Free Northern Fascination by Jennifer Labrecque

said.
    He was used to people asking his advice and direction. He was not, however, used to being talked around as if he was invisible. Or worse, having someone speak for him as if he was incapable of stringing a sentence together. Nonetheless, he held his tongue and let the ladies chat. Soon enough Teddy would be quizzing him about the particulars of the buyout.
    “What about carbs?” Teddy said, quizzing Jenna about the choice of snack instead.
    “I’ll work it off in Zumba. I’m starving.”
    “True enough. Be right back.”
    That was it?
    First, Merrilee Swenson had played him like a Stradivarius. Obviously she was positioning herself as not being interested in order to secure top dollar. Apparently her strategy was to make him wait, even before he threw the initial offer out on the table. And now this waitress was taking the same tact. It stood to reason, she wasn’t rolling in cash if she was waitressing. And she was about to move to one of the most expensive cities in the world, yet she’d totally blown him off. Obviously the entire town was in on the conspiracy. No worries, he had plenty of time and the company had plenty of money.
    In the meantime, what the hell was Zumba? He quirked an eyebrow at Jenna. “Zumba?”
    Jenna laughed. “It’s a cardio-dance workout set to Latin music. We all get together a couple times a week at the community center and exercise. I guess you could call it our fitness club.”
    A few moments later, Teddy came back with their drinks. “Here you are. One Scotch neat and a side of water, just in case.”
    “Thanks.”
    “Pretzels,” she said, depositing a basket between them, “and one white-wine spritzer.”
    Jenna snagged one of the pretzels. “Thanks. I was just explaining Zumba to Logan.”
    Teddy turned to him. “Oh, you should come. It’s so much fun! It doesn’t matter whether you get all the steps or not.”
    “I don’t—”
    “Really, you should at least try it,” Teddy interjected. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever complete a sentence again. “We have some guys that come regularly. Petey—”
    “He’s a prospector and Donna’s boyfriend,” Jenna added. “You met Donna on your way into Curl’s.”
    “Tall?” Maybe if he limited himself to one word, he could get it all out.
    “Right.” Teddy nodded, grabbing the conversational reins again. “Anyway, you’d never guess it but Petey can flat out bust a move.”
    “I’m not much of a dancer,” Logan said. He didn’t think it came with the Jeffries genetic packaging.
    “You might be and just don’t know it. Jenna’s a good teacher.”
    “Ah, you’re the instructor?” Even if he were aiming to bust a move with Jenna, it wouldn’t be in a community center with a roomful of people and Latin music blaring.
    “More like the leader. I just stand in front of the class and give everyone someone to follow.”
    “Don’t let her fool you. She’s good. You should see her salsa and cha-cha.”
    Another one of those blushes climbed Jenna’s neck and face and Logan couldn’t help but tease her. “Well, maybe I’ll have to stop by to check it out, strictly as an observer.”
    She laughed, shaking her head, a challenging look in her eye. “You show up, you’ve got to participate.”
    Not even to seal the town deal. He grinned. “Fortunately for my two left feet, I left my cha-cha shoes at home.”
    From across the room, a man called out, “Hey, Teddy, I’m parched over here.”
    “Hold your horses, Jack. I’m coming.” Laughing, Teddy turned. “I’ll check back with you guys in a few.”
    Logan realized with a start he’d been having fun. Chasing on the heels of that nugget of insight came the thought that he’d nearly forgotten what fun was actually like. It wasn’t part of his daily routine. He wasn’t sure if it had ever been.
    He raised his glass in Jenna’s direction in a mini-toast and she did the same. His gaze held hers for a fraction longer than he’d intended and the