by Joanna Sims
“Jo, what do you think?” Logan asked her.
“Why do you call me ‘Jo’?” Hand on the door, Josephine told him, “Only my closest friends and family call me that.”
“I don’t know. Just seemed natural, I suppose.” Logan stopped smiling. “Do you want me to stop?”
“No...” She shook her head. “I was just thinking out loud, really.”
Josephine got out of the truck and shut the door behind her. Logan quickly followed her lead, got out, and met her at the back of the truck.
“Thanks for the ride, Logan,” she said, walking toward the house. “I’ll see you later.”
Logan stopped walking, sensing that she needed to be alone. “As in, see you later tonight?”
She nodded. “I’ll come. I wouldn’t wish line dancing with my brother on my worst enemy, much less a friend.”
Logan watched Josephine walk slowly to the house, her long, golden-brown ponytail swaying from one side to the other. He had been attracted to her physically from the beginning when he had pulled her over for speeding. Now that he had gotten to know her, as a woman, as a friend, he knew that there was much more to Josephine than just her pretty face. She was a kind woman—a generous woman, intelligent, humorous. Loyal. Yes, she was a little uptight and structured, but when it came to Josephine, those qualities were endearing to him. He wanted Brice’s loss to be his gain. And he didn’t know how he was going to manage it, but he fully intended to get the heck out of the “friend zone” ASAP.
Chapter Ten
“Hi, sweetheart. Don’t you look nice,” her mom said to her when she stepped out onto the porch.
Even though they didn’t get to see each other much during the day, it was a ritual for her parents to sit on the porch swing together after dinner. They had the kind of marriage that Josephine had always wanted for herself. Her father adored her mother, and her mother adored him right back. After more than forty years of marriage and raising five children, they still hugged and kissed and laughed together.
“Why don’t the two of you come with?” Josephine gave her father a hug.
“No...” Her mother smiled with a shake of her head. “I’m going to spend a quiet night alone with your father for a change.”
“Honey, I don’t know how quiet of a night it’s going to be...looks like one of the mares is about to give birth,” Hank said. “Tyler’ll be staying behind tonight either way.”
Josephine nodded her understanding. That’s how life had always been on the ranch—plans were always tentative because the health of the animals came first.
“Good evening.”
Josephine turned toward the sound of Logan’s familiar voice. This time, when she heard his voice, something different happened—she felt a nervous excitement in the pit of her stomach.
“Evening, son.” Hank smiled easily at Logan. “How are we set for tomorrow?”
It was still hard for her to adjust to Hank referring to Logan as “son.” He hadn’t started to refer to Ian with that title and he certainly never came close with Brice. But, whether she thought it was appropriate or not, she could see the respect in her father’s clear, deeply set blue eyes whenever he interacted with the San Diego cop.
“We’re set, sir.” Logan rested his arms on the porch railing. “As long as it doesn’t rain, we’re bringing her down the mountain tomorrow.”
Her father looked satisfied and her mother looked irritated. Barbara was displeased with her husband’s decision to start such a major project with the June wedding on the horizon. Hank wouldn’t be dissuaded. He was determined, as a wedding gift to Jordan, for the chapel to be relocated and presentable for wedding pictures. Her mom was used to getting her way with her father, but not this time.
Logan made it a point to chat with Josephine’s parents. Yes, he liked them, but he also knew how close she was with her parents and he wanted her to see that they accepted him. It could only work in his favor.
“Well, we better get going. Are you ready?” he asked Josephine.
He had always thought she was a beauty, from first sight. Yet, tonight, unbelievably, she looked even more radiant to his eyes. She wore her golden-brown hair long and loose, and the little touches of makeup she had applied enhanced the brightness of her turquoise-blue eyes, the highness of her cheekbones, and the fullness of her lips. He had to remind himself not to stare at her face.
Josephine nodded and met him at the bottom of the porch stairs.
“You’re dressed like a bona fide cowboy.” She gave him a quick once-over.
He glanced down at his getup. The yoked cotton shirt and brown cowboy hat were loaners from Tyler’s closet.
“When in Montana...” he said.
Now that she was standing next to him, he could smell the sweet honeysuckle fragrance that he had come to associate with Josephine.
“You look uncomfortable.” She laughed gently.
“I feel kind of uncomfortable,” he admitted and tugged at the borrowed belt. “Maybe I should change.”
“No. Don’t change. You look good.” She reached up and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. “You just need to loosen up a little bit, that’s all. You aren’t on duty right now, so you don’t have to have everything tucked in so tight.”
Logan tugged at his shirt to loosen it per her instructions. He was used to having his shirts tucked to regulation uniform standards and it was hard for him to leave a button-down shirt loosely tucked. But if that was how Josephine preferred it, he was willing to make the adjustment.
“How’s that?”
“Good.”
“Watch out for my girl, son.” Hank had been watching them closely.
“And have a good time...” Barbara added.
They both said good-night to her parents before they met Jordan and Ian at the truck. Jordan got behind the wheel, Ian took shotgun, and Josephine climbed into the back of the cab with Logan.
