Loving Logan - Sammi Cee Page 0,10

you know what you want? Nope. This grilled cheese is too good to miss, and I already ordered it, so you’re going to eat it and be happy about it.” Then he stomped away to the other side of the bar and started chatting with a customer. I was too stunned by my reaction to the low timbre of his rumble to even try to tease him as he went.

“Excuse me,” a sharp, feminine voice to my right said.

I turned to find a black woman in her mid-forties with intricate black braids swept back into a clip, nice black slacks, and a red blouse. By her appearance, she resembled any of the career women I’d seen dine here for lunch throughout the last week, but the stern expression on her face and her rigid stance indicated that she was a manager. “Hello.”

“How did you do that?” she asked, sounding perplexed.

My gaze darted around, then back to her. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She stepped closer, but not in my personal bubble or anything, and whispered, “How did you get Logan to have a temper tantrum?”

I snorted. “I wouldn’t exactly call that a tantrum.”

“For Logan it was,” she said, nodding. Crap! I didn’t mean to get him in trouble. “That was marvelous.” She chuckled, her whole countenance changing from slightly scary to friendly in the blink of an eye.

Huh. “It kind of was, wasn’t it?” I snickered along with her, while secretly pleased that his reaction to me wasn’t all in my head.

“I’ve been trying to draw him out of his shell for the better part of six years. He’s a wonderful person, a trustworthy employee, and he’s polite and courteous to the customers and the rest of the staff, but I haven’t seen him truly connect and be himself with anyone other than his family. You’ve been in a lot this week, haven’t you?” She propped an elbow on the chair next to me, so I settled back for the interrogation.

“Yes, ma’am. The food’s good and prepared quickly enough that I’m back at work in plenty of time.”

She nodded, then smiled back at me mischievously. “Since you sit at this same seat every day, I’m assuming you’re enjoying the service as well.”

“Vonda,” Logan gasped.

With raised arms, she turned and smiled fondly at Logan. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there. I thought you were still helping a customer.”

“I was but”—his face flamed red above his beard—“geez, Vonda. He’s just a customer.”

“Hey,” I whined. “I object. I’m definitely more than just a customer.”

He finally moved his gaze from his boss to me and rolled his eyes. “Really? Whining?”

I shrugged. “Yep. You left me no choice with your casual dismissal of our epic new friendship.” Then I winked playfully for good measure.

Logan and Vonda both blinked at me; he in confusion, and she in amusement. Vonda recovered first. As she passed by me, she bumped my shoulder casually. “I hope we keep seeing you around.”

I smirked at Logan. “You better be nice. Your boss likes me.”

“Seriously, Creed? Everyone likes you. Someone comes in to pick up a to-go order, in the time it takes to get it up here, you already have them eating out of the palm of your hand.”

“What can I say? I’m a likable guy.”

“Pfft.” He stomped away for the second time in five minutes.

While I waited for my food and watched Logan mix drinks and interact with a man who’d walked up to the bar for a beer, I considered what Vonda had said. I hadn’t asked Logan for his phone number yet because I hadn’t wanted to lead him on, and I wasn’t sure what this was. After visions of him floating through my head every time I daydreamed or stroked myself off since I met him, I knew exactly what I didn’t want—platonic friendship. But it had been a long time since…well, it had been years. And honestly, just because he had me all befuddled didn’t mean he returned the sentiment.

“Here’s your food. I’ve got customers.” Logan slammed the biggest grilled cheese I’d ever seen in front of me and spun to walk away.

“Hey, Logan, when you get a second, can you come back?” I said to his retreating back. He immediately came back, and I smothered a grin. I didn’t think he had anyone to check on. I kept a pretty close eye on the other patrons when I came in to eat so that I didn’t overly distract Logan from his job.