Logan leaned on the handle of the rake and nodded, his politely affable expression doing little to soften the hard lines of his face. “Some more so than others,” he said. “This is one of the more-sos.”
“Need any help?”
“No, we’ve got it. There’s not really anythin
g left to do, but we’re trying to look busy to keep Mrs. Sossaman from thinking up some new instructions for us.”
Dan chuckled. “Understandable.”
Logan glanced toward Dan’s cheek. “That looks sore.”
“Looks worse than it is. Just a scratch.”
“Get it last night? Looking for the kid?”
“Yeah. Slapped in the face by a branch.”
Logan nodded. “The kid’s a holy terror. Being around him makes me doubly glad I never had any.”
Dan remembered Bonnie’s carefully worded comment that her brother had been betrayed in love. He was curious, of course, but aware that the details were none of his business. He directed the conversation into a less sensitive direction. “That’s quite a dog you’ve got. Smart.”
“Sneaky,” Logan corrected with a shake of his head and a crooked smile. “I had no idea he’d learned to open the gate until Kinley told me last night. I took care of it, of course, but he’ll probably figure out the combination to the lock soon enough.”
Laughing, Dan nodded. “I wouldn’t be surprised. I like him.”
“Yeah, me, too. Kinley’s been hinting that I should find another home for him, but I’m not giving him up. You could say we’ve bonded.”
Dan couldn’t imagine Kinley would really insist that her brother give up the pet he’d grown attached to, though he didn’t blame her for wanting the deceptively intimidating-looking dog kept away from unsuspecting guests. “Last night was the first time I’d heard him bark.”
Logan shrugged. “I’ve never heard him, myself. Guess he just hasn’t had a reason to bark until then.”
Pushing his hands into his pockets, Dan cleared his throat. “So…you’ve lived in the caretaker’s cottage for a couple years now, right?”
Logan looked automatically in that direction. “Yeah. I like it. Being down in the woods gives me plenty of privacy, considering I’m right on the grounds of the inn.”
“I, uh, guess you know these woods pretty well by now.”
“Well enough.” Logan eyed him as if wondering where this line of questioning was leading.
“Ever go out walking at night?”
“I’ve been known to.”
Dan worried a loose pebble with the toe of his shoe. “Ever see anything, well, strange out there?”
Logan cocked his dark head, his expression quizzical. “What was it you thought you saw?”
“I’m not sure, exactly,” Dan admitted. “Something. I think Kinley saw it, too, but she won’t admit it.”
“Don’t tell me you think you saw the ghost.” Logan’s sudden scowl reminded Dan very much of Kinley. It was the first time he’d seen such a strong resemblance between them. “You should know I don’t believe in that nonsense. And I agree with Kinley that I don’t want to turn the inn into some sort of haunted-house attraction.”
Dan nodded to acknowledge that he’d gotten the message. He started to speak but was interrupted by a hail from the direction of the inn.
“Logan, there you are!” Eva bustled toward them, the sun catching on the sparkles in the silver threads of her lavender suit.
Logan groaned beneath his breath, but asked politely enough, “What can I do for you, Mrs. Sossaman?”
“I just wanted to make sure you smoothed that rough patch at the end of the path by the gazebo. I would hate for anyone in the wedding party to trip during the procession. Serena would be devastated.”