widened. “Really?”

“Nope. Always wanted to, but never been.”

“Oh, you really should. It’s amazing. You should go.” She crossed her legs and smoothed out her top. “If you ever do, you have to let me know. I’ll show you around.”