Page 32 of Embattled Return

Marigold huffed out a laugh and waved a hand. “Now you know.”

She turned down a couple of streets and began to head north. “Denver is a very artsy city. You’ll find so many different art museums, from fine art to street art. This is one of my favorite areas so far. It’s called RiNo, for River North.”

The little car purred her way through traffic and Marigold thought that Logan might be appreciating what he was seeing. A couple of times he craned his neck to keep something in sight as long as possible. Then she slowed and flicked on her blinker, waiting for cross traffic to pass. “I think this is my favorite street in Denver, so far. It’s called Art Alley.”

They idled down the street, looking at design after design on the walls of the buildings. “Okay,” he breathed, leaning forward in his seat. “This is pretty cool.”

Marigold grinned, so glad that she’d brought him here. “Supposedly there’s a street festival in the fall. New artists come in and paint new murals. Sometimes they go over the existing ones, so I’ve taken pictures of all of these before they’re lost.”

“This really is amazing. I admire anyone with creative inclinations. I definitely don’t have them.”

“I do a little bit,” she admitted. “I love that there are classes everywhere, here. I’m signed up for a couple this month.”

They drifted along with the rest of the traffic, not in a rush to get anywhere.

“Do you like books?” she asked. “There’s an amazing bookstore not too far from here.”

“I do like books,” he admitted. “You?”

Marigold appreciated that he was at least responding to her. “I love them, though I tend to read a lot of fiction, urban fantasy in particular.”

He gave a nod like he actually knew what urban fantasy was. Maybe he did.

They drove for a few more minutes until she pulled along a street and pointed out a series of windows. “This is the Tattered Cover Lodo, or Lower Downtown. It’s an amazing store. Would you like to check it out?”

He gave her a nod. “I would, actually.”

She maneuvered close to the front doors and idled. “Can I drop you off here?”

“Find your parking spot, Marigold. There are cars behind you.”

Sighing at his obstinacy, she turned down the street. There were several pay lots nearby, but she wanted to get as close as possible for Logan and his stubborn ass. She managed to snag a compact space about a quarter of the way down from the store. Damn, that was lucky.

Marigold was surprised that he even wanted to go in. Logan seemed to be in his own little isolationist bubble. Maybe this was his attempt to placate her, or something. She wasn’t upset that he hadn’t wanted to move into Nancy’s house, just disappointed. It would have been good for him.

She slowed her gait to stay beside him as they walked toward the front door. Surprisingly, they were the only ones on the sidewalk at that moment. She watched the placement of his crutches on the ground, watching for stray ice patches. It was pretty clear, and the sun was shining, melting what was left on the sidewalks. When he paused and turned to her slightly, it took her a second to realize what he was doing.

“Marigold, I want to apologize for the other night. I’m not... that felt like a commitment to me. The house was fantastic and Nancy seems to be a doll, but I’m just not ready to engage further.”

She shrugged, trying not to show her hurt. She scuffed at the sidewalk with the toe of her boot. “That’s fine, Logan. I was just trying to help a guy out. No commitment stated, inferred or requested.”

He nodded slowly, dark brows furrowed under his ball cap. “Roger that.”

They took off walking again, but she couldn’t help asking, “What if you find family, though?”

Logan gave her a narrow-eyed look from beneath the cap, crutches swinging. “I guess I’ll see when and if it happens. As of right now, I don’t think John will find anything.”

The massive bookstore was not especially crowded, though Marigold knew it was a matter of time. When they entered through the front door and went up the steps, Logan had to stop and stare. It was a beautiful old building, and her favorite of the four locations. It called to her heart.

Union Station was a popular shopping area, with some fantastic restaurants nearby. Marigold had come here on a few dates. The excellent food helped make up for the not-so-excellent companionship. And the bookstore was to die for. She spent a lot of time here, in this particular store. Sometimes she brought her laptop just to sit and soak up the calm ambience. She had a feeling when school started she would be here even more.

“Okay, you weren’t kidding,” he said softly. “What a cool space.”

Crutches planted firmly on the hardwood floors, legs moving, he headed toward the history section. Marigold didn’t feel like she needed to babysit the man, so she headed toward the magazine section. Shannon had sent her down several times with petty cash to load up on gun magazines for the reception area and the guys’ break room. No Vogue or Good Housekeeping for the LNF offices, she thought with a snort.

Then she headed to the urban fantasy section. Logan was also in fiction, now, and she wondered what he liked to read. Looked like westerns. Hm. She watched as he walked down the hardwood aisle, crutches hanging from his arms. He could walk without them, but his gait was stiff, like he’d been sitting in one position too long. But he could move. The crutches appeared to be insurance when out in public.

That was good to know.

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