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“Callum kept waiting for A
“That’s awful,” I whispered, my chest aching for Callum. “Bloody families.”
“They’re not all bad.”
“No,” I agreed. “Especially if you self-build them.”
Aidan chuckled. “I have heard that self-building is the smart thing to do.”
“As long as you choose good-quality materials, you can’t go wrong.”
“Am I the good-quality material in this analogy?”
I just gri
I thought on A
There would be relief.
Nothing but sweet relief.
It was around two in the afternoon before I eventually climbed the stairs to my flat, carrying my small bag of shopping. I was already editing in my head and was thus jerked out of my own little world at the sound of laughter as Logan’s door opened.
I paused in surprise at the sight of the tiny, gorgeous redhead stepping out of his door in front of him. She was not at all his type. She was wearing too many clothes, for a start.
The laughing redhead stopped at the sight of me. She smiled. “Hello.”
I was too polite not to return her smile. “Hello.” I moved toward my door, but she stopped me again.
“I’m Sha
I shook it. “Grace. It’s nice to meet you.”
“You’re Logan’s next-door neighbor, right?”
“Aye,” Logan grunted beside her.
I glanced up at his suddenly surly expression and felt a frisson of satisfaction. It was wonderful I a
“You’re not at all how he described you.” Sha
I inwardly questioned the mischief in her stu
“So what do you do, Grace? Logan’s the manager at Fire, the nightclub on Victoria Street.”
I knew where Fire was. I’d been dragged there to dance several times by Chloe. Why on earth did Sha
“I work from home.”
“Oh, that’s great,” Sha
Why, oh why, hadn’t this friendly sweetheart moved in next door instead of her grumpy older brother?
“It can be.” I took a deep breath, suddenly finding courage in Sha
Sha
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Take it with a pinch of salt, Sha
“Logan!” Sha
I took even more courage from her reaction. “I complained about your one-night stand’s thong drying on my landing and about your other one-night stand getting sick on my doorstep. I haven’t complained about the numerous nights I couldn’t work because of the very loud sex coming from your flat.”
His sister stared up at him with round eyes filled with horror. “Logan?”
He glowered down at her but remained quiet. He didn’t need to speak. The words “I answer to no one” were written all over his face.
The sound of footsteps interrupted the tense moment, and we all turned as Janice walked down the stairs onto our landing. I braced myself.
The attractive brunette nodded at me. “Grace.” She then turned her chin up in such a haughty ma
As the sounds of her heels faded upon her descent, Sha
I shifted uncomfortably, hating to be the bearer of bad news. Even if it was to Logan. “I’m afraid Mr. Je
The news caused Logan’s whole body to tense. Even his facial features tightened.
Sha
For some reason I could not fathom, I felt an unpleasant sensation in my stomach and suddenly realized I felt bad for Logan.
Who would have thought?
“It makes no difference,” I hurried to assure them both. “Janice… well, we all know how unfriendly she can be. I wouldn’t worry. Everyone else will be fine.” I shrugged, not knowing what else to say. “It was lovely to meet you, Sha
He looked… disarmed.
I shook off my reaction to his reaction and said in what I hoped was a diplomatic tone, “If you could try to be a little more quiet, I’d appreciate it.”
Logan gave me a sharp nod. “Party noise I can lower. However, how loud women are in my bed is out of my control.”
“Oh, Logan.” Sha
Once more I felt breathless at the sight of him smiling widely down at his sister. It was the first time I’d ever seen Logan MacLeod smile in a way that was pure and real and not tainted by mockery.
What a sight it was to behold.
Suddenly he looked at me, and our gazes locked.
Frantically I searched for a way to release myself.
Breathe, Grace. Breathe!
I blew out air between my lips and forced myself to lower my gaze. I opened my door and stepped inside. “As always, I’m charmed, Mr. MacLeod,” I said, wishing I’d injected more sarcasm into it.
I closed my door before he could say or do anything to throw me off-balance again.
CHAP TER 4
J ust as I expected, Logan’s past became a nonissue once Janice moved out of our building. It seemed everyone, like me, was reassured by Mr. Carmichael that we were in no danger with Logan in the building. Despite my aggravation with my neighbor, I couldn’t help but wonder what it must be like for him in everyday society as an ex-convict. It would seem he’d fallen on his feet regarding a job – Mr. Carmichael owned Fire and had obviously offered Logan a position there. But surely that was about knowing the right person. Not everyone was a Mr. Carmichael. Janice was a great example. So whenever Logan had to fill out a form or explain absences for whenever it was he did his time, he had to face judgment.
In a way he was still doing his time.
I knew how deep the cut was when people refused to see beyond their own perceptions and judgments of you.
Despite myself, I think I really did feel bad for him. However, and I would never admit it out loud, I was incredibly curious to know what it was he’d been sentenced for. Clearly, it was a misdemeanor in conviction terms, right? Or Mr. Carmichael wouldn’t be so assured of his stability. Maybe that was naive of me, but I was blissfully ignorant in my naïveté and quite happy to be.