maybe six or seven times a year. He didn’t see any of his relatives daily.
“Yes, I go every day. But I’m sure you don’t want to hear about this.”
“Yes, I do. Come back into the kitchen while I stack the dishwasher, and tell me about it.”
“It’s not all that interesting. You go on. I’ll start putting up the chairs.”
He rested the bin against the counter. “Why don’t you want to tell me?”
“Because it’s boring.” She picked up a chair and turned it upside down on a table, and followed that with another chair, and another.
“I don’t think so.”
“I do.” She stacked chairs in rapid succession. “I love my grandmother more than anyone in the world, but there are times when worrying about her is a real buzzkill.” She paused, her hand on the back of a chair. Then she turned to him with a stricken expression. “Did I just say that? I must be a horrible person to say something like that.”
He smiled gently. “Not a horrible person. Just a person who needs to get out more. And I don’t mean to the assisted living facility.”
She shook her head. “I can’t. She knows my schedule, and she expects me to come whenever I’m not working. I need to be there for her. I want to be there for her.”
“That’s pretty intense. Can’t you back off from that a little bit?”
“Eventually I hope to, once she’s back to her usual sunny self. These first few months have been rough on her. I had to move her out of her house and sell it to pay for this place, because she needs constant medical supervision. It was the only answer.”
Josie might be annoyed, but Logan thought of his next move as a good deed. “Didn’t Steve say he’d take your next shift?”
“He did, but he might not feel up to it.”
“Then again, he might. When is it?”
“Three to eleven, but he looked pretty sick to me.”
“If it’s food poisoning, he could be over it by tomorrow. And if he can take your shift, then you could go riding with me at the Last Chance. Your grandmother would never know.” He would explain to Josie that her best employee was about to blow a gasket if she didn’t get some recreation into her routine. Surely Josie would understand.
Caro hesitated. “I have to admit that sounds nice.”
“Of course it does. Taking a trail ride was your suggestion in the first place.”
“Josie and Jack have told me anytime I want to come out and ride, I’m more than welcome.”
“There you go.” His excitement grew as he imagined spending hours with her out on the trail. No doubt he’d end up saddle sore, but it would be worth it to watch her soaking up the sunshine and fresh air. And maybe a long trail ride could turn into a private little … But he didn’t want to get ahead of himself.
“Now I’m really hoping Steve recovers.”
“Me, too.” Logan was prepared to find another replacement if Steve was still on the disabled list. He’d plead Caro’s case to Josie and see what could be done. “Now let’s finish cleaning so you can go home and get some sleep.” He tossed that last part out on purpose, to see if she had any plan to linger around … with him.
“Okay.” She started stacking chairs on tables again. “Fortunately, I don’t have to go far. Josie’s renting me her old apartment upstairs.”
That info flashed in neon lights in his hormone-soaked brain. So her bedroom was right over their heads. “That’s convenient.” He picked up the bin full of glasses and headed into the kitchen.
As he loaded the commercial dishwasher, he fought with his conscience. He’d pictured some time alone, maybe a few kisses, some fondling. But her bedroom was right upstairs.
He probably shouldn’t go there, even if he could work it so nobody ever had to know but the two of them. Then again, she might have mentioned it on purpose, hoping he’d take the hint. She might not have time for a relationship, but was there anything wrong with some good old-fashioned sex?
He sighed. Josie had specifically requested that he put on the brakes, and he was considering flooring it. She was obviously protective of Caro, and Logan admired that. But should Josie be the one to decide what happened between Caro and him? Or should she be allowed to choose for herself?
So much hinged on Caro’s attitude. After spending several hours working with her, he saw her as upbeat and levelheaded, not the sort of woman who would expect one fun night together meant wedding bells.
He started the dishwasher and walked back out into the bar, where Caro wielded a push broom with gusto. The rapid motion made her breasts quiver under her red checked Western shirt. From her complete concentration, someone might conclude that the fate of the world rested on getting every last bit of debris off the floor.
Logan had always admired hustle, but he knew she must be tired. “I’d be glad to finish that up if there’s something else you need to do to close the place down.”
“Not really.” She kept sweeping, her gaze focused intently on the job, her fingers clenched around the broom handle. “As you noticed, it was an open bar tonight, which was Josie and Jack’s gift to the happy couple, so I don’t have to tally any receipts.”
“Want me to take out the trash?”
She shook her head and kept working. “It’s better to put it out in the morning. Once in a while we have bears come through at night.” She looked up. “We’re basically done, Logan. Thanks so much. You can head on over to Judy’s place if you want.” She put her head down and continued to sweep as if her life depended on it.
“Trying to get rid of me?”
She stopped in midsweep and gazed at him. “No, but I’ll bet you’re exhausted.”
“Funniest thing, but I’m not particularly sleepy.”
“Oh.” She started sweeping again, but her motions were slower. “Then if you don’t mind getting the small broom and that long-handled dustpan, I’d appreciate it.”
“I can do that.” He found them over in a corner and began gathering up the piles she’d made and dumping everything into a plastic-lined trash can.
“Logan, do you have a girlfriend?”
He almost choked on his answer. “No.” He could think of only one reason for that question. He cleared his throat so he could elaborate as he continued to scoop up trash. “I was dating someone, but it turned out she wasn’t crazy about going out with an ex-baseball player.”
“Ouch.”
He glanced over at Caro. “Actually, it was one of the good things about leaving the game. She had a chance to show her true colors.” He paused. “Do you have a boyfriend?” From Josie’s comments, he was fairly sure she didn’t, but he might as well make certain.
