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And she had the lightest of touches when it came to awkward situations, Logan thought, watching as she turned away to make them both a sandwich. Other people offered empty platitudes or just ignored the subject altogether because it was just too uncomfortable. Evanna never ignored things. She was happy to listen or to talk, depending on his mood. It was one of the reasons he felt so comfortable with her. There were never any awkward moments with Evanna. ‘People keep telling me that I’ll find someone else. It’s just one of the things that people say to you when someone dies. “You’ll find someone else.” As if people you want to spend a lifetime with are waiting round every corner.’ He saw the sudden stillness in her frame.
‘I suppose they’re just trying to help. People love you and care about you,’ she mumbled, keeping her back to him. ‘I’m sure that one day you will find someone else, even if it doesn’t feel that way now.’
‘Do you? Do you really believe that?’
Her hesitation was so brief that he wondered if he’d imagined it. ‘Yes. What would you like in your sandwich?’
‘Anything. But love doesn’t happen that often, does it? Look at you, Evanna. You’re beautiful and sweet-natured and you’d make someone an amazing wife, but you’re still single.’
Her head was in the fridge so he could barely hear her reply, but he thought she said, ‘That’s right. I am.’
After what seemed like an age she turned with a bag of salad in her hand. ‘This is soggy and horrible.’ Her voice sounded strange. ‘When did you last shop?’
‘Meg filled the fridge last weekend but I’ve been too busy to do much with it.’
She gave a faint smile of understanding. ‘It’s always the same in the summer, isn’t it? Tourists double the workload and, goodness knows, you work hard enough as it is. I’ll do a quick shop for you later and make a couple of casseroles for your freezer.’ Evanna dropped the salad in the bin and added a carton of tomatoes and a soft, liquid cucumber. ‘This is vile, Logan. Most of the food in your fridge died at least a century ago. You’re going to poison yourself and Kirsty.’
‘She’s OK. She’s still eating the stuff you left in the freezer for her and I’ve lived on take-aways all week,’ he confessed, watching absently as she swiftly stripped his fridge of dubious food and tidied the rest neatly. She was so methodical and efficient. ‘Or else I go down to Meg’s and eat at the café.’
Evanna peered at the date on a packet of ham. ‘Miracles do happen. This is still all right.’
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sp; ‘It’s so good to have you home. We missed you when you were away,’ he said gruffly, and she turned to look at him, a strange light in her eyes.
There was something about the expression on her sweet face that made him uneasy.
Why did he constantly have a niggling feeling that there was something the matter with her?
Logan shook himself mentally and decided that he was imagining things.
Having been away for a month, it was bound to take her a little while to get back into the swing of island life.
‘How’s it been going with Amy Foster?’ She turned back to her sandwich-making. With a minimum of fuss she buttered bread, layered the ham, added a dab of mustard and handed him the sandwich. ‘She seems sweet with Kirsty. Is it working out, her helping you out?’
‘I’ve no problem with the way she cares for Kirsty.’ Logan bit into the sandwich, wondering how she’d managed to make something so delicious from the limited contents of his fridge.
‘But you have a problem with something else?’ Evanna sat down opposite him and Logan gave a weary smile.
‘Only the usual. She’s obviously one of the many people who think that I should get married again. Soon. Preferably to her.’
Evanna cut her sandwich in two. ‘Oh, dear.’
‘I’m a widower.’ Logan rubbed a hand over his brow and then gave a bitter laugh. ‘Do you have any idea how much I hate that word? It sounds so pathetic.’
‘Pathetic?’ Evanna frowned and put the knife down. ‘You’re the strongest man I know, Logan. And it’s natural that women are going to fall for you.’
‘Why?’ It didn’t make sense to him. ‘Because I’m single and well off with a child who needs mothering?’
She stared at him for a moment and he had a strong feeling that she was about to say something. Then she blushed slightly and lifted her sandwich. ‘I’ve no idea why.’
‘Well, of course you haven’t.’ He laughed. ‘That’s why we’re such good friends. In fact, I think you’re the only woman on this island, apart from my sister and cousins, who hasn’t made a pass at me in the last year. Our relationship is wonderfully platonic. Perhaps what I really need is a male nanny. Anyway, I’ve tactfully fired Amy. I told her that you were back from the mainland and that I wouldn’t need the help any more. One of the cousins is going to look after her during the day when Meg is busy at the café, but I worry about Kirsty having so many different carers.’
Evanna nibbled at her sandwich. ‘They’re mostly family,’ she muttered, apparently absorbed by what was on her plate. ‘Kirsty will be fine.’
‘You’re not eating much.’
She put the remains of her sandwich down and stood up. ‘I’m not that hungry. I’ll clear up here and get back to the surgery because I still have some paperwork to catch up on before the immunisation clinic this afternoon.’
