Sarah Morgan Summer Collection

‘Of course.’ Sonia winced slightly and rubbed her bump. ‘I must admit I’m starting to find it quite uncomfortable. It’s the heat, I suppose. Next time I’m going to make sure that I’m pregnant in the winter. Glad I’m not having triplets.’

Evanna smiled. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Sonia.’

She climbed back into the car, lining up the facts and deciding on the best course of action. Tests tomorrow and then careful monitoring. And, if in doubt, she’d send Sonia to the hospital for a check. She wouldn’t take any chances.

Suddenly she felt excited about Saturday. Maybe Kyla was right. When had she ever really dressed up for Logan? The answer was never. Yes, they sometimes went to social events at the same time, but she’d never dressed to attract his attention.

He obviously liked her company and there was no doubt that Kirsty loved her.

Perhaps it was just a question of showing him that she was interested—of showing him that, as well as his friend and colleague, she was also a woman.

CHAPTER FOUR

SATURDAY evening arrived and Evanna hovered outside Logan’s house, feeling ridiculously self-conscious. She’d walked through his garden gate at least a thousand times in her life and never even hesitated. So why should a glamorous dress and a pair of high heels suddenly make her nervous?

The answer, of course, was because she felt … different.

Normally, when she joined Logan for one of the frequent barbecues at his house, she pulled on her oldest pair of jeans and pushed her feet into a pair of trainers. It was true that occasionally she’d worn a dress in the hope that he’d notice her, but it had never worked. But she’d never worn a dress as glamorous or feminine as the one she was wearing now.

Lifting a hand to her hair, she drew in a breath and opened the gate.

‘Evanna, you look wonderful!’ Meg, Kyla’s aunt who owned the café on the quay, stepped forward, a drink in her hand. ‘I’ve never seen your hair down like that! It looks amazing.’

‘I—I thought I’d have a change from curls.’ Evanna’s eyes slid nervously around the garden, which was already crowded with Logan’s friends and family. ‘Where’s Kirsty?’

It was ridiculous, she thought to herself, hiding behind a child. But suddenly that was what she wanted to do.

‘Last seen clinging adoringly to her father, but you don’t want to hold her while you’re wearing that gorgeous dress. She was squashing raspberries into her mouth a moment ago and most of the juice was stuck to her.’

Evanna laughed. ‘She loves fruit.’

‘There she is.’ Meg smiled benignly across the garden. ‘And Logan is looking well, don’t you think? That blue shirt with his eyes—it’s no wonder the girls all trip over themselves when he passes. He’s not going to be on his own for long, that’s for sure. Someone is going to snap him up really soon.’

Were they?

Wondering how she’d cope with that, Evanna kept her smile fixed firmly in place, relieved to see Kyla walking across to them, her hand in Ethan’s.

‘Good to see Kyla so happy, too,’ Meg said, nodding approvingly as Ethan paused to kiss his new wife on the lips. ‘Ethan may not be an islander born and bred, but you wouldn’t know it to look at him. He fits right in.’

Evanna nodded. It was true that Ethan fitted in. He’d arrived as a locum GP to help Logan and had fallen in love with Kyla and stayed. It was a situation that suited everyone. ‘He was always meant to come here.’

‘You mean because he’s Kirsty’s uncle?’ Meg lowered her voice. ‘I must admit I wasn’t surprised when he revealed that he was actually related to Logan’s late wife. Her brother, imagine! There was always something secretive about him. And about her, come to that. She certainly never mentioned a brother.’

‘They weren’t close. That’s why Ethan took the job here. To try and learn more about her. I’m sure that if she hadn’t died, they would have developed a relationship.’ Kyla hadn’t shared much of it with her, but Evanna knew that Ethan and Catherine had shared a difficult family background.

Meg sniffed. ‘Well, he’s a good doctor and that’s what matters. Oh, look at that.’ She waved a hand. ‘Kirsty has spotted you. And Logan.’

Evanna felt her heart rate double. ‘I’d better go and say hello.’

‘You do that. And watch that dress.’

Evanna caught Kyla’s whispered ‘Nice cleavage’, took a deep breath and plucked up courage to walk across the lawn.

‘Hello, Kirsty,’ she said, clasping the raspberry-stained fist in hers and giving it a swift kiss. ‘No need to ask what you’ve been eating.’

Kirsty chortled with delight, a huge smile on her plump cheeks.

‘I’ve given up trying to keep her clean,’ Logan murmured, dropping a kiss onto his daughter’s silken blonde curls. ‘It’s a losing battle. I’ve decided that I’m just going to turn the hose onto her before she goes to bed.’

‘It’s a good job I know you’re joking.’ Evanna felt her heart hammer against her chest as he turned to look at her. His blue eyes were shielded by thick, dark lashes and her stomach flipped as she fell into that sleepy, masculine gaze.

Suddenly she felt agonisingly nervous.

What if he hated the way she looked? What if he thought she looked ridiculous? What if—?

He smiled at her. ‘I’m glad you came early.’

Didn’t he notice anything different about her? Evanna shook her head gently, allowing her smooth, shiny hair to spill over her shoulders.

Kirsty gave a delighted gurgle and immediately reached out and grabbed a handful.

‘Don’t pull Evanna’s hair,’ Logan drawled, prising the little girl’s fists open and giving Evanna an apologetic smile. ‘You know what she’s like with hair. Leaving it down was asking for trouble. You should have worn it in a ponytail, like you usually do.’

Evanna swallowed back her disappointment.

That was it?

That was all he was going to say?

That she should have worn her hair in a ponytail?‘Yes,’ she croaked, ‘I probably should.’

Kyla stepped up to them, a bowl of plump, glossy black olives in her hand. ‘Olive, anyone? Doesn’t Evanna look fantastic with her hair like that, Logan? It’s stunning, Evanna. Really stunning. You should wear it down more often.’

‘Well, it certainly makes it easier for Kirsty to pull,’ Logan said absently, stretching out a hand and helping himself to an olive. ‘I’m going to put the baby to bed now. Then I’ll come down and cook. Did you know that Meg has offered Fraser free ice creams for the whole of the summer as a reward for his quick reactions last week?’

‘That’s a bit rash, isn’t it? I’ve seen how much that boy can put away.’ Kyla grinned and held out her arms to Kirsty. ‘Come to your Aunty Kyla. I’ll put her to bed. You chat to Evanna. You two never have time to talk properly and I’m sure you have lots to catch up on.’

Logan looked surprised. ‘All right, thanks. But I’m going to talk Evanna into making a salad while I get the barbecue going.’

‘Evanna is not making salad while she’s wearing that dress,’ Kyla said firmly, and Logan frowned slightly.

‘She could wear an apron.’

Kyla gritted her teeth. ‘Ethan is going to finish off the cooking. You two just spend a bit of time together.’ She walked off with the toddler in her arms and Logan watched her go.

‘Well, perhaps we should take her up on her offer. To be honest, I was trying to work out a way of getting you on your own before everyone else arrives. This seems like as good a time as any.’ He closed a hand on her arm and pulled her across the grass to the weeping willow. Green tentacles spilled downwards, providing shade and privacy.

His touch was firm and purposeful and Evanna felt her heart start to pound. What could he possibly want to say to her?