Her sister put the key in the ignition. “Are you sure you don’t want to drive, GQ?”
Josephine glanced over at Logan—he had noticed the unusual tension between Ian and Jordan, too.
“What’s wrong?” Josephine asked her sister.
“Oh, nothing,” Jordan said in a sarcastic, singsong tone. “Tyler thought it would be a good idea for Ian to drive the truck today when they were dropping hay for the cattle.”
“Let it go.” Ian used a low, stern tone with her sister that she had never heard before. It caught Josephine’s attention—and like a child stuck in the middle of two parents, all she wanted to do was try to smooth things over between them.
“Come on, Jordy, don’t spoil tonight over something petty.”
“Petty?” Jordy retorted. “He drove the truck.”
“He looks like he survived okay.” Logan used his calm, even, de-escalation tone of voice.
“And Tyler wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t safe,” Josephine added on to what Logan had said.
Her sister’s reflection in the rearview mirror was stony. “Tyler thinks everything’s a joke. I don’t think this is funny.”
“Hey...beautiful.” Ian used a more conciliatory tone this time. “I’m okay. I wasn’t in any danger. We were way out in the middle of nowhere—I couldn’t’ve hit something if I tried. And you and I agreed...we agreed...that I needed to live my life. Take some risks. Not let my eyes hold me back...”
Josephine knew, and so did Logan and Ian, that behind her sister’s anger was fear. She was afraid of Ian getting hurt. She was afraid of losing him, because she loved him so much.
“I’ve got to live, beautiful,” Ian added gently. “You’re the one who convinced me of that.”
At the end of the long drive from the ranch house to the road, Jordan stopped the truck and looked over at her fiancé. “At least promise me you�
��ll only drive in the fields.”
“I swear on my honor as a Webelo.” Ian leaned over to kiss her sister.
After they shared a kiss, Jordan explained, “Ian was a Boy Scout and he used that fact as a part of his strategy to woo me.”
“You wanted me right from the start,” Ian quipped.
“No. You wanted me right from the start, GQ. I thought you were a downtown wing nut.”
That made Ian laugh, which completely broke the tension.
“You were there when they met, weren’t you?” Josephine asked Logan.
“He was writing me a ticket!” her sister confirmed.
“Yeah...” Josephine gave Logan a wry look. “He does that a lot.”
Josephine had never really enjoyed the trek from the ranch to Helena, not even when she was a little girl. Driving over hills and curves always made her feel carsick. But sitting in the backseat with Logan, who smelled so good and looked so handsome and seemed to like talking to her so much, she wasn’t bothered by the trip this time. In fact, it seemed like the trip went by too quickly. She had been deep in the middle of a conversation with Logan about the skewed negative impact that the drug policy had on lower income and minority communities. The man was sharp, no doubt about it. And she had to admit that she had judged him harshly. She had always figured that he was a blue-collar guy who wouldn’t be able to keep up with her or her friends in a conversation about political policy or law. She was seriously mistaken.
It had been a long time since she had line danced or had a beer. The idea of it was surprisingly appealing. Perhaps she had had one too many martinis.
It was the weekend, so the bar was crowded. They found an empty table near a small stage off the dance floor. Josephine wondered how Ian was handling the noise and the people—he didn’t like crowds. But he was sitting close to Jordan with his hand on her leg, and he was smiling.
“I’m going to grab the drinks. What does everyone want?” Logan hadn’t joined them at the table.
Josephine stood up. “I’ll go with you.”
They managed to squeeze into a tight space at the bar. The front of his body was touching the back of hers. From their harrowing experience in the cave, when he had rescued her and carried her to safety, she remembered how his body felt. At the time, she had been too frightened, and in too much pain, to appreciate the sheer maleness of the man. But later, when she was alone, and had time to reflect, she had spent quite a bit of time thinking about how strong he was, how feminine he made her feel when she was next to him.
They grabbed four beers and headed back to the table. Logan pulled her chair out for her before he took the chair next to hers. They tapped their four bottles together and toasted the wedding.
“How long has it been?” her sister asked her.
In unison, they said, “Prom.”
She hadn’t line danced since she was in high school, but when she saw the dancers all lined up, laughing while they moved through the repetitive steps, she wanted to join them.
“Do you mind?” Jordan asked Ian, who shook his head “no.”
Her sister grabbed her hand and they went out onto the dance floor together. They danced for one song, and then had so much fun that they danced two more. Josephine was flushed and laughing when they returned to the table. She grabbed her beer off the table before she sat down. Two beers later, she was feeling warm all over, her lips were a little numb, and she was ready to get back out on the dance floor.
She held out her hand to Logan. “Are you coming, Lieutenant Wolf?”
Surprised by her question, Logan put his glass of water down.
“I owe you a dance, remember?” His hesitation made her regret the question. But when he stood up and took her hand into his, her regret was forgotten.
“I remember,” Logan said.
