“Hey!” I smiled and stood from my chair as Jackson strode into my office at the camp. “This is a surprise.”
He was supposed to be driving to Kalispell this morning in my car. We’d swapped vehicles because he wanted to clean mine on his trip to town. Apparently, he had a favorite car wash in Kalispell and he was going up there to shop for Ryder’s Christmas presents. So while he was running errands, I’d come to the camp to get some work done before a meeting with Logan.
“What are you doing here?” I asked as he came around the desk.
He answered by taking my face in his hands and crushing his lips down on mine.
It took me a second to catch up, but as soon as I did, I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling myself closer. I gripped the back of his Carhartt coat, fisting the thick canvas.
His tongue invaded my mouth and his fingers threaded into my hair. When he broke away, the world was spinning and my lips were deliciously swollen.
“Gosh,” I breathed. “What was that for? Not that I’m complaining.”
He grinned and kissed me again, this time soft and sweet. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome?” I had no idea what he was thanking me for, especially since I was the one getting the favor today. I hated cleaning my car.
“I got a call from Ryder’s math teacher this morning,” he told me. “He got a C on his test yesterday.”
“Yes!” I clapped. “I knew he could do it.”
“It’s all because of you.”
I shook my head. “No, he gets the credit. He’s been working his butt off.”
Ryder was such a bright kid. He just had some gaps in the fundamentals of his education. We’d been working together nonstop over the last two weeks. When he wasn’t at school, he was with me.
We’d do his English papers in my apartment or his social studies assignments in Jackson’s living room. We always seemed to find ourselves at my parents’ dining room table when there were math and science problems to work out. I was Ryder’s primary tutor, but Dad had dubbed himself the assistant.
“You get some credit too,” Jackson said. “There’s no way he would have passed that test if I had been helping him these last couple of weeks.”
I shrugged. “It’s been my pleasure.” Tutoring Ryder was the best winter job I could have asked for.
Jackson kissed me again, then stepped back. He winked at me before turning and striding out of my office.
“That’s it?” I asked his back. “You’re leaving already?”
He glanced over his shoulder as he strode through the kitchen while I hurried to follow. “I’ve got a busy day. I need to get your car cleaned and then talk to Hazel. Ryder’s having a last-minute sleepover because tonight, you’re mine.”
A shiver rolled over my shoulders as I followed him into the main room. “My parents asked us over for dinner, but I think I’d better decline.”
“You’ll be too busy fucking me to worry about dinner.”
“Wowzah,” I whispered, enjoying another shiver.
He wore a sexy grin as he walked down the center aisle in the quiet main room.
All of the tables were clean and the chairs were pushed in. In the summer, chairs were never in their rightful spot. There was always something on a table, either kids’ art projects left out to be finished or snacks for campers to grab and take along on their next adventure. And there was always someone coming or going from the main room.
I longed for the clutter and the noise.
Everything outdoors was covered with snow. The firepit and all the log benches were buried. The trees had a glittery sparkle. And beyond them, the lake was a flat sheet of ice. I hoped the highway wouldn’t be too icy on the way to Kalispell.
“Drive safe,” I told Jackson as he stopped at the double doors.
“I’ll call you when I get back and we can make plans.” He kissed me one last time, then went outside. I waved good-bye and turned to go back to the office but stopped when I saw Logan and Jackson meet along the path up to the parking lot.
I watched from inside the main room as the two shook hands and laughed about something.
Logan and Jackson were getting along so well these days that I’d actually consider them friends. I loved that Jackson was expanding his group. It wasn’t just Hazel, Thea and Charlie anymore. He had all of us. Me, Ryder, my parents and even Logan.
He was opening up. He was letting others love him. And I think for the first time in his life, he wasn’t worried that we’d all disappear.
If he didn’t want to get married one day, I’d be okay with that. Like I’d told Leighton on the phone last week, I didn’t need a white dress and fancy party. I just needed Jackson. If he didn’t come around to the idea of marriage, I’d let go of that dream.
I had the one I’d really been after anyway.
The babies thing? That was a different story. I wasn’t going to let go of that dream so easily. One day, I had complete faith that Jackson would get over his fears and realize any child would be lucky to have him as their dad.
Jackson and Logan said good-bye and I stepped away from the window to go back to the door. I opened it for Logan as he stomped the snow off his boots.
“Morning,” I told him.
“Good morning.” He stepped inside and looked around the room.
