Page 5 of Consuming Logan

“For you, madam.”

Accepting his offering with greedy hands, Ava returned his genuine smile with one of her own. “Thank you.”

Understated would sum up Asher Wilherm. White polo, gray slacks, black belt and shoes. Though she was the uniformed officer, her partner had a regimented dress code. Always black, white, and gray. He tended to slouch, shaving a few inches from his obvious height. He kept his dark hair cut close to the scalp. Clean-shaven, camel-colored brows behind dark-rimmed glasses showcased gray eyes that radiated a brilliant calm few appreciated. Average features bracketed by a square jaw, his smile neither enhanced nor distracted from his looks.

Angling the navy-blue pleather chair in front of her desk, he lowered his lean frame into the seat. He gestured to the file with his paper cup. “The numbers for one-hundred and thirty new fully-automated exam tables. Guaranteed to lift your body and your mood.”

With a casual glance in her direction, Ash asked. “How’s your stomach today?”

Had she slipped up and mentioned how bothersome the nausea was to her daily routine? Co-chairing this multi-million-dollar project with the civilian contractor had increased Ava’s visibility with the executive medical staff ten-fold. The largest tasking of her career had to succeed. She had to prove that she could manage a project of this magnitude. It would be a mistake to give the appearance of physical or mental weakness.

He raised a brow. “What?”

She grinned, “Nothing.” Well, now she’d lied. How should she divert the conversation away from her personal life, yet get the answer to the question?

“Ava,” he sighed. “Relax.” He sat forward, placing his own coffee cup on the edge of her desk. “I asked because you’ve been rubbing your belly a lot lately.”

Ava stretched her eyes wide in disbelief. “Have I?” she queried, blind to the subconscious behavior. “You’re observant. It’s a rare quality.”

Ash shrugged as if it was commonplace to note such a subtlety.

“Yeah, well…I lost someone close to me when I was young. She taught me about people.” He picked up the cup and drank, clearing his throat as if he’d said too much. Whoever the woman was she must have been important to Ash. He talked a lot, but divulged little personal information.

“Besides, we’ve been working together for a month. We may not talk about our lives beyond these walls, but I know things,” he grinned.

“Like?” Ava thought back to the articles printed in the Shell Cove Courier.

“Your fiancé is a star surgeon. According to the reporting of Kylie Rivers your wedding will make Vatican City envious. Which is weird because I don’t see you as a showy peacock.”

Ava stiffened, caught off guard by the not-so subtle jab. Where the heck had that unwarranted attack on Logan come from? To her knowledge the two men had never met. There were some people, like her father, who thought Logan valued his career and the attention more than he could a wife. Ava knew Logan better than anyone. Underneath the arrogance, the lights and cameras, she came first with him. Their love had and would always be his priority.

Coffee set aside, she looked at her colleague, staring him in the eye. “It just got real dark in here. You’re throwing shade at my fiancé.” Yes, she went there. She might not like the Barnum & Bailey wedding, but nobody messed with her Logan.

Ash’s brow furrowed at the abrupt change in her demeanor. “Ava,” he cooed, obviously trying to clean up the acidity of the comment, “I was out of line. Didn’t realize you’re a combat-ready nurse.”

She cracked a weary smile, “When necessary,” she rasped, her thoughts quieting. “You read all this about me in the newspaper?”

“Staff lounge chats too,” absently rotating his cup in hand. “I’m a great listener.”

And watcher, Ava noted. Should she be concerned that her fellow co-workers talked about her? She wasn’t used to colleagues knowing details about her life…nor offering commentary. Absently, she wondered what else Asher observed.

He winked. “Anything I heard wrong?”

“You’ll have to wait for the breaking news,” she mused, picking up her drink again.

Taking a long draw from her coffee, Ava hummed as the smooth brew warmed her insides.

“Good?” he asked, taking a sip from his cup.

Forming an “o” with her thumb and forefinger, she gave a twisted grin. “Hah.” She screwed up her lips, “It’s okay.”

Ash placed a hand to his heart as if her words had wounded him. “I need a Band-Aid.”

“Yeah, you want a tiny violin too?” They both regarded each other before bursting into laughter. “You know you’re the resident barista. Shame on you fishing for compliments.”

He raised both hands, palms up. “I promise not to let my success go to my head,” he feigned.

“A humble man.”