Shooting the Moon. Brenda Novak

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СКАЧАТЬ art gallery opened on the first floor of the building Logan was remodeling, Pippa’s schedule was light at best. Except for planning this event, the only actual work she’d done was over at the skate park.

      Not that she considered building a ministry where kids could come and in-line skate or skateboard in a safe environment work. That was pure fun.

      “It looks like the church will get its senior center after all,” Logan said.

      Leah grinned. “With Pippa in charge, there was never a doubt. Did you know she was quite successful in her former career as a corporate events planner and fund-raiser?”

      Pippa felt the heat flood her cheeks. What was wrong with her? This was her building contractor, not a potential prom date.

      “Really, Leah,” Pippa said. “I doubt Logan is interested in all that.”

      “I can see my friend doesn’t want to brag,” Leah said. “And as much as I would love to fill you in on all the details of her illustrious career, as owner of the company chosen to offer sushi to the masses this afternoon, I should circulate and do a little quality control.” She eyed Logan before resting her attention on Pippa. “I’ll call you later.”

      Before Pippa could comment, Leah was gone, blending into the crowd. Slowly Pippa met Logan’s impassive gaze. Goodness but his eyes were a beautiful shade of green.

      “You planned all this?” He nodded toward the crowd. “Impressive.”

      “It’s what I do.” Pippa reached out to snatch a festive-looking glass of pineapple-orange punch from a passing waiter. “Or rather what I did before Granny decided she needed me closer to home.”

      “So you’re taking care of your grandmother now?”

      “Taking care of Granny? No,” she said with a chuckle. “Hardly. If anything it’s the other way around. I think she was lonely and wanted me home.” Her gaze traveled around the room, then settled back on Logan. “She has plenty of friends but I’m all the family she’s got here in Vine Beach.”

      “Well, it’s nice that you’re back anyway. It takes someone special to put a career on hold for a family member.” Logan gave her a direct look. “About high school. I have to ask. Was I awful to you?”

      His question caught her off guard. It was almost as if he had changed the subject deliberately. Being ignored in high school wasn’t awful if the recipient wished she were invisible. And Logan’s claiming back then to hate skateboards was fair since he had been hit enough times as they fell from the locker above.

      So she said, “No,” as she twirled the drink’s pink paper umbrella with her index finger.

      “Good.” Relief punctuated the statement. “On the way here I saw kids dressed like they were up to no good. Reminded me of myself at that age. Not a good feeling to know I was one of them.”

      One of them?

      Pippa bristled at the statement she’d heard far too often in relation to the kids at the skate park, kids who loved Jesus but looked different. As she once did.

      “What do you mean exactly?” she asked carefully.

      “I’ve spent a whole lot of years apologizing for the jerk I was back then.”

      Not the answer to her question. “I would hate to be judged by what I did in ninth grade. Or what I looked like.” The latter was a carefully aimed dig at his assumption that kids’ clothing somehow reflected their hearts.

      “You look like sunshine right now,” he said, then glanced away. “Sorry, that sounded really stupid. Anyway,” he added abruptly, “I appreciate the invitation today. I don’t usually go to these things, but your grandmother can be persuasive.”

      The oddest sensation came over Pippa as she watched Logan Burkett’s obvious discomfort. Apparently anyone could feel out of place given the right set of circumstances. Even the most popular boy at Vine Beach High School.

      The silence between them lengthened until Pippa felt compelled to fill it. “I don’t know too many people in Vine Beach anymore. Just a few old friends are still here. Most have moved on.”

      “Seems that way.”

      Another conversational dead end. Pippa’s eyes swept the crowd and then stalled on the town veterinarian and his wife, both good friends since her teen years. Eric made no pretense of not watching the two of them, although he seemed more concerned with Logan and what he might be doing here. Just as it appeared the veterinarian was headed her way, Granny waylaid him and they began conversing.

      Pippa took a sip to fortify her dry mouth only to somehow manage to jab the end of the pink paper umbrella up her nose. With the back of her hand, Pippa swatted it away and saw it spiral out of sight to land beside a spray of orchids and a stack of Granny’s books.

      Thankfully Logan seemed too preoccupied with the crowd milling around them to notice. Still, heat flamed her cheeks as she took a healthy gulp of juice.

      By the time she managed a somewhat neutral expression, Logan was grinning. So he had seen her embarrass herself. If only the ground would just swallow her up.

      “This is a beautiful home,” Logan offered. “Guessing it’ll be hard to move out when the building is finished.”

      “Actually I don’t live here,” she said. “Granny would like me to, but that feels a little too much like high school, so I’m renting Leah Owen’s beachfront place until the loft is ready.”

      “Which won’t take long,” he said quickly.

      “Oh, I’m not complaining,” Pippa said. “I love living right on the beach. There’s just something about seeing the waves crashing and...” She shook her head as she waved away the statement. “Anyway, it will be nice to live just around the corner from where I work, so I’ll also be happy when I’m settled downtown.”

      “Around the corner?” Logan gave her a look. “Won’t you be living upstairs from where you work?”

      “Oh, yes,” she quickly corrected. “Once the gallery is open. And it will be nice to live there,” Pippa added. “Great architecture will trump sandy feet, I suppose.”

      “The sand’s not that far away. Just a couple of blocks.” Logan paused. “So where are you working now?”

      “R10:14 Skate Park,” she said. “Though I don’t actually work there. I’m a volunteer.”

      “Skate park?” He chuckled. “That’s funny.”

      Pippa stood a little straighter. “What’s so funny about it?”

      His smile faded. “Well, you don’t exactly look like the skateboarding type.”

      “Now I know you don’t remember me from high school. Maybe it was all those times my skateboard fell out of my locker and hit you on your head. I always wondered if you left Vine Beach High the next year because of that.”

      He gave her a sideways look. Slowly recognition dawned as his gaze swept the length of her. “But you’re too...”

      Oh, СКАЧАТЬ