tone turning slightly brusque.
âAnd we appreciate it.â He gave her a nod. âIâll be in touch.â
With a tight smile, Gretchen said goodbye and strode away, her heels tapping sharply on the sidewalk.
Melissa released a slow sigh, then realized she was still holding Loganâs arm. He looked at her at that moment, and she pulled away. âSorry,â she mumbled.
He shook his head. âThat woman is something else.â
âShe has quite an overwhelming presence, doesnât she?â Melissa remarked. âWhy do you think she was so interested in holding onto the map?â
âNo idea,â Logan answered. âShe could be concerned about preserving the townâs history as part of her platform.â
âProbably.â
He opened the passenger door of his truck and waited for her to get in, then went around and climbed behind the wheel. After merging into traffic, he headed out of town toward the museum.
âHow did your meeting go?â she asked, curious to know what he and his friends had talked about at the club. Sheâd asked around about the Texas Cattlemanâs Club. Some people had suggested it was a social club where the men could go for conversation and relaxation. But when sheâd lived in Royal sheâd heard rumors that the club was some sort of secret organization of men who performed dangerous missions, solved crimes and ran rescue operations.
It was a silly notion, of course. It wasnât as though they were superheroes. But she did wonder about Loganâs involvement.
âThe meeting went fine,â Logan replied, not revealing what heâd discussed with his friends. Melissa would find out soon enough about Jonathanâs murder. For now, heâd keep it under his hat, use it as leverage to keep herinvolved in reporting from Royal if she made noises about leaving.
âReally?â
Her inquisitive expression sent a warning to him. âYes.â
âHmmm.â
Not sure he really wanted to know, but curious as to the direction her mind was going, Logan asked, âWhatâs that âhmmâ for?â
âWho else was there?â she asked, ignoring his question.
Logan shrugged. âA few of my friends.â
âSuch asâ¦â Melissa waited for him to fill her in.
âJake Thorne and his brother, Connor.â
âJake, whoâs running for mayor against Gretchen, right?â
âYes.â
âAnd what does Connor do?â
âHe runs his familyâs engineering firm.â
âAh. And who else was there?â
Studying her, he said, âYou sure are full of questions.â He began thinking he was treading on dangerous ground. It wouldnât do for Melissa to know too much about the club or its operations. As far as the public was concerned it was an ordinary club.
âJust curious.â She smiled.
âRight.â The force of her smile hit him all the way to his heart. Heâd always loved her shapely mouth, her tempting, kissable lips. After all these years, he still remembered her taste. Hot, sweetâand capable of driving a man to his knees, begging for more.
âI am a reporter,â she reminded him.
Logan hadnât forgot that. Sheâd be leaving within a week or so, as soon as sheâd finished her story. âFrom what Iâve heard youâre good one.â Her smile grew wider, reminiscent of the younger woman heâd loved.
âDonât try to sidetrack me with a compliment.â His comment was interesting. Had he been checking up on her? Or had he seen one of her reports?
He chuckled. âAll right. Mark Hartman, who is another rancher and runs a self-defense studio in town, Tom Morgan, whoâs related to the Devlins and owns a demolition business, and the sheriff.â
She raised her eyebrows.
He glanced at her, his expression guarded. âWhatâs that look for?â
âWell, youâre a
Legs McNeil, Jennifer Osborne, Peter Pavia