Logan's Salute

Chapter 10

Connor's POV

Connor gives the young man a sceptical look, as he takes the bags and walks to the exit. Connor follows him to a vehicle with the name AVIS Car Rentals on it and the young man places his bags in the boot of the car. 

"Why did you say that?" Connor asks him, after closing the boot.

"Excuse me?" the man asks with a smile. He walks back to Connor slowly, taking his car keys out of his pocket.

"You said you will take me home," Connor says, adding, "We both know I'm not from around here." Connor lies. The young man shakes his head and chuckles. 

"Sorry, sir," he says and opens the passenger side door. "I had a very long day and I was not even aware I made that mistake." He laughs at his own blunder and gestures to the open door.

"I haven't even told you where I am going," Connor says as he enters the car. 

"Doesn't matter," the man says as he close the door. He leans into the window and adds, "You are my last trip for the day. My shift ends," he checks his wrist watch and adds, "in the next five minutes. Anywhere you are going, I will be going home after." 

"Take me here," Connor says as they pull away, passing him a piece of paper with the address scribbled on it. Connor notices that he smiles broadly at the address. 

"I know this place," he says. "I know the owner and her partner very well."

"Great," Connor says, placing the seatbelt on him.

"Yip!" the man says confidently. "In fact I dated the one in high school." 

The mere words makes Connor's stomach turn and he slowly turns back to look at the man with more intensity than before. 

"Really?" Connor says, searching for some sort of resemblance in the man. "What is your name?"

"David," David says as he pulls out of the airport and into the traffic. "David Solomons." 

Connor eyes him curiously and recalled a David Solomons always stalking his sister. Connor smiles at him and says, "Pleased to meet you, David, my name is Connor Deveroux."

Thirty minutes later they pull up in front of the B&B. 

"Wait here," David says as he exits the car. David walks over to the front door and knocks on it. Connor was unable to see who the person was that opened the door. His stomach turned with anxiety. After minutes of mental torture, curiosity got the better of him and Connor exits the car. He takes his jacket and throws it over his left arm, then grabs his travel bag and makes his way to the front door. He tries to listen to the conversation, but his heart was beating so loud, he was unable to focus on the voice. The closer he got to the door, the louder his faster his heart pounded in his chest. He could hear that the voice belonged to a woman's, but it did not sound like Kristin. He could however hear that she was very angry. Connor took a deep breath and took his last steps up to the front door.

As Connor reaches the door, the woman pushes David forcefully, causing him to stumble back and she aims to strike him. That was when Connor steps in and grabs her arm before she could touch the other man. The woman looks up at Connor and all the blood in her face disappears. It was Gabriella, his sister. She was grown and beautiful. She resembled their mother with her dark, almost black eyes, soft features and black hair. Her eyes became as wide as saucers. Connor felt elated with happiness for seeing her, but masked his joy with concern.

"Johnny?" she says softly. Connor winced at the name.

"Who is Johnny?" David asks her and she shakes her head.

"Is there a problem here, miss?" he asks her and she gives him a confused look. His accent clearly has thrown her. "Can I release you now?" Leave to a sibling to recognize you, even after your death, Connor thought. She stares at him as he holds her, her mouth gaping openly. "Ma'am!" He says and snaps her out of the state of shock. "Can I let you go now?" She nods and he slowly releases her.

"Who are you?" Gabriella asks, still staring at him in disbelief. 

Connor opens his mouth to speak again, but he refrains as a voice from within the house grabs his attention. 

"Who is at the door, Gabs?" the very familiar voice bellows from inside the house. Both, Connor and Gabriella shift their focus onto the woman approaching them. Connor is taken aback by Kristin, who has also grown into a gorgeous woman. With her long, dark curly hair, falling over the one shoulder, chocolate brown eyes and full, kissable lips. She was wearing a flowing beige skirt, just over the knee and that came in uneven points around her shapely calves, with a loose fitting, soft blue blouse, hugging her feminine assets beautifully. Connor could not help but take in her presence with a soft sigh. Following her was an older, more mature Matthew, also coming to see what the ruckus was about. Connor's mood changes from anxious to anger.

"You know we still need to finish our," Kristin says and stops dead in her tracks when she sees Connor standing at the door. Connor makes eye contact with her and she blushes. Matthew stops beside her and also gives Connor a once over. Connor stood there hoping that neither she, nor Matthew, are able to  recognize him, as his sister did. 

"Kristin,"  David speaks first. "This is Mr. Deveroux, from America. You were expecting him, right?" Kristin looks at David with confusion and then back at Connor. She smiles slowly and moves forward stretching out her hand towards him.

"Mr. Deveroux, good evening,” she says pleasantly. “I am Kristin Stevens and this is my B&B.” Connor squints his eyes as she easily says her maiden surname. Connor then glances at Matthew, who glared back at her with anger. “Welcome to Kristin's Cottage. Ouch!" She shouts, as an electric shock ran from Connor to her.  

"I'm sorry, are you hurt?" His accent drawls through nicely.

Rubbing her hand Kristin says, "No, Mr. Deveroux, just a little shock," and gives a little giggle. "Please do come inside. David bring the man’s luggage." Kristin shouts over his shoulder, Matthew clears his throat and everyone looks at him. Matthew glares at Kristin for seconds before stepping forward and extending his hand towards Connor.

"My name is Matthew Gabriels," he says adding, "Kristin's...,"

"I know who you are Mr. Gabriels," Connor interrupts him, not wanting to hear the man gloat about his relationship with Kristin. Matthew eyes him curiously and Connor adds. "We met on a summit in America last fall. You and your father came to my office for funding on a project after the ordeal." Connor tries to keep the details of their meeting discreet. 

"Yes," Matthew says, with a smile. "I remember. What are you doing this side of the world, Mr. Deveroux?"

"Business," Connor says. "