Risky Business by Kathryn Shay Page B

arrangementsfor her care.”
    “We’ll leave you two alone for that.”
    Now Jared straightened himself up to full height. Magdalena had forgotten how tall and imposing he could be. “I’d rather you stay. Ana isn’t going to like my proposal.”
    Her sister stepped back from him.
    “I think Opal should come and stay with me.” He held up his hand. “Before you object, remember I’m on sabbatical. I’m writinga book, and I work from home. I can take her to school and pick her up. She’ll have pre-op appointments. I can be there for her 24/7.”
    “Absolutely not.” Ana’s face turned hard. “I won’t leave my child during a time like this.”
    “And neither will I.” He glared at his ex-wife. “Then the only answer is for me to move back into our house.”
     
    oOo
    Logan and Magdalena gotback to his place around noon that day and immediately started a fire. Opal had to stay the rest of the night in the hospital, so they visited with her, and when it was time to take her home, they left it to Jared and Ana.
    “Sleep?” Logan asked her.
    “What about work?”
    “That can wait. The storm’s not as bad, but traffic’s snarled and the plows are still out. Just in case, I called theoffice while you were with your niece and left a message that we won’t be in.”
    “Then, sleep.” They disrobed and got into bed. Magdalena sidled into Logan, flesh against flesh, as if she’d been doing it for years
.
    After a while, he stirred. “You awake?”
    “Yeah, I can’t sleep. I keep seeing Ana and Jared at odds. It was always so sad what happened between them. They were ecstaticallyhappy.”
    “They seemed so, before the guys died.”
    “It had to have something to do with her moving into
Matka’s
house and away from him for three months. Even after she went home, there was tension between them.”
    “Then he had an affair, right?”
    “Which was a total shock. I never pegged him for a cheater.”
    Logan didn’t say anything
.
    “Logan?”
    “This is selfish. I feel forthem, but I don’t want us revisiting their split to scare you off from a relationship with me.”
    Magdalena laughed out loud. “After yesterday, it’s going to take an act of God to do that.”
    “I’ll pray there is none, then.” He held her close. “Tuck your head in now. We have to sleep.”
    “Okay.” She sighed. “I’m glad this happened between us, Logan.”
    “Me, too, baby,” he said, kissingher hair. “Me, too.”

 
    Chapter 9
     
    Two days after the snow hit, New York was back to its hustle and bustle, though shoveled mounds of white graced the streets. Magdalena had gone home to shower and change, and she’d just made the meeting at nine in Philip’s office.
    Thomas sat next to his father. He was lead man on the financing end, but it was Philip who said, “Good morning. I’m expectinga report today on your due diligence. I assume it wasn’t delayed by the snow. Logan? Magdalena? You’re on.”
    Magdalena picked up her tablet. “I’ve run the numbers, and studied all the reports we received, several times. I’m ready to present the company’s strengths and weaknesses in those areas.” She looked at Logan
.
    They hadn’t exchanged a word, but the affection was back in his eyes. “AndI’ve completed the management assessment, we’ve gone to three stores—two announced—and added my recommendations to her list.”
    Since each of them had a computer or tablet, he said, “The report is now on its way to you.”
    Magdalena sent hers, too. Both men studied the data, and Magdalena and Logan smiled at each other. Their closeness was almost tangible, over the work they’d done and theintimacies they’d shared
.
    After Philip and Thomas had time to digest the data, she started the explanations. “First off, it appears that The Natural Life is what they say it is. Product display and the ordering reports show that their inventory is high-end and meets the guidelines of organic, gluten free or whatever