Page 61 of Sapphire Sunset

Still, the last thing he’d wanted to do back then was throwwater on the flames of desire that had sprouted between him and Connor, buthe’d done it directly, and to Connor’s face and in words that felt honest andtrue. The omissions were about protecting his dad, protecting his job. And tosome extent, protecting Connor from a blowup with his uncle.

He’d done it right, goddammit, and now Connor was treatinghim like a criminal.

They walked side by side because it reduced their chances ofhaving to look each other in the eye. Lois tailed them, gawking at them likethey were both growing third arms.

Finally, Logan broke the tense silence. “There’s something Ineed to say.”

“And you’re confident now’s the time to say it?” Connorasked.

“Yes.”

“Go ahead.”

“I need to lead this meeting,” Logan said.

“You do? Why’s that?” Connor asked.

“Because you’re about to jump into a shark tank feet first.And your feet are bleeding.”

“Do you always speak in pedicures, Mr. Murdoch?”

“I’m serious, Connor. This isn’t the Shapiro wedding. Youneed to—”

Logan realized his mistake as soon as Connor’s eyes widenedand his eyebrows jumped. He could feel his cheeks flushing, and suddenly he washaving trouble swallowing.

Idiot.You fucking idiot.He started totalk again, but it was mostly word salad, a grasping attempt to try to spit outthe words that had been on the tip of his tongue before his colossal fuckup.

“The Shapiro wedding?” Connor said. “How doyouknow about the Shapiro wedding?”

“I saw something online.”

“Where? It was a small wedding for sixty people inGreenwich. We did it as a favor for a friend of our boss. He’s a dentist, not aKardashian. Where did you read about the Shapiro wedding on the Internet?Melinda Shapiro’s Facebook page?”

“Can we focus, please?” Logan asked.

“I am. On the Shapiro wedding. Which you brought up.”

“Look…”

Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck, Logan thought.

Connor was beaming suddenly, then he was laughing, and Logancould feel what was coming like the approach of a locomotive. And his feet werewedged under a crossbar.

“Are you Instagram stalking me, Mr. Murdoch?”

“I’m trying to help you here,” Logan growled.

“By taking over my first department meeting,” Connor said.

“That’s not the right way of looking at it.”

“Oh, and telling me how to look at it, apparently.”

“They will eat you alive. Trust me. They’re terrified oflosing their jobs. They don’t know what’s coming next. And now you’re going towalk in there and start ordering them around, and you’re Rodney’s bloodrelation to boot. I, on the other hand, know these people. They respect me. AndI’ve got a ton of leadership experience.”

“From the Marines,” Connor said.

“I was a staff sergeant.”

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