“What is this trick he's teaching his dog?” I asked as they went behind the storage shed.
“Not telling. It's pretty funny, though,” Logan told me. He watched the shed for a moment as though he could see Tyler and Spock through it. “That dog is good for him.”
“Yes, he is.” I stared out at the storage shed, thinking of how Tyler considered himself and the dog as the same. It broke my heart.
“Listen, I wanted to apologize for last night,” Logan said after a moment of silence. “I didn't mean to bring up work on your vacation, and I’m sorry.”
I narrowed my eyes. This had to be one of his tricks. “Sure.”
“Seriously. I didn't mean anything by it.” He grinned and held his hands up in front of him as if to show he wasn't armed. “I am here to relax, not to get you to sign anything. It's just a happy coincidence that we're both here.”
“Right.” I didn't fully believe that it was a happy coincidence, but I was at least willing to accept his apology.
“Let me make it up to you?” Logan asked. “Dinner. Tonight. Just you and me. No business, just give me the chance to really make up for what happened.”
I chewed my inner cheek for a moment. I heard Spock bark and I turned to see him and Tyler sprinting down the beach toward us. He looked incredibly happy and proud.
It softened my heart to see Logan being so kind to Tyler. Plus, I couldn't forget that the man had saved my life, so maybe I owed him dinner without getting so defensive.
“Please?” Logan begged. I took a good look at him. The wind ruffled his messy hair as he smiled hopefully at me, making my heart speed up. He looked honest and open, yet sexy as hell. I just hoped it wasn't another trick.
“Fine,” I conceded. “Because of what you've done for Tyler.”
Logan beamed, making his brown eyes sparkle. It was impossible not to smile back. “You won't be sorry, I promise!”
“Do I need to wear anything special?” I asked. How did I let myself get roped into this? I just hoped I wasn't going to get burned by him yet again. But, I knew deep down that I would fall for his tricks every time, no matter how burned I got. He just had that effect on me. I should have just steered clear of him from the beginning.
“No, just be comfortable. How does seven sound? I'll pick you up at your room,” he answered. “I'm going to help you test out one of the resort's luxury opportunities.”
“I hope you know that I'm not going to do the complimentary wedding ceremony,” I teased. Logan laughed just as Tyler rejoined us.
“Why? Did he ask you?” Tyler quipped, looking back and forth between the two of us with confusion. Spock sat panting at his feet.
“No, just taking Olivia to dinner,” Logan explained.
“Okay, good then. I didn't bring a suit.” Tyler shot me a cheesy grin that made me roll my eyes. “And now, are you two ready for Spock's amazing new trick?”
“Incredibly. On the edge of my seat,” I answered. Logan nodded enthusiastically.
“All right.” Tyler grinned and turned to the dog. “Spock, do the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few?”
Spock stared at Tyler for a moment, cocking his head as if he were trying really, really hard to understand English. Tyler nodded encouragingly at him, but Spock just wagged his tail.
“Spock, you had this a minute ago!” Tyler took a breath and then repeated the phrase. Spock just wagged his tail harder.
“Fine, we'll do it your way,” Tyler conceded. He held the stick like a weapon and pointed it at Spock. “Pew, pew! You're dead!”
Spock promptly fell to his side and rolled up onto his back, sticking his legs up in the air and holding perfectly still. I giggled as Tyler completed the act with a long, “NOOOO” and ran to the dog's side. It would have been perfect, except Spock's tail started to wag as soon as Tyler touched him. Actually, that made it even better.
Logan and I applauded as Tyler and Spock took sitting positions before us in the sand.
“Even better than what I had in mind,” Logan congratulated him. “I'm really impressed you taught him so fast.”
“He's really smart,” Tyler said with a grin as he hugged the dog to him. “Do you have any other ideas for tricks?”
“Teach him how to fetch your mom's slippers,” I advised. “Possibly how to make coffee. It will make her like him more.”
“I've got a couple more ideas if you want. How about tomorrow, we get together and I'll show you some of them?” Logan offered. Tyler eagerly nodded.
I thought about discouraging this friendship. Tyler was only going to get hurt when the billionaire decided that playing with kids wasn't his speed, but the fact that Tyler was excited and talking to another human being, besides his mother and me, was too good to make him stop.
I hoped that Logan understood the importance of what he was doing. Tyler hadn't spoken this much to anyone recently, and it was Logan's influence that was encouraging him. He never would have interacted with Izzy last night if Logan hadn't given him the vote of confidence earlier in the day. Logan had made him a hero and was now making him worthy of plans. I just hoped that he wouldn't let Tyler down as much as Tyler's father had.
“Okay, so I'll see Tyler tomorrow at ten,” Logan said to Tyler and then grinned at me. “And I'll see you tonight at seven.”
“Sounds good!” Tyler agreed. Spock wagged his tail. I nodded.
“Excellent.” Logan flashed us one last smile before turning to head back toward the resort. He walked with a pep in his step I hadn't seen before as the wind plastered his shirt against his back. I shook my head as I tryed to figure him out. He seemed legitimately excited about dinner tonight. I wondered just what he had planned. The resort had boasted several romantic excursion opportunities.
A gust of wind drove handfuls of sand into my bare legs. The waves out on the ocean had gotten rougher, and whitecaps crested with each swell. The storm was officially moving in, and the previously calm waters were now growing agitated.
“Come on, Tyler, we should head inside,” I said, offering him my hand to get up. He took it, and I pulled him to standing. Another gale of wind came off of the ocean, lowering the temperature and making sand flurries in the air. “Let's go get cleaned up and have some lunch.”
Tyler wiped some sand from the front of his shirt and did his best to brush most of the sticky, white grit from Spock. Even then, they were still incredibly dirty. “You think we'll be able to find a place to put Spock for the night? I don't want him out here in this.”