Snowbound Summer (The Logan Series Book 3) (15 page)

When Summer’s arms came up and
wound around his neck, his heart jumped.

When she stepped her legs apart,
and pressed herself as close as she could get, his body responded instantly.

When someone twisted the
doorknob, he jerked his mouth away from hers, and growled, “Go away.”

Whoever was on the other side did
what they were told.

“Nick. We can’t. Not here.” She
was breathing heavily and her eyes were drugged with lust.

“Tell me you want me.”

Her tongue swiped over her bottom
lip. “I want you.”

“How much?”

“More than anything.”

He rested his forehead against
hers and let his hands fall. “I don’t care that you’ve kept secrets from me.
You’re here, now, that’s all that matters.”

She tried to speak, but he placed
a finger on her soft lips.

“We want each other. We choose
each other. Everything else is unimportant.”

He eased back, and took a step away.
“Tonight, you’ll sleep in my bed.”

“And we’ll talk.” There was
determination in her voice, in the unwavering way she looked at him. “I have
things I need to tell you. Things to explain.”

About Michael.
He didn’t
think he could take it if she told him she’d slept with her ex again, but he’d
have to try. Because whatever had happened the previous night, she’d chosen to
be here today, with him.

“Tonight.” He nodded. “We’ll talk
tonight.”

*****

The next few hours passed in a haze. They were never alone.
The kitchen was a buzz of activity. Val, April and Ellie joined them in the
kitchen, preparing vegetables and stirring sauces, while the men set the table
and cleared up.

They weren’t alone, but a silent
thread tied them together evident in the looks they shared, the casual touch of
a hand when passing ingredients one to the other, the way Nick brushed against
her in passing. Deliberately. Laden with intent.

Later, they’d be alone. The scale
of what she’d hid from him was large. What she’d hid from everyone. Would they
think less of her when they discovered she’d failed?

She’d reveal the truth to Nick
tonight, at home, and let the news percolate through his family gradually. She
always spoke to her parents in the early evening on Christmas Day so she’d tell
them the truth too.

When the meal was made, everyone
carried dishes to the table that had been dressed in a beautiful white linen
tablecloth and set with gleaming silverware. Ellie had lit candles in the
center of the table, and the entire scene was magical.

Nick carried in the turkey and
placed it in front of his father.

“I’m proud of you, son.” Dermot
picked up a lethal looking knife and started to carve. “This looks fantastic.”

“Remind me to make a bet with you
again next year,” Ellie added. “I like not being responsible for Christmas
dinner.”

Finn walked around the table
filling everyone’s glasses with champagne.

Someone’s cell phone rang. Nick
reached into his pocket and glanced at the screen. “It’s Declan.” His steady
gaze met Summer’s.

They expected her to be in the
house with Michael. The moment she’d hoped to put off was here. Now. She moved
her head in a tiny movement—a brief nod.

“Put him on speakerphone,” Ellie
said.

“Yes, do. We’d all like to wish
him merry Christmas,” Dermot added.

Nick answered the phone. “Hey,
Declan. Merry Christmas. We’re all at the table and you’re on speakerphone.”

“Happy Christmas to you all.” Her
brother sounded happy. “If you’re all sitting down to lunch, I won’t keep you.
Did he do a good job, Ellie?”

“Well it looks and smells
brilliant. I think I’ll have to get Nick to cook every year,” Ellie said.

“So, who is around your Christmas
table this year? Full house?”

“Hi, Declan, this is Finn, I’m
here with Val. Happy Christmas from us.”

One by one, the family introduced
themselves and wished her brother the best of the season. Then it was her turn.

“Happy Christmas, Declan.” Her
voice was so quiet she sort of hoped he hadn’t heard.
No such luck.

“Summer? What are you doing there?
I thought you and Michael…”

“The Logans kindly asked me to
join them.” Everyone was looking at her. She swallowed and curled her hands
into fists on her lap. “Michael isn’t with me.” Her face heated. God, this
whole situation was beyond embarrassing. “Michael and I are over. We’ve been
over for months—I didn’t want to tell you, I knew you’d all want me to join you
in Spain rather than be alone for Christmas.” It was the truth, but not the
entire truth. Summer picked up her glass and drank deeply. “The truth is, I
didn’t want to admit that I’d failed.”

“Finishing with Michael isn’t
failing, it’s a win. I for one am delighted—the guy was a prick…uh… Sorry for
the language, Ellie.”