It felt strange to hold his hand. It wasn’t the hand she was used to. It was smaller, rougher, and stronger. And yet, it felt like a key slipping into a lock. A perfect fit. Perhaps even a perfect match.
They found a small area on the crowded dance floor where they wouldn’t be in the way of the other couples. The music was blaring and Josephine had to nearly shout her words.
“Have you ever danced the Texas Two-Step?”
Logan leaned his head down. “No. I don’t really dance all that much in public.”
“Oh. Okay. Um...is it going to bother you if I have to take the lead position at first?”
“Bother me?”
“Well...embarrass you.”
Logan smiled with just his lips, and gave a quick shake of his head. “No. Why?”
“Just checking.”
Most of the guys she grew up with wouldn’t let a woman take the lead position on the dance floor. Maybe in private, but not in public where their buddies could see them. It was a macho thing, she supposed. She wasn’t all that surprised that Logan would let her take the lead—he was a masculine man, yes, but he didn’t have a macho persona.
Josephine took the lead position, one hand in his, the other on his waist.
“Okay—let me think this out—when I step forward with my left, you step back with your left—no! Wait.” She laughed. “I step forward with my right and you step backward with your left.”
“Like this?” He asked.
“Yeah. And then it’s step, step, feet together. Step, step, feet together. See how they’re doing it?”
Logan watched the feet of the couples dancing around them. He had a feeling that he was about to make a total fool out of himself in front of Josephine, but he wasn’t going to back out now. This was an opportunity to get close to her, to touch her, and be near her. If he looked like an idiot, so be it. He was just happy to have the excuse to have her in his arms.
“Ready?”
“Sure. Step, step...”
“Feet together,” she said in unison with him.
He watched the couple that danced by and then said, “I think I’ve got it.”
He didn’t have it. He moved the wrong foot back and then when he moved the correct foot back, he forgot to put his feet together. While the other couples whirled by them, they had only covered a short distance in a choppy, uncoordinated way. When he managed to trip the both of them and they nearly landed in a heap in the middle of the dance floor, they both stopped because they were laughing too hard.
“This stupid dance is harder than it looks.” Logan tilted his hat back a bit on his head.
“Why don’t you try taking the lead this time?” she suggested. “Maybe that’ll help.”
“Do you really think anything will help me at this point?” he asked, smiling.
“Honestly? Probably not. But, a deal’s a deal.”
Logan laughed at her blunt assessment of his dancing ability. “Hey, if you’re willing to stick it out with me, then I’m going to give it another try.”
Logan took her back into his arms and took the lead. In his head, he was thinking, Step, step, feet together. Step, step, feet together.
“Ow!”
“Oh, crap! I’m sorry, Jo!” Logan apologized when he stepped hard on her instep.
Josephine bent down and rubbed the top of her boot. It hurt. He had stepped down really hard on her foot, but instead of worrying about the pain, she was laughing. She had been laughing with Logan the entire time they had been on the dance floor. The man could not dance, but he was a lot of fun to be around.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Still laughing, she nodded. “I’ll be fine.”
“I suck, don’t I?” He was smiling now.
Josephine straightened upright, her foot still smarting a bit. “I’m sorry, but, yes, you really do...”
“Do you want to go back to the table?”
“Please.”
He
noticed that she was limping, just a little bit, when they walked back to the table.
“You’re going to start thinking that I’m bad luck,” he told her. “Every time I get near you, you end up getting hurt.”
Josephine sat down. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine.”
“What happened out there?” Jordy asked them in good humor. “I told Ian that sometimes it’s an advantage not to be able to see.”
“Sucking that badly takes a lot out of you.” Logan polished off the water left in his glass. “I thought I was going to have my John Travolta Urban Cowboy moment out there.”
“From what Jordan told me, it was more like an urban train wreck out there,” Ian said.
Josephine liked how easily Logan could laugh at himself. She had always appreciated that trait in other people, mostly because she didn’t have that trait herself. She tended to be more self-conscious. She tended to be too much of a people-pleaser at times.
They had all discovered that Logan couldn’t dance, but what he could do was sing. When the band took a break and the bar switched to karaoke, Logan put his name on the list. When he stepped onto the small stage, with his jeans and western-style shirt, and his charming smile, Josephine couldn’t take her eyes off him. And she noticed she wasn’t the only one. Like he was a country superstar, a small group of women gathered near the stage to hear him sing. Once the music started and he actually started to sing a popular country song, the crowd of women grew.
“Uh...wow!” Jordan swiveled her head around to look back at her. “Did you know that he could sing like that?”
Josephine didn’t want to talk. She wanted to listen. She gave a quick nod of her head to her sister but kept her eyes on Logan.
“Did you know?” her sister asked Ian.
“Wolf was the lead singer for a band when we were in high school,” Ian told them.
Logan’s voice made chill-bumps pop up all over her body. His voice seemed to touch places inside of her body and made her feel the lyrics of the song as much as she heard them. Logan, with his stage presence, his looks, and his voice, could have been a professional singer. It made her curious about him. How had he ended up being a cop instead?