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Chapter Eleven
“You’ll have to explain that,” Garrett said, as Logan slid into a chair on the other side of Elizabeth.
“It was nothing,” Elizabeth said quickly, her eyes begging Nancy to rescue her. Nancy gave a small shrug, telegraphing she had no idea how to help her friend.
Logan put his napkin in his lap and gave Elizabeth a long look. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you yet again, Miss Adams,” Logan said. “It really was my fault.”
Elizabeth saw that his words were only making the matter worse. “I literally ran into Lo… um, Mr. Dietrich at the restaurant Jason took us to celebrate being accepted onto the renovation project. I wasn’t looking where I was going. I stepped back to apologize and ran into someone behind me and stumbled. He was nice enough to catch me before I fell. It was embarrassing, but certainly nothing to be concerned about,” Elizabeth said in a rush that told everyone she had no desire to relive the experience.
Logan kept his eyes on her, and she wondered what shade of red her face was. He looked as calm and cool as a cucumber while her entire body was heating more by the moment.
“Regardless, I do hope your dinner was a success,” he said, as the service of the meal began. Logan reached across Elizabeth for the saltshaker, brushing his arm against hers. He stilled when she couldn’t contain a soft moan, but accepted the shaker she grabbed and practically shoved into his hand.
“Thank you. Even Carol told me I was like a bull in a china shop,” Logan said.
“I’m sure all you men have been told the same thing by one female or another. You’re all practically giants,” Helen said with a loving smile.
Logan sat back as Garrett chuckled. Elizabeth swallowed hard. She now could put names to her fantasies. She swallowed again, realizing that even not having met Carol, well, not properly as spying on the woman wasn’t exactly a proper introduction, she felt a sense of jealousy—and then guilt—wondering if her encounter with Logan had caused Carol’s comment, earning her the spanking Elizabeth had witnessed. Shaking her head, knowing that it was extremely dangerous ground to think about, she forced herself to ignore both Logan and Garrett as best she could. She reminded herself that she was a strong, professional woman and would make it through the dinner without embarrassing herself further—even if it killed her.
Despite her embarrassment and acute awareness of both men, Elizabeth gradually relaxed as the meal progressed. She thought it sweet that, instead of sitting at opposite ends of the formal table as was usual, Helen sat to the right of her husband. Though the table could easily serve a dozen people, conversation flowed freely, since the entire group was gathered around only one end. Elizabeth could imagine Helen’s family enjoying meals together and speaking about how their days had gone.
The food was delicious, served flawlessly by a team of caterers. The conversation covered many topics, from sports to local politics. Elizabeth found herself relaxing and enjoying the evening. As dinner drew to an end, she was no longer only thinking about Logan. She began to wonder why exactly they had been asked to dinner.
Benjamin stood. “Coffee will be served in the living room,” he announced, as he helped his wife from her seat and began to lead her into the living room. As Elizabeth stood, she realized that she recognized the way Benjamin’s hand was pressed gently into the small of his wife’s back. She turned her head as she stepped away from the table to see Jason also lead Nancy with a gentle hand. She worried for a moment, panicked that Garrett would touch her in such a way, but before he could offer her his arm, Logan had his arm out to escort her.
“Miss Adams,” he said simply. Elizabeth flushed, but just as she touched her hand to his arm, her fantasy bloomed into her mind. She snatched her hand away, as if she had touched a hot stove. Turning, she deftly darted between the two men and hurried out of the room.
She was blissfully unaware of the look Garrett shot his best friend, his eyebrow raised, his mouth turned up in a smile. “How come I think there is something I’m missing?” he asked. When Logan didn’t respond, Garrett looked toward where Elizabeth had disappeared. “Ahh, could it be that our little designer has captured your interest?”
“Dad’s waiting,” Logan said, neither confirming nor denying the possibility.
Elizabeth made a beeline for the small loveseat where Nancy and Jason were seated. Nancy glanced at her flushed face and then over to see Logan and Garrett sauntering out of the dining room. “Honey, scooch over.”
“How come I feel as if I’m an unwitting player in a game for which I’m not sure I know the rules,” he asked moving closer to his wife to make room for their friend.
“But you love games,” Nancy assured him, patting his thigh.
Jason chuckled and placed his hand over his wife’s, trapping it on his leg. “I do indeed. I’m looking forward to the one we will playing when we get home.”
Coffee or wine was offered and poured. Elizabeth accepted a glass of white wine, praying to redeem her earlier ridiculous behavior. Once everyone had taken a few sips, Benjamin began to speak, “Miss Adams,” he said, leaning forward in his chair, “though my wife and I are exceptionally pleased by the work both you and Nancy have done, I find I must personally thank you for the mosaic. It is an incredible work of art and a gift that I never would have imagined. It has brought both my lovely wife and me great joy.”
Elizabeth felt herself warm at his thanks.
Helen waited until her husband finished speaking before coming to stand in front of Elizabeth. Elizabeth immediately stood as Helen held out her hands. Jason plucked her glass from her hand, much as Nancy had earlier.
“It is not only beautiful, my dear,” she said, as she took Elizabeth’s hands in her own, “I must tell you, I sobbed the first time I stood in front of it.”
Elizabeth was concerned when the woman’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh, please, Mrs. Dietrich,” she said, “I never meant for it to make you sad.”
Helen shook her head. “Please, call me Helen. I feel we have moved beyond client and designer.”
“So do I, and I’m just Elizabeth,” Elizabeth said, feeling a true connection with the couple.
Helen smiled and squeezed Elizabeth’s hand. “Forgive me, I never meant to cause you alarm. Please know that I am not sad. The mosaic could never make me feel sad. Every time I see it, I feel surrounded by everyone I love so dearly. You have an incredible talent, my dear. You didn’t simply give my husband and me what we thought we wanted. You looked into our souls and gave us what we never even dreamed possible. We thank you from the depths of our hearts.”
Elizabeth had never been so moved in her life. She impulsively reached out to hug the older woman. Helen returned the hug, and when they separated, both women’s eyes were shimmering.
Elizabeth turned to see Nancy smiling broadly. Before she could return the smile, she faltered, realizing that Jason had moved over, leaving no room for her to sit.