Summer’s pulse was racing. Her
heart was hammering so hard it hurt. Nick reached out and placed his hand over
hers.

“What about the restaurant,
Summer? A friend told me he walked past it a couple of days ago…he said—”

Summer’s stomach dived. She
didn’t want it to come out like this, she wanted to tell Nick the truth first,
but there was no way to now, no way out.

“I lied about everything. It’s
not just Michael—I’ve failed at the restaurant too. Summer’s Kitchen has closed
and the premises is on the market.” Shocked faces and gasps met her
announcement. “Can you take me off speakerphone, Nick? I think I need to talk
to Declan for a moment in private.”

Nick turned speakerphone off and
handed his cell phone over.

“Start without me,” Summer said
to the table in general, then she took the phone and retreated into the
kitchen.

Adrenaline coursed through her
veins as Summer sank onto a chair. Her brother was talking non-stop, but all
she could think of was the faces that had stared at her. One face in
particular. Nick’s face. He’d looked stunned by her revelations. And right now,
he was doubtless facing the forth degree from his entire family.

“You should have told us,” Declan
said.

“I didn’t want to disappoint
everyone.” Her chest felt tight. “I’ve always been—”

“What? A winner? You’ve always
excelled at everything. That’s just who you are, Summer. But it isn’t the
reason your family loves you. We love you because you’re you. Jeez, as your
younger brother, I love you despite the fact that you’re so perfect.”

“What do you mean?” Her forehead
pleated.

“You were a prefect. Head girl. A
straight A student. Everything competition you entered, you won. It would have
been easy to resent you—and I won’t lie, when I was younger I used to get so
frustrated. I struggled with stuff that came so easily to you.”

Declan had never given her even a
hint of his feelings. Or had he? Had she been so wrapped up in her own life
she’d not even noticed? “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.
You just have to realize that not being perfect was not an issue for Mum and Dad.
They love us both the same. Failing at something is normal. Going through it
alone isn’t. We’re here for you. My admiration for you isn’t dented one bit by
knowing Summer’s Kitchen has closed. I love you. I hate the fact you’ve had to
go through all of this—and the end of your relationship—without anyone.” He was
silent for a moment. Then, “Does Nick know all this?”

“He does now.”

Declan puffed out a breath.
“Christ, did you just tell everyone for the first time?”

“Yes. Nick knew I wasn’t with
Michael, but—”

“Back up.” Declan’s tone was
sharp. “Nick knew you and Michael were through and he didn’t tell me?”

“I asked him not to. Nick’s been
great. He’s helped me so much over the past few days, I…I have feelings for
him.”

“What?” Declan swore. “What the
hell do you mean, you have feelings for Nick? He’s supposed to be…Damn, I told
him to take care of you. I didn’t mean for him to—”

Anger flared. “I care about Nick.
I care about him a lot. I don’t need you to tell me who I can date…”

“You’re vulnerable,” Declan said
flatly. “You don’t know what you’re doing. I never would have thought Nick
would take advantage of you. I know he’s been crazy about you forever…”

He has?

“But he has no damn right in
hitting on you when you’re just out of a relationship. No damn right.”

“My relationship with Nick is
none of your business, Declan. I know he’s your best friend, and I know you’re
protective of me, but I didn’t walk into this blind, and I’m not on the
rebound.” She breathed in deep. “I’m in love with Nick.”

“So when were you both going to
tell me this?”

“Well, I guess I wanted to tell
Nick first. I’d planned to tell him tonight.”

“Mum and Dad want to know what’s
going on.”

She couldn’t go through it all
again. “Everyone here is eating. I have to go back to the table and explain.”
It was a big ask, but she had to delegate. “Could you tell Mum and Dad? I’ll
call later.”

Chapter
Nineteen

Summer looked subdued when she came back. She crept across
the room and sat down, a nervous smile on her face.

“I’m sorry about all that,” she
said to the table in general. “I didn’t mean to unload all of my personal
baggage at the table.”

“So the restaurant is closed?”
Nick asked.

“Yes. It has been for a while.
There’s so much competition in the restaurant business, especially in central
London—I tried, but…” Her shoulders rose and fell in an eloquent shrug.

“And your relationship broke up
as a result?” Ellie leaned forward. The curiosity in her eyes was mixed with
concern. “I’m so sorry to hear that, dear.”

