with the paint fumes.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t stay at Arcadia this week.” She peered at him as if he might respond to her statement. She could fish all she wanted, but he wasn’t biting. Steffi climbed down the ladder and came to the kitchen to get a glass of water. “Are you looking forward to your trip?”
“You say that like I’m going on vacation.” He wondered how much Claire had shared with Steffi, and if Steffi agreed with Claire. If he asked about her, Steffi would be all over him, and he didn’t want that. Not tonight, anyway. He was leaving for weeks and had no idea what to expect from his trip, let alone worry about what he might want when he returned. “I’m hoping what we do there might make a difference. It’ll be draining, no doubt.”
“Must be weird to get back into the groove after taking so much time to help Peyton.” She patted his shoulder. “You did an awesome thing for your sister. I hope you know how much it meant to her, and how much I admire you for it.”
“I didn’t do it for praise.”
“All the more reason why it deserves some.” Steffi gulped down the water.
“Thanks.” He pulled out menus from some local Chinese places that delivered.
“You okay? You seem off, like you aren’t eager to go. I know Claire’s worried about this trip.” Steffi held up her hand to stave off questions. “She hasn’t said much, and even if she had, I wouldn’t tell you anything, but she’s distracted, and I know it’s because of you.”
Logan didn’t want to add to Claire’s stress, yet hearing about her concern made him happy. She missed him. She still cared. Maybe time apart would make her rethink her hasty decision. “I’ll be checking in on Peyton now and then, so she can reassure Claire of my safety while I’m away.”
“Why don’t you do that yourself?”
“Because she ended it, Steffi.” He crossed his arms. “Not me.”
Steffi waved him off. “Pfft. That’s a technicality.”
“A big one, don’t you think?”
She rolled her eyes at him. “You and I both know that was a preemptive strike. She nipped it in the bud before saying goodbye would hurt too much.”
Maybe, but that still had been her choice, not his. “And now we’ll never know what might’ve happened.”
Steffi shook her head. “You’re no smarter than I was in college. That’s sad, Logan. Especially since I had the excuse of being nineteen at the time.”
He leaned against the counter. “Just because you and Ryan found your way back to each other doesn’t mean every other couple can or even should make it work. And I’m not the only one with issues here. Claire’s got her own to overcome.”
“I know. The only reason I’m not pissed at you is because you got her to question what she’s been missing out on all these years. I never succeeded, and neither did Peyton. She might not make changes on your preferred time frame or scale, but she’s better off for having spent time with you.”
Small comfort. “For her sake, I hope so. She deserves a full life.”
“So do you, Logan.” Her voice echoed in his large, empty apartment.
Chapter Nineteen
“I would’ve come to your house, Claire.” Peyton waved Claire inside Arcadia’s entry.
Claire hoped she hid her surprise to see Peyton without the wig or a head scarf. Short, tufted hair dotted her scalp, but she still looked jarringly bald. The ruddiness had begun to fade from Peyton’s skin. Her shirt hung flat against her chest. Claire didn’t know if Peyton planned to get reconstructive surgery, and wouldn’t ask such a personal question. Not with the way things stood between them.
Cancer had lost this round, but its ravages remained, a fact that elicited Claire’s empathy despite her lingering disappointment in Peyton.
“It’s fine. I need to drop off this information for your father, anyhow, so two birds . . .” After weighing her desire to build a thriving business against her fears, Claire had spoken with Steffi and worked up a bid for the hotel project. If they were hired, the income would enable them to move forward with their retail rental plans as early as this summer. She couldn’t pass up an opportunity to get closer to her dream.
But delivering the bid wasn’t the only reason she’d wanted to meet with Peyton here. With Logan halfway around the world, Arcadia House was a local place where she could feel his presence.
“I’ll put this on my dad’s desk.” Peyton