he greeted the woman behind the counter.
“Morning, Logan.” Penny Parrish had an amazing memory and had remembered his name from the beginning of their acquaintance, though he wasn’t a regular customer yet.
He studied the brews listed on the whiteboard. Some were the usual offerings, but he often got the flavor of the day. “I’ll try the Southwest Twist,” he told Penny.
“That’s one of my favorites. There’s a touch of roasted piñon nuts in the mix. It’s so popular I’m planning to make it a regular item.”
“Sounds great.”
Logan took the cup she handed him and tasted the steaming brew. He gave Penny a thumbs-up. The rich scent filled his senses and he restrained the temptation to gulp the coffee down. Even though his hiding spot on the edge of the clearing had been upwind of the game trail, he’d refrained from eating or drinking to avoid attracting attention.
Penny’s face was warm and friendly. While her eyes held the twinkle he’d enjoyed since getting to know her, he realized it couldn’t be easy keeping a positive attitude—her husband had died just a month earlier. Logan hadn’t been in Seattle at the time, though he’d sent flowers. On his visits before Eric’s death, Logan had recognized how much the couple loved each other. Their commitment had been rare, but at least they’d had fifty-plus years together. They were among the lucky few, though he couldn’t say that to Nicole or Adam, who’d both gotten engaged since moving to Seattle. Still, maybe they’d be lucky, as well.
Cup in one hand and swatting at his messy jeans with the other, Logan hurried into Moonlight Ventures. He waved at the office manager, Chelsea Masters.
“They’re waiting for you,” she called after him.
“I know, I’m late.”
They were meeting in Nicole’s office, which was the only one large enough for four people. Space was at a premium for the agency. Kevin McClaskey, the previous owner, had been a one-man show. He hadn’t expected to expand, so he’d sectioned off most of the building and given long-term leases to people like Penny and Eric Parrish. Still, Kevin’s overall office area was larger than he’d needed and it hadn’t seemed an issue when they purchased the talent agency and building. They’d remodeled the office space extensively and had been fairly happy with it, but as each partner arrived, they were feeling increasingly cramped. Not to mention wanting more rooms for training purposes and other needs. His own office wasn’t much bigger than a closet.
“I see you didn’t have time to change your clothes again.” Nicole tossed him the beach towel she had waiting. More than once on his trips to Seattle he’d arrived at a meeting wet or covered in mud from a photography outing, so she’d learned to be prepared.
“Nope.” Logan’s jeans had dried on the drive to the city, but despite his efforts to brush them off, they were stained with dirt and forest debris. He set his cup on a low table and covered a chair with the towel. “But I got some amazing shots.”
Adam chuckled. “You always do.”
“Here, take a look.” Logan went over and inserted a memory card into the computer, bringing the images up to display on a wall-mounted television. One of the big remodeling expenses had been getting the best wiring and electronics into their offices.
“They’re wonderful,” Nicole said after seeing a number of the photos.
Adam nodded in agreement. “Absolutely. Are they for a magazine?”
“Actually, I’m doing a calendar, and a publisher has approached me about doing a book on the Pacific Northwest.”
“I’ll buy the first copy,” Rachel promised. “But I wonder, are you going to be torn between full-time photography and the agency?”
The not-so-delicate question was probably something they were all wondering about.
“I’ve thought about it,” Logan admitted. “But while I love the challenge of getting a great picture, I also want to work at the agency.”
The discussion shifted and they compared notes on several prospective clients.
None of Logan’s friends seemed concerned by his answer. They’d put contingencies into the partnership agreement in case any of them decided to go another direction at some point, but he didn’t expect to change his mind about Moonlight Ventures. Being a talent agent would require him to find a balance between his competing interests.
Those interests didn’t include a family, even though his parents had begun fervently lobbying for grandchildren. His father was a retired diplomat and his mother a former protocol expert. Now they wanted to dive into being grandparents with the same intensity they’d brought to embassy duties and official dinners. In fact, they acted as if marriage and kids were items on a list that everybody needed to check off.
Logan had firmly told them not to start buying baby booties; he intended to stay a bachelor. His decision partly stemmed from the fact that he’d seen too many bad relationships to have any faith in marriage. The statistics on divorce weren’t encouraging. But the biggest reason was his own questions about whether he had what it took. He doubted he had the personality and commitment to make a marriage successful. After all, he’d have to change his personal life far more than a move to Seattle would require, and he couldn’t see that happening.
Ultimately, it would be best to be an honorary uncle to his friends’ children and leave the uncertainty of marriage and parenting to them.
Seven months later...
LOGAN SAT IN his car, gazing through the early spring rain at the Crystal Connection. It rained a lot in Washington in every season, which must be why it was called the Evergreen State.
Even in the dark weather, the crystals in the windows moved and winked with every breath of air inside the store. Small spotlights had been focused on them so they were sure to capture attention. He didn’t understand why some people were so crazy about crystals and the New Age mysticism surrounding them, but that was their business. The problem was that he and his partners needed to expand and the crystals were directly in the way.
There was a knock on the window and he jerked; he’d been so deep in thought that he hadn’t noticed Rachel Clarion approaching. Rachel Kessler, he reminded himself, since she’d joined the ranks of the recently married. Not only that, she was pregnant.
“What’s up?” he asked, getting out of the car.
“Nothing much. Where is your sports car?”
“Traded it in over the weekend. I enjoyed it, but I decided to get this smaller hybrid since I want a place outside the city. I’m keeping the SUV for my photo ventures into the mountains.”
“Simon has talked about getting a hybrid ever since Livvie learned about fossil fuels in school.” Her face glowed at the mention of her new husband and his daughter. “He’s a sucker when it comes to Livvie.”
“So are you.”
“True.” Rachel laughed.
She adored