“Michael and I broke up before
Summer’s Kitchen closed. I moved out months ago. He wasn’t happy that I was
talking about the problems with the restaurant so much. I guess he just wanted
everything to be perfect. To stay perfect.”

“But he came to see you
yesterday.” Nick crossed his arms. This conversation should be taking place in
private—the last thing he wanted was for his entire family to see how much he
cared about Summer, but somehow he couldn’t stop talking. “Are you going back
to him?”

With a gasp, she reached out to
grasp his arm. “No. Never. He called and wanted to meet. I really had no
inclination to listen to anything he had to say, but I knew he wouldn’t leave
without seeing me. I went to his hotel yesterday.” She stared into Nick’s eyes.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I should have. I thought he was going to beg me
for a second chance, and I was ready to tell him that would never happen. That
I cared for someone else.”

Nick wished that his family would
talk amongst themselves rather than watch Summer with such intense focus, but
it was as if everything playing out in front of them was too interesting to
turn away from.

“He didn’t want me he wanted the
business. Michael had a client who wanted to buy the restaurant and employ me
as head chef. I guess he was keen to buy the whole package, Michelin star and
all. I have absolutely no interest in doing that—Summer’s Kitchen is dead, as
is my life in London. I plan to move back to Brookbridge in January.” Her hand
stroked down Nick’s arm until it found his hand.

Nick gripped her hand tight.

“I was only with him for an hour,
then I went shopping.”

She’s lying.
The only
reason he could think of was that she didn’t want to admit that she’d spent the
evening with Michael. She must have slept with him. Bitter bile rose in Nick’s
throat. He pulled his hand from hers. “I care about you, Summer, but I can’t be
with someone who lies to me.”

“Holy God, has there been romance
going on between you two?” Ellie breathed. Dermot shushed her.

 “You were seen with him later in
the restaurant—you didn’t deny it when I mentioned it this morning, and you
didn’t come home last night until past midnight. Whatever is between you and
Michael doesn’t seem to be over.” He couldn’t sit at the table any longer
listening to her lies. Nick stood.

Summer jumped to her feet. “Don’t
you run away from me, Nick Logan. Yes, I was in the restaurant—I decided I
wanted to have lunch there alone but Elaine seated me at a table with a
stranger. The head chef had a heart attack and was taken away in an ambulance.
They needed me to step in and help, so I did. I cooked the rest of the lunches,
and then started prepping the evening menu. I should have called you—but my
phone was dead, and then I got caught up in all that had to be done. If you
don’t believe me, phone Elaine, she’ll tell you.”

The fervent light in her eyes
proved she was telling the truth. “So you spent yesterday cooking? I thought…”

“You thought I was with Michael?”
Her eyes softened. “You thought I spent last night with Michael and yet you
were still willing to hear me out—still wanted to be with me?”

 “Yes.” Nick slipped an arm
around her waist and pulled her close. “I thought you were with him, but the
fact that you came home last night, the fact that you came here today, was more
important than anything that had gone before. You’d made your choice. You chose
me.”

Summer touched the side of his
face. “I do choose you. I want you not just for Christmas but for always.”

He had to kiss her. It didn’t
matter that his entire family was sitting around their Christmas table, mouths
agape. It didn’t matter that he’d opened his heart and spilled his guts in full
view of his brothers who would doubtless tease him about this moment for the
rest of his life. “I love you.” He pressed his mouth against hers, to the sound
of applause, laughter and catcalls.

*****

At long last, they sat alone before the fire in the sitting room,
Summer on Nick’s knee, while the rest of the family washed up in the kitchen.

“We never opened our gifts to
each other.” She reached around him to the small table and grabbed them.
“Here.” Now everything was out in the open, the freedom to kiss him was
irresistible, so she brushed her lips against his. “Merry Christmas.”

Nick reached into the gold bag,
pulled out a box and opened it. Nestling in a bed of sky blue tissue lay a
crystal snow globe, with a gold loop at the top for attaching to a tree. He
shot her a confused look. “A Christmas decoration?”

“Take it out.”

Nick picked it up and turned it
around in his hands. The snow globe was cleverly constructed to hold a
photograph. She’d cut around the picture of Nick, Summer and Fella that Val had
taken and mounted it inside. Tiny, polystyrene beads formed snowy ground at
their feet. Nick shook it. “It’s beautiful.”

A tiny tableau to record how
they’d met, how all three of their lives had become intertwined forever.

Nick placed the crystal ornament
back into its box. “Now you open yours.”

