Page 12 of Rhythm Of Redemption

“Yes … thank you.” She held up the bottle of water and tilted it in his direction. “Again.” This was becoming a habit. First Dani, now her. What was he? Some kind of superhero?

A slow, sexy smile spread across his face. “No problem.” He shrugged casually.

She lowered her gaze, aware that everyone was watching them. “I’d, er, I’d better go.” Logan’s hand shot out to steady her as she got to her feet. She cringed inwardly at the state of his shirt spattered with chocolate speckles. “Dani, my daughter.” She cast an eye over her audience. “Is waiting for me in the car.”

“Yeah, I saw her on the way in. She invited me to her party next weekend.”

“Don’t worry, we don’t really expect you to come. She was probably just being polite.”

“Thanks. That makes me feel really special.”

“I didn’t mean it like that … it’s just that you hardly know us, and I’m sure you’ve got better things to do than attend a kid’s birthday party.” She purposely emphasised the word kid. “It won’t be anything exciting, just a few of Dani’s friends and a couple of guests who are staying with us.” When he didn’t immediately respond, she hoped he’d reconsidered. “Seriously, it’s fine.”

“It’s just that I have this work thing. A friend of mine is flying over to re-record some tracks of his latest album.”

She had to hand it to him. As far as excuses go, this was a new one for her.

“Logan, really, it’s okay. You don’t need to make excuses.” Lou rocked on the balls of her feet, painfully aware that everyone was still watching them. This isn’t awkward at all. “Well, see you, then.”

“I’ll be there. What about a gift?”

“You don’t need to bring a gift … well unless it’s Ty Willis, all wrapped up in a bow. A blue bow, not pink. Dani hates pink.” Seriously?

“Noted.” There was that smile again. “See you Sunday.”

“Yeah. See you Sunday.”

Crap.

Chapter six

“Here she is, the birthday girl.” Mary, one half of a sexagenarian couple celebrating their ruby wedding anniversary at Casa Bonita, handed Dani a beautifully wrapped package. “Now it’s not much, just something small.”

Dani tore at the wrapping, her excitement fading when she took out the hot-pink T-shirt with Girls Rule emblazoned across the front in big white lettering. “I thought of you the minute I saw it. I said to Reg, didn’t I, Reg?” She turned to look at her husband, who nodded obediently. “That’s got Dani written all over it.”

Sofia let out an audible snort, making no effort to conceal her thoughts on Mary’s birthday gift. Lou nudged her daughter. “Thank you.” Dani gave a weak smile as she folded it and placed it on the table with her other gifts and cards.

Mary’s face fell. “If you don’t like it, I’m sure I could find the receipt, so you can exchange it.”

“Exchange it? Burn it more like.” Lou heard Sofia mutter under her breath.

“No, it’s lovely, and will look great with her jeans.” She glared at her daughter. “Thank you. It was very thoughtful of you both. Wasn’t it Dani?”

“Why don’t you put it on?” Sofia’s eyes sparkled with malicious intent as they roamed over her friends. “We’d love to see you in it.”

Why don’t you bugger off home? “Drink anyone?” Sofia was a nasty piece of work, and there was no way she was going to stand by and let her make a lovely couple like Mary and Reg feel uncomfortable. Having met her father, she could see the apple hadn’t fallen far from the tree there. She always had a bitchy comment or smartarse answer for everything, but it wasn’t just that, it was the way in which she’d said it. Her voice dripping with sarcasm and her pinched little face radiating pity. That young lady was skating on very thin ice, and if she wasn’t careful, she was going to find her bony little arse in a taxi and on her way home with a flea in her ear. “Dani, why don’t you and your friends go and have your swim now before we eat?”

Dani had begged her mother to let her friends stay over after the party, pleading that she hadn’t seen them in ages because of her suspension. Obviously, in her daughter’s world, a couple of weeks without seeing your friends was a lifetime. She didn’t know how it happened, or what she’d been thinking, but somehow, she’d agreed to let Dani and her friends stay over after the party in one of the vacant bungalows. She’d regretted it almost immediately, but once she’d agreed, there was no going back, especially after the lectures she’d given Dani about following through on your promises.

Maybe she’d been suffering from some kind of delayed after-shock effect following the mortifying choking incident. Even now, every time she thought about the spectacle she’d made of herself in Pasteleria de Catalina, embarrassment engulfed her like a great big tidal wave, leaving her feeling light-headed and slightly nauseous.

Unable to face Catalina again, she’d taken the coward’s way out and called the bakery to switch the collection to home delivery.

At least there was no danger of her running into Logan again. They didn’t exactly move in the same social circles. Come to think of it, she didn’t move in anyone’s circle, really. Between taking care of Dani, trying to build up the business and now having to home-school her daughter, she barely had time to sleep, let alone socialise.

Dani had been so excited about seeing her friends, she’d even gotten up early to stock the fridge and cupboards with cold drinks and snacks to see them through the night, before helping Lou with the cleaning and food prep for the party. There were two things Lou had laid down the law about. Absolutely no alcohol and one complaint from the other guests about the noise, and they’d have to move to the main house.

She didn’t think the second one would be too much of a problem since Dani had already invited the guests to the party.

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