Lisa Watson - Love by Design

Indignant, Norma Jean let out a frustrated breath and pinned her son, Adrian, with a withering look. “This is all your fault.”

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Adrian replied between bites of his breakfast. “ You are the one who doesn’t know when to leave well enough alone. I told you two weeks ago that Logan wasn’t interested in being set up. Apparently, you turned down your hearing aid.”

“I don’t wear a hearing aid,” she snapped.

“Well, then you played deaf, because you didn’t listen. He’s been back in town three days, Mom. Let him get acclimated first before you whip out the little black book—or your love-broker encyclopedia.”

“Watch it,” she replied. Getting up from the table, she started clearing away the dishes. She tried to grab Logan’s, but he batted her hand away. “Well, this is a pickle. It’s already been arranged.”

Logan regarded her with determined purpose. “Then unarrange it. Aunt Jeannie, I haven’t even unpacked all my boxes yet, so I definitely don’t have time to date. There’s no way I’m wasting two hours of my evening trying to make small talk with a woman I’ve never met, and that I’m not remotely attracted to.”

“How do you—” Norma Jean stopped and cut her eyes over to Adrian. “You showed him her picture?”

A wide grin shot across his face. “Yep.”

“Adrian,” she chided. “Logan deserves happiness, too. Milán is an incredible woman, and an even better daughter-in-law. She’ll make a wonderful mother, too. That is, whenever you get around to—”

“We’re not having this conversation again,” Adrian interrupted.

“We wouldn’t have to if you’d made good on the promise of giving me grandbabies.”

“Mom, it’s been two years, not ten. Cut us some slack. We’re practicing as much as we can.”

Logan burst out laughing, and patted his cousin on the back.

Norma Jean rolled her eyes. “Do I look amused?”

“Aunt Jeannie, it may not seem like it, but I’m perfectly capable of finding my own dates.”

“You don’t say? Is that why you’re still single?”

“I haven’t found the right girl yet,” he countered.

“Hmph. Seems to me you had the possibility of the right girl, but you let her go.”

His expression darkened. Like he needed a reminder of his ruined relationship with Dakota, or the tense circumstances surrounding why he had left in the first place. Finishing the last of his meal, Logan stood up and put his plate in the dishwasher. “As much as I love these family get-togethers, and reminiscing about subjects I’d prefer not to talk about, I really have to get going. I’m leaving for Jamaica tomorrow.”

Norma Jean frowned. “How long will you be gone?”

“Just a few days.”

“Have you seen Dakota yet?”

“No. At some point I plan to, but I’m not sure how well that’ll go.”

“Tread lightly,” Norma Jean cautioned. “Time has a way of changing folks. Life happens, Logan. She’s not the same girl you left behind years ago.”

He looked at her. “What does that mean?”

Norma Jean shrugged her shoulders. “I’m just saying…things change…people change.”

“Look, I know you mean well, but as far as renewing my friendship with Dakota…I don’t even know if that’s possible. The last few times I’ve been back haven’t gone so well.”

“What did you expect? You haven’t exactly leveled with her, Logan.”

“Aunt Jeannie, I know your heart’s in the right place, but can you just let it go? Right now the water is still, and I’d like to keep it that way.” He kissed Norma Jean’s cheek. “Thanks for breakfast. It was…interesting.”

Norma Jean handed him a plastic container with more cinnamon rolls. “Anytime, sweetie.” She returned the kiss and tapped him on the chest with her index finger. “We’re not done talking yet. Remember what I said, and there’s always time to right a wrong, Logan. You and Dakota were the best of friends and I—”

Logan headed out of the kitchen. “You’re beating a dead horse that ain’t coming alive.”

Adrian kissed his mother and then fell into step beside his cousin. “At least you didn’t get fixed up with one.”

“I heard that,” his mother called out from behind them.

Logan and Adrian continued to laugh and compare notes as they walked out.

Retrieving his car keys from his pocket, Logan glanced at him. “Well, that was brutal. Remind me again how I got on her radar? I’ve only been back three days.”

“Quit complaining. That was two days longer than my friends and I wagered on. I lost fifty bucks on you. Though I may still have a chance. The second bet is that you’ll be off the market by Christmas. Which, by the way, is just three months away.”

“Save your money. I have no intention of being caught up in Aunt Jeannie’s machinations.”

Adrian aimed the remote at his vehicle. “Yeah, that’s what we all said.”

Logan got in and started his car. He glanced at his phone. The ringer was turned down. He had missed several calls, one of them from his mother. There was no way Aunt Jeannie could have called her that fast. Turning the engine off, he decided to get it over with.

“Hey, Mom,” he said when she picked up. “How are you?”

“I’m fine, honey,” Beverly Montague replied with excitement. “How’s Chicago? Are you settling in okay?”

“Yep. The condo is fine. I’m still unpacking, but I should be done by the weekend.”

“I’m glad.”

“How are things going without Dad? Are you lonely?”

“No, indeed,” she said quickly. “Don’t get me wrong. I love and miss my husband, but your father and Heathcliffe are having a ball fishing. I get daily…sometimes more often…reports on what they’re up to.” She laughed. “It’s great to hear them sounding like a bunch of young guys out on a weekend pass.”

Logan chuckled. “Considering it’s Dad we’re talking about, that’s shocking. He’s not exactly the sit-back-and-relax type of guy.”

“You’d be surprised. Ever since you took over at Belle Cove, he’s only had to focus on running Montague International. He’s got a solid executive team in place, so he’s been learning to slow down. Personally, I think retirement is the best thing for him, but I know he’ll never let go one hundred percent. Still, your taking over the resorts has been a tremendous help, honey. I know it wasn’t easy, but you have exceeded our expectations. You’ve fit in wonderfully, and made solid contributions to the company since you started. I’m so proud of you, Logan. We both are.”

He felt a surge of gratification. “Thanks, Mom. That means a lot to me. So what are you doing while they’re gone?” he said, changing the subject. “Something tells me you’re not at home crocheting.”

“Heavens, no,” Beverly said quickly. “The ladies and I have been having a fun time with our charity projects…and a few excursions.”

The way she said it tipped Logan off that his mother was indeed making good use of his father’s being away. He was not worried, though—his parents loved each other and had for over thirty-five years. As for his aunt and uncle, they were the most solid couple he knew, next to his parents.

“Do I even want to know the details?” he joked.

“Uh, no. That way, if your dad asks you for the particulars, you can answer him honestly.”

Logan let out a robust laugh. “Gotcha.”

“Enough about me. What’s this I hear about you blowing off a date your aunt set up for you?”

The smile slid right off his face. Apparently, Aunt Jeannie had made the rounds. His mother had heard about the potential date and promptly sided with her sister-in-law. Normally, his uncle Heathcliffe would temper his aunt’s plotting, but since he and his father were silver-salmon fishing in Alaska, he was on his own.