The box he’d given her was
wrapped in dark green paper and tied with gold ribbon. She opened it. Inside,
was a thin gold chain. A gold Claddagh pendant hung from it. Two hands holding
a golden heart.

“I wanted to show you that you
hold my heart in your hands.” Nick brushed her hair away from her face. “I
think you always have.” He picked up the necklace and fastened it around her
neck.

“I haven’t told you yet—but I
love you.” The door nudged open. Fella trotted in and curled around their feet
in the fire’s warmth. Summer snuggled close and whispered in Nick’s ear. “Do
you think we can go home soon?”

*****

It snowed Christmas night. And for three long days after.
Nick and Summer were snowbound in his apartment, and she couldn’t think of
anything more perfect. But every magical interlude had to end sometime—and on
the fourth day Summer woke to the sound of Nick on the phone.

“That was Sean.” He walked across
the bedroom to her, gloriously naked. They’d made love for days on end, and
still the sight of him had her reaching for him. “I have to go out.”

She sat up in bed.

“Ah, don’t tempt me.” His gaze
travelled over her exposed body. “I want to crawl back into bed and make love
with you again, but there’s a flock of sheep buried on a farm outside town.
They’re digging them out now—some are dead already and the others suffering
from hypothermia. I need to help Sean.” He started to pull on his clothes.

“Can I help?” She climbed out of
bed and picked her clothes off the chair.

“No, we can manage.”

The doorbell rang. Fella barked. “Is
he coming to pick you up?” Summer wriggled into her skinny jeans, pulled on a tee-shirt
and topped it with an Aran sweater.

“No, he’s already at the farm.”
Nick sat down on the bed to put on his socks and shoes.

“I’ll get it.” Summer shoved her
feet into her slippers and padded downstairs. “It’s all right, Fella.” She
opened the door to the sitting room and ushered the dog in. The doorbell rang
again. “I’m coming!”

She pulled the door open, then
stood there, surprise striking her dumb. Her mother, father, and brother on the
doorstep. “What—”

Before she could get another word
out, she was clasped into her mother’s arms, the recipient of a hug that would
break ribs. “We couldn’t wait any longer, we had to come and see you.” Her
mother’s face lit up with her smile.

“Let us in, will you, Sis?”

Summer stood back to let her
family enter.

Fella let out an impressive howl.
She opened the door to the sitting room to put him out. “It’s all right, Fella,
these are friends.” He sniffed the visitors, tail wagging. “This is the dog we
rescued,” she said.

Declan stepped close. “I’m
concerned about you. You’re just out of one relationship, you shouldn’t be
diving straight into another.”

“It’s not like that. Michael
ended it with me four months ago, but our relationship had been failing for a
long time before then. I just didn’t want to acknowledge it.” What had once
seemed so impossible to explain now came easy. Her relationship had failed
because Michael was the wrong person for her—she’d never really loved him, not
the way she loved Nick. “I was unhappy for a long time, but not any longer.”

She looked up at a noise from the
stairs.
Nick
.

Declan walked to his friend,
spine straight, jaw tight. “You and my sister, huh?”

“You’re my best friend in the
world.” Nick stared Declan in the eye. “And Summer is the woman I love. I hope
you’ll be happy for us.”

Declan’s head tilted to the side,
considering.

“I wish I could stay and talk,
but I have to get to a medical emergency.” Nick picked up his sheepskin coat
and shoved his arms into it. “I’m glad you’re here though.” His gaze was
unwavering. “Because I have a question I planned to ask you in the New Year. I
want your blessing, Declan. I want you to be okay with me proposing to Summer.”

“You want to…” Summer couldn’t
get the words out.

“You have it.” Declan smiled and
thumped his friend on the back.

Nick looked at Summer’s father,
who nodded.

“You haven’t even…” Would all
their most significant moments be played out in front of an audience?

“Summer.” Nick clasped her hands.
“This isn’t the way I wanted to do it. I don’t even have a ring yet.” He
brought her hands to his mouth and kissed her fingers. “I wanted to talk to
Declan privately and then ask you…”

He was on his way out of the
door—animals stranded in the cold needed him. “You have to go.” She started to
button his coat.

“Will you? Will you marry me?”

No ring, no romantic dinner, no
suitor on his knees, but a perfect proposal nevertheless.

She knew what she wanted; she
wanted this man, forever. “I will.” She fastened the last button. “Take care
out there.” She went up on tiptoe to kiss him. “And hurry back.”

THE END