I put my hands in my jean pockets, then took them out. I tugged at the hem of my sweater, making sure it hadn’t ridden up. Then I looked around the room, trying not to stare at Logan as he did his minor inspection.
No matter how much time we spent together, Logan Kendrick always made me nervous. He had this raw power that rolled off his body. That, and he was the most handsome man I’d ever seen besides Jackson.
Logan’s dark hair was always styled and his face shaven. Even in his casual jeans and black winter coat, he was classy. The boots he wore were the same style as Jackson’s, but they weren’t worn or scuffed. Everything about Logan was polished.
And his air of confidence and command was completely intimidating.
“How are you today?” he asked.
“Good, thanks.” I gave him a shaky smile. “And you? H-how are you?”
“I’m good.”
“Oh, that’s great.” My voice was airy and quiet. “Would you like coffee? I made a pot. It’s in the kitchen.” Obviously, Willa. Geez. Get a grip.
“Sure.” His gentle eyes were doing their best to put me at ease. “Lead the way.”
I ducked my head and walked toward the kitchen. I took a few deep breaths, reminding myself that he was just Logan, my boyfriend’s best friend’s husband. It didn’t matter that he had more money than anyone I’d ever met or that he was my boss.
By the time we made it to the kitchen, I’d relaxed some. Nerves still fluttered in my stomach, but I was able to speak normally and with slightly more confidence.
“How do you like your coffee?” I asked.
“Black is fine.”
I nodded and took a cup out of the cupboard, then filled it from the industrial pot. It wasn’t as good as the coffee Hazel made. Somehow hers always tasted better than mine, even though the process was the same. But it was hot and good enough for the day.
“How is Thea feeling?” I handed him his cup.
He smiled. “She’s had a lot of morning sickness since Thanksgiving, but she handles it like a trooper.”
“I bet Charlie’s excited.”
“She wants a baby brother so badly.” He chuckled. “We’ve been trying to tell her that a sister would be okay too, but she’s got her hopes up.”
“And what about you? Do you have a preference?”
Logan shook his head. “Happy and healthy is all I want.”
The dreamy smile on his face made my heart melt. He loved his family so much it was hard not to swoon.
“Should we meet in your office?” he asked. “Or would you like to chat in the main room?”
“I’ve got some things in my office.” I led the way into the office and took a seat behind my desk as Logan took the guest chair opposite me.
My office wasn’t much. It was dark without a window and always cold. It was cramped, with just enough room for my desk and a couple of file cabinets. But I’d put up a ton of pictures of campers from over the years and it made the room cheery. How could you not smile when you were surrounded by happy kids?
“I’ve been hearing great things about the camp.” Logan paused to take a sip of his coffee. “And you. Everyone at the foundation has been very impressed. I’m told it’s been the most organized transition in Kendrick Foundation history, all because of you.”
“Really? Thank you.” I blushed, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear. “Everyone seems so nice at the foundation office. I’ve only gotten to talk to them on the phone, but you have a great team.”
“I’m lucky. And now you’re a part of that team so I’m even luckier.”
“Thank you. Again. So what did you want to talk about today?” I’d been shocked when he’d called me to arrange this morning’s meeting. I figured that CEOs of large charitable foundations didn’t meet with tiny camp directors like me.
“Well, I’d like to discuss the plans you proposed for the improvements this spring.”
“Oh.” My heart sank. “Did I ask for too much?”
We were in dire need of some facility updates. I’d tried to limit my requests to the areas in the worst shape, but the camp had been short on funds for far too long.
“On the contrary,” Logan said as I took a sip of coffee. “I’d like to see what we can do if I double the amount you requested.”
I choked on my coffee, coughing and spurting it all over my desk. A couple of drops even managed to fly far enough across the desk to land on his hand.
“Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry,” I gasped, still coughing as I scrambled for anything to clean up my mess. Where were the paper towels or napkins? Why didn’t I keep an unlimited supply in here just in case? “Here. Use this.” I handed him the scarf I’d worn to work today. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine.” He chuckled and wiped his hand on his jeans. “It was worth the coffee shower to see the look on your face. I’ve never seen anyone’s eyes that big before.”
My mouth fell open as I sank into my chair. No doubt my face was the same shade of magenta as the bra I’d put on this morning. “I’m—” I stopped at the look on Logan’s face. “You’re teasing me, aren’t you?”
“Definitely.”
Relief washed over me. “You really want to double the improvement budget?”
“I do. This camp has become something of a personal favorite of mine, so it gets special treatment.”
