Page 80 of Until the Sea Runs Dry

“You’ve not mentioned her before,” Jane commented, pleased that he was opening up to her.

“She’s amazing. Kind, caring, the hardest worker I know. Obviously, she’s the most beautiful woman in the world too.”

The love that poured out of him at the simple mention of her name made her smile. “Of course she is. And your dad?”

His smile froze. Those green eyes took on a hard glint. “The less I say about that loser, the better.”

Just like that, their conversation was cut short. Jane hadn’t known what a short fuse he had for the topic of his father, and she wished she hadn’t gone there. That tension he carried so often on his shoulders was back again.

What she had read of him hinted of a tough childhood. She even remembered reading that he was estranged from his father, but in the moment, she had forgotten, and had put her foot right in it.

A plump woman wearing a sunny dress pushed a shopping cart inside which sat an equally plump baby. Her face did a double take as she stopped dead in front of Logan, clearly recognizing him. When he caught her watching him, it was as if their conversation hadn’t sent him into a dark place.

He flashed her a high-wattage smile that sent the woman’s knees knocking.

The woman grabbed his arm.

“Can I have a picture of you with me and the baby? I’d love to be able to show it to her when she’s old enough to understand.”

“Of course.”

Throwing his arm around her, he smiled into the phone she pointed at them.

“Oh, thank you! Thank you!”

Overjoyed, she went away, staring at the picture of them, more taken with the proof of their meeting than of the movie star who still stood in front of her.

“They ask for a picture and just leave?” It seemed incredibly rude.

He reached for a pack of lasagna sheets, studying the label. “At least she asked first and thanked me after. A lot of people forget to do either.”

He said it so matter-of-factly that Jane was flooded with sympathy.

“That’s pretty crappy.”

“People get excited. Anyway, I don’t mind a bit of rudeness. It’s the crazies you need to watch out for.” The sheets went into the basket he was carrying, along with two boxes of heirloom tomatoes and a couple of cans of Redpack plum tomatoes.

“Aren’t you going to go for the San Marzano tomatoes? They’re the best.”

Logan cocked a brow. “I actually prefer this home-grown brand. It’s cheaper too.”

“I wasn’t aware that thriftiness was a word you understood judging by all the cars gathering dust in your garage.”

“I haven’t always been rich. My mom worked three jobs to keep us afloat. Some things stay with you regardless of what zip code you now live in.”

She felt suitably chastised.

“That wasn’t nice. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. Just don’t do it again.” He softened the words with another high-beam smile that made her grow warm.

She had to wrench her gaze away or risk falling under his spell. She studied the incredible amount of cheese on display.

“I’m assuming you want parmesan? I’m guessing you’ll be bypassing the ricotta to make a bechamel sauce?”

She had spoken without thought, but Logan picked up on what she hadn’t.

“Correct, pass me the Parmesan.”

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