“I didn’t think you were here!” Logan cried, and gave the man a quick clap of a hug. “Jesus, have you been here the whole night?”
“Actually, no. Bustin’ your chops. I was out to dinner, just got here a few minutes ago.” The attractive man turned his dark, assessing gaze to Tess. “Hello there.”
“Tess,” Logan said, “this is my friend Ford Rafferty. He owns the place. Ford, this is Tess Harrison.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” she said, shaking Ford’s hand.
“The pleasure is mine.” Ford’s warm brown eyes drank her in. “Now I know why a hermit like Thor here would go out on New Year’s Eve.”
“Thor?” Tess asked on a laugh.
“He calls me that because he’s a jackass,” Logan said dryly.
“I call him that because duh, look at him,” Ford shot back. “If his hair was a little longer, he’d look just like Thor. God knows he’s as big as him.”
“Bigger,” Logan joked. “And his eyes are blue. Mine aren’t.”
“You’re just nitpicking now,” Ford said, and turned his teasing grin Tess’s way. “I got him the hammer for Halloween, but he wasn’t amused. I thought it was perfect.”
She grinned back and said, “Have to admit, Logan . . . you do look a lot like Hemsworth. I’d have loved to see you with that hammer. The nickname fits.”
“Not you too,” Logan groaned.
“This woman is not only beautiful, but smart!” Ford proclaimed.
Logan rolled his eyes.
“I like this place,” Tess said to Ford. “You’ve got a good thing going on here.”
“Thanks!” His smile widened. “Glad you like it. Where are you from, Tess?”
Logan watched Ford and Tess chat. Ford was always so at ease, smooth, a natural flirt and charmer. He bet if he gave them a few minutes alone, Ford would be asking Tess out himself. And that . . . gave Logan a bit of a burn inside. Something territorial, something like jealousy. Which was ridiculous; Tess wasn’t his. She wasn’t anything but a friendly acquaintance.
A friendly acquaintance looking for a healthy sperm donor . . . Maybe he should encourage her and Ford to hook up. God knew Ford would never settle down with one woman, so maybe it would be a good arrangement for both of them. But the thought of it agitated him. What the hell was that about?
Ford rose to his feet. “Gotta get to work. I’m sending champagne around the room in a minute, on the house for everyone . . . sparkling cider over here?” His gaze flicked to his friend.
“Thanks,” Logan said.
“That’d be perfect,” Tess agreed. “Thank you.” Her smile was radiant. The strings of lights sparkled around her, making her seem, for a moment, like an angel.
Logan was suddenly overwhelmed by an urge to kiss her. Hard, long, and deep.
“It was a serious pleasure meeting you, Tess. You’ll have to come back.” Ford reached for her hand to shake it again and held it just a few seconds too long.
“Lovely to meet you too,” she said, not seeming to notice the subtle, prolonged contact. “Happy New Year, if we don’t see you on the way out,” she added. “I know what it’s like when you’re the host, how busy it gets.”
“Yeah, I better get back to it.” He turned to Logan, who stood up. They clasped each other in a quick hug. “She’s fucking stunning,” Ford murmured. “Jesus Christ.”
“Yup.” Logan pulled back and said, “Happy New Year, brother.”
“Same! Great to see you. We’ll talk soon.” Ford started to move away as he said, “Send my best to Annmarie, okay?”
“Will do.”
Logan took his seat again as Tess asked, “Annmarie is your mom?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s known her a long time, then,” Tess remarked.
“Yeah. He’s a good guy,” Logan said.
“He seems it. Charming, too.”
“He is that.” Logan slanted her a sideways glance. “You, uh . . . have any interest? Because he was practically tripping over himself over you.”
“He was not.”