Sarah Morgan Summer Collection

He pushed aside the soft curtain of leaves and led her into the cool, shaded centre of the tree. Although they were still in the middle of the garden, it felt secluded and private and suddenly Evanna started to shiver. Trapped in such an intimate atmosphere, she was acutely aware of him and she couldn’t look away. He was a strong man in every sense and that strength showed in the rugged planes of his handsome face and the easy, confident way he dealt with everyone on the island.

‘L-little Jason is d-doing really well,’ she stammered. ‘I called in to see them in their holiday cottage. The hospital kept him in for a few days and then sent him home so they were able to continue their holiday. I gave them some advice on the baby. I think she was just hot and uncomfortable, that’s why she was crying so much. They were putting too many layers on her and not giving her enough fluid.’

‘You’re a genius.’ Logan leaned his shoulders against the wide trunk of the tree. ‘It always amazes me how little thought people give to the weather. I stopped the car this morning to tell a couple to put sun cream on their baby.’

‘What did they say?’

He grinned. ‘I think their comment was, “Who do you think you are?” To which I replied, “The guy you’re going to see when she’s burnt and miserable.”’ He lifted his beer to his lips. ‘Funnily enough, that seemed to shut them up. I saw them in the shop later, buying sun cream by the bucketload.’

Evanna laughed. She’d always liked that about him. The way he wasn’t afraid to speak up when he saw something that he didn’t agree with. ‘I’ve never understood why people insist on putting small babies in the sun.’

‘Ignorance. I really do need to talk to you,’ he drawled softly, lifting a hand and removing a leaf from her hair. ‘And I honestly don’t know how you’re going to react to what I’m going to say. You’re probably going to refuse.’

Refuse?

When had she refused him anything?

Her legs were shaking so badly that she stepped backwards and leaned against the broad trunk of the tree for support. ‘Just say it, Logan.’

‘All right. But if I’m overstepping the bounds of our friendship then I want you to tell me. Do you promise to give me an honest answer?’

Overstepping the bounds of their friendship?

Hope and anticipation made her suddenly dizzy. ‘Yes,’ she mumbled, her hands fisting by her sides. ‘Of course.’ The weeping willow provided a lush, delicate screen from the rest of the garden and suddenly the atmosphere seemed impossibly intimate. It was just the two of them, everyone else forgotten.

He took a deep breath. ‘I wondered if you’d consider looking after Kirsty for me on Wednesday afternoons. I know it’s usually your afternoon off, but it wouldn’t be for ever. Just until I find someone to replace Amy Foster.’

Evanna stared at him. The words he’d spoken were so different from the ones she’d longed to hear that it took her a moment from the meaning to sink in. ‘You want me to look after Kirsty? That’s what you wanted to ask me?’

‘Yes. I know it’s a lot to ask. You’ve often looked after her before, but not on a regular basis. Is the answer going to be no?’ He strolled towards her, powerfully built and handsome. The man she’d loved for the whole of her life.

She looked away for a moment, struggling to compose herself. Then she cleared her throat carefully. ‘Logan.’ Her voice cracked. ‘Can I ask you something?’

‘Of course. Anything.’

What do I have to do to make you notice me?‘Why ask me? Why me?’

‘Because you’re completely reliable, a wonderful cook, incredibly uncomplicated and Kirsty adores you. That’s just a start but I could go on for ever.’ He gave a shrug and a lopsided smile. ‘If I didn’t need you in the practice so badly, I’d fire you and employ you to look after Kirsty full time.’

So he was happy for her to care for his daughter.

That was a compliment, of course. But it was so much less than she wanted.

Evanna stood for a moment, thinking of the heat and the passion she saw in Ethan’s eyes when he looked at Kyla. Then she looked at Logan. And saw humour and a faint question in his gorgeous blue eyes.

For him, their relationship was all about friendship. Nothing else.

‘Evanna?’

She realised that he was waiting for an answer. And how could she refuse? She loved him. She’d loved him all her life. She’d loved him when he’d been a boy at school and she’d loved him when he’d grown into a man and married another woman.

And she loved Kirsty.

How could she refuse to help him? What sort of a friend would that make her? It wasn’t Logan’s fault that her feelings towards him were entirely more complicated than his were for her.

He deserved all the help she could give him, even if it proved to be torture for her.

With a smile that cost her greatly in terms of effort, she forced the words past her dry lips. ‘Of course I’ll look after Kirsty on Wednesdays. It would be my pleasure.’

His eyes were on her face. ‘I don’t expect you to do it for nothing. I’ll pay you.’

Employee. Friend. He offered her just about every role except the one she wanted. ‘I don’t want to be paid, Logan,’ she said quietly. ‘I love Kirsty.’

‘Well, it’s just until I find someone else, then. I don’t want to take advantage of you.’ He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ears in a distinctly brotherly gesture. ‘Better put your hair back up or she’ll tug it out by the handful.’

‘Yes. That’s probably a good idea. I’ll put it up.’ A ponytail was practical. Sensible. And that was the sort of person she was. Practical. She wasn’t designed for grand passion or wild affairs. She was reliable, sensible Evanna. That was how other people saw her and it was how she should start seeing herself. No more dreams. No more fantasies.

He frowned down at her feet. At her deliciously sexy, wickedly high-heeled shoes. ‘And you should probably wear something flat and comfortable. She can move like lightning now and you’ll never be able to catch her in those. You’ll twist your ankle.’

Something flat and comfortable. Something that reliable, sensible Evanna would wear. ‘Right. I’ll remember that, too.’

He reached out and squeezed her shoulder. ‘You’re a good friend, Evanna,’ he said softly. ‘The best.’

And then he turned and walked away from her, leaving her staring after him with all the hope lying shrivelled inside her.

She felt numb. Her limbs wouldn’t move and for a moment she stood, staring through the curtain of green leaves, wondering what she was supposed to do now. She felt foolish in her dress and shoes and suddenly wished she’d just worn jeans.

That was it then.

Over.

It had been a foolish idea and it had failed.

And now she had to rejoin the group. Wearing her silly dress and her uncomfortable shoes, she had to talk and mingle and do all the things she usually did because if she didn’t, everyone would notice. Everyone would know that something was the matter with her and she didn’t want anyone to notice. She didn’t want people to know.

Evanna blinked rapidly to clear the tears that had gathered and walked carefully on her new heels, brushing aside the fronds of the weeping willow, intending to help herself to some food. And then her eyes rested on Logan’s broad, muscular shoulders and she found that she couldn’t look away. Why did it have to be him? she wondered helplessly. Why him? Couldn’t she have fallen in love with someone who noticed her? She stood there, drinking in his strength and masculinity, memorising every single part of him as if it were the last time she’d be allowed to look.

And then she felt Kyla’s hand on her arm. ‘Well? I saw him drag you into the weeping willow. The dress obviously worked.’

Evanna willed herself to move—willed herself to act normally. ‘He wants me to look after Kirsty on Wednesdays. That’s what he wanted to talk to me about.’ Her voice sounded unnaturally formal, even to her own ears, and suddenly she knew she was going to cry. ‘So I think we can safely say that the dress didn’t impress him and that plan B has just crashed and burned alongside plan A. Will you excuse me? I’m suddenly incredibly tired. I think I’ll go home and have an early night.’

‘Evanna, you can’t just—’

‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Kyla.’ She needed to get away. Fast. Before she made a fool of herself.

Without looking back, she turned and walked quickly across the garden towards the gate. Let them say what they liked, she thought as she fumbled with the gate and walked to her car. She didn’t care any more. She just needed to be on her own.

‘Evanna, wait!’