Page 109 of Until the Sea Runs Dry

“I’ll get dressed and make the call.”

Nerves fluttered in her stomach. “I’ll feed Loki while you do that.”

She looked for something to wear, but her charity dress was unsuitable for the task ahead and the pool house was all the way across the property. Snatching up Logan’s shirt from the carpet where it had been tossed last night, she put it on, rolling up the sleeves to her elbow. The shirt was too large and hit her mid thigh, but she’d be mostly decent, in case she came upon any of the help.

In the kitchen, she filled two metal bowls, one with kibble and the other with water, and presented both to Loki. He dove in with abandon, though he seemed to flick more food out of his bowl than he ingested.

She fried eggs and bacon, made toast, poured juice and coffee and arranged all onto a tray. Someone — Kitty, most likely — had stacked the day’s newspapers on the counter. Jane picked up the top one.

As expected, their faces were all over the cover. First, a shot of the two looking regal and happy as they emerged from their car. The camera had captured her mood perfectly, while the careful lighting of the host flattered everyone who appeared beneath those lights. Her skin was radiant, eyes bright and sparkling with life, and all her joy seemed to have been directed at Logan. An air of happiness wrapped around him like a cloud.

They looked like a couple madly in love.

The next picture included Mandy and Stonewall, as they laughed and chatted. There was even one of Mandy and Jane conversing together, looking for all the world as if they were friends. It surprised Jane that in that dress and with all the work that had been done to her, she didn’t look as out of place as she had felt at the time.

Her eyes moved down to the last picture. As luck would have it, it was a perfectly timed shot of Logan with his fist flying through the air as he went for Jon. A snarl had distorted his face, causing him to seem more savage than he was.

Jane braced herself for the headlines, steeling herself for the worst. As her eyes took in the words, her breath hissed out in one big release.

They explained Logan was only protecting his lady from the unwanted advances of a drunk. There were witnesses who corroborated the story, other celebrities and guests. Words like ‘HERO’ and ‘WARRIOR’ peppered the article.

Relieved that she had been the cause of some good publicity for once, she carried the food to the sunroom and set it down onto the table.

“That shirt looks far better on you than it ever did me.”

Logan came up behind her, planting a kiss on the back of her head. He was dressed in a pair of lounge pants and nothing else. His eyes slid up and down her bare legs, liking what he saw.

“You made us breakfast?” He sat down, admiring the spread before him.

“You’re not the only one who can cook.”

Nibbling on a piece of bacon, he glanced over the papers. “What’s the damage?”

“Nothing actually. They’re full of praise for you saving your damsel in distress.”

He stopped chewing. “That’s all? Nothing about my being a monster?”

“No. You’re a real action hero now.”

The wicked grin that flashed out of him lit up his whole face. “It’s about time reality caught up with the truth.”

Jane sat beside him. “And there’s that ego again. Amazing you can even fit in this room.”

He attacked the eggs with a fork, famished from the activity of the night.

“The earliest appointment I can get with the hypnotherapist is for tomorrow. I’ll be stuck on set and won’t be able to go with you. Would you rather wait until I can? I should have a free afternoon coming up in my schedule.”

Jane went with her first instinct. “I’d rather get it over and done with.”

“Why don’t you see if Clare can go with you?”

“Good idea.”

She called Clare only to discover she couldn’t get the time off work at such short notice — her manager seemed to live for being difficult despite her pleas that it was important.

Hearing their conversation, Logan spoke in-between mouthfuls of food.

“Tell her to tell him that I’ll put in a good word for their store if he’ll let her have the entire day off tomorrow.”

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