“There’s a lot we could do with that money. The bathrooms need a complete overhaul. The kitchen could use a new stove and refrigerator. It wasn’t at the top of my priority list, but I’d love to have some of the windows replaced in the bunks.”
“We’ll do it all and then some.” He took a pen from a cup holder and grabbed a pad of sticky notes from the desk. “All right. How about you start listing off all the things you want and then we’ll estimate cost and rank them.”
“Actually.” I opened my desk drawer. “Here.” I handed him a notebook where I kept my wish list plus bids for each improvement.
Now it was his turn for his eyes to get wide. “You’re organized, aren’t you?”
“Just a smidge.” I smiled. “I started that list my first year here and I update it every year.”
“Not much has been crossed off.”
I shook my head. “No.”
He clicked the pen and smiled. “Let’s change that.”
A swell of excitement ran through my body, making me bounce in my chair.
An hour later, the two of us had planned all of the improvements to do this year plus some for next. Despite having spent little time at the camp—something he would no doubt be changing this coming season—Logan even had some ideas for improvements of his own.
He wanted to have a larger beach area built so the kids could spend more time by the water. He wanted to have a permanent “fort” built, something where the kids could escape to play in the trees. It was something I was sure his daughter would wholeheartedly approve of since Charlie had already built a makeshift fort in the trees last summer.
It would be incredible.
“I just . . . thank you.” I took the notebook from Logan and put it back in my desk. “This will make a huge difference and I know the kids will love it.”
“My pleasure.” Logan grinned and leaned back in his chair. “I have something else I want to talk to you about. How would you feel about working for me part-time in the winters?”
I blinked in surprise. “Work for you? Doing what?”
“Whatever comes up.” He shrugged. “I’m trying to cut back on work now that the baby is coming. I don’t want to miss out on anything. But with everyone on my staff still in New York and the uptick of work we’ve gotten at the foundation lately, I could use someone to help me keep it all straight.”
“And you want me?” I pointed to my chest. “I’ve never been an assistant before.”
“You’re organized and smart. You won’t have any trouble figuring it out.”
My mouth was hanging open at his compliments. Working for Logan seemed like the perfect opportunity, but I wanted to run it by Jackson and my parents first. “Can I think about it?”
“Of course. There’s no rush.”
“Is there anything else you want to discuss today?”
He shook his head and stood from his chair to look at some of the photos on the wall.
I was just about to tell him a funny story about the picture in which me and some of the kids were wearing togas when a knock sounded at the office door.
Porter Hannagan, one of the sheriff’s deputies, was standing at the door. He was in a uniform of jeans and a dark brown shirt with his badge and gun hooked to his belt.
“Hey, Porter.” I stood and went over to greet him. “How are you?”
The two of us had gone to high school together. He was a year older than me and had left to go to the police academy after graduation. We didn’t see each other much, but I always waved when I saw him in his patrol car along the highway.
“I’m good, Willa. I saw your car here on my way to the station.”
“Is everything okay?” The worry lines on his forehead had my heart pounding. My thoughts immediately went to Jackson and my parents, hoping they were all right.
Before he could answer, Logan stepped up to my side, his hand extended to Porter. “Hello, Deputy Hannagan.”
“Porter, please.” Porter shook his hand. “Good to see you, Mr. Kendrick.”
“It’s Logan,” he corrected. “So what brings you here?”
Porter’s eyes shifted down to me. He had such kind eyes, but even though they were gentle, the look in them sent every worst-case scenario running through my head. Was it a car crash? Had Mom gotten hurt at home? Was there an emergency at the school?
He spoke before I could ask. “I’m breaking protocol by being here, but Jackson asked me to personally come down and tell you. He didn’t want to tell you over the phone.”
My arms began shaking and I wrapped them around my stomach. “What happened?”
He took a deep breath. “Sheriff Magee arrested Jackson about an hour ago.”
“What?” My jaw dropped. “That’s impossible. Jackson is in Kalispell, getting my car cleaned.”
“No, he’s not. Sheriff found him at the bar and brought him into the station. Like I said, he could have called you, but he asked me to come down.”
“Why? Why was he arrested?”
Porter took another long breath. “He’s the primary suspect in a murder.”
My legs turned to jelly and I nearly fell over. I would have if not for Logan grabbing my elbow to steady me.
“This has to be a mistake,” I said. “It’s a mistake.”
“Who is he accused of killing?” Logan asked.
Porter’s eyes reluctantly came to mine. “His mother.”
