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“Nicki thinks you’re jealous of my attention to her.” He twirled a lock of Elle’s dark chestnut hair around his finger. Thoughts of satin sheets slid through his mind.
“In your dreams.” Her words were firm, but a smile played at the corners of her lips.
“Be glad Nicki misinterpreted your actions. Otherwise, Brandon and Nicki might have questioned your disdain.”
“I’m sorry.” Elle sighed. “Visions of my grandmother standing on her feet all day at the daycare center kept popping into my head. At her age, there’s a big difference between volunteering a few hours a week and working full time.”
Logan’s heart melted a little. He’d never been able to stay mad at Elle. Hadn’t he forgiven her when she’d crashed his new bicycle into the tree, worrying only about her scrapes and bruises? Then there was the time she’d sideswiped his car while turning into the driveway. Anyone else would’ve caught hell, but Elle had never been just anyone else to him.
“Interviewing people you’ll never see again is one thing. Undercover work requires you to take on a role and stay in it for the duration. You have to be believable. We won’t learn jack shit if we piss off Brandon and Nicki.” Logan stopped, turning her to face him. “Can you do that?”
Elle’s expression turned solemn. “Yes. I won’t blow it.”
“That’s my girl.” He caught her hand and restarted their trip across the room.
“You keep Nicki happy,” Elle said. “I’ll do the rest.”
Logan didn’t have time to respond. Liam and Alana Fitzgerald had left their group and were approaching. The couple not only owned the castle, they were the sponsors of The Noble Pass Affaire Getaway.
Elle leaned close. “Look how the Fitzgeralds hold hands. Just the way they speak to each other tells me they are still deeply in love.”
“You really are a romantic,” Logan whispered. She was probably thinking of her parents. They’d died in a car wreck before he’d met Elle and Eric, but Logan had heard stories about their love for each other.
“Randall.” Alana spoke first, leaning in for a handshake. “I see you met our other winner.”
“Yes.” Logan wouldn’t have time to fill in the details, but he had to start somewhere. “I’d like to schedule a meeting with you tomorrow.”
“Of course,” Liam said. “Is there a problem?”
“Not yet, but I should have told you at check-in that my name isn’t Randall Newman. It’s Logan Ford.”
Liam’s shoulders stiffened. “Why did you use an alias?”
“It’s important that you not reveal what I tell you. I’m a Texas police detective, and I need you to trust me. I apologize for not explaining right away.” Logan had to gain their cooperation. “Tonight isn’t the time to discuss this. Tomorrow, we can get behind closed doors, and I’ll explain everything.”
“I don’t appreciate being deceived.” A nerve in Liam’s jaw twitched.
“Liam,” Alana said. Her voice was soft and encouraging. “The least we can do is hear him out.”
Liam’s face relaxed as he looked down at his wife. Alana gave him a slight nod. He turned to Elle. “You’re okay with this?” he asked.
“Yes. I promise that Logan and I will come to your office right after lunch tomorrow. We’ll clear everything up then.”
“Why not earlier?” Liam asked. “We’ve never had problems with our contest, and I’d like answers.”
“This is my fault.” Elle stepped forward. Her eyes were wide with panic.
“If you’ll give me a chance, I know you’ll understand. Elle and I made plans for the morning. Changing them will make certain people curious.”
“We’ll expect to see you two around one tomorrow,” Alana said.
“Thank you,” Logan said.
“Then it’s settled.” Alana took Liam’s hand and practically dragged him away.
Liam didn’t look happy, but he nodded slowly. “Your rooms are as expected?”
“They’re beautiful,” Elle said. “I appreciate the separate entrances and lock-off doors to the common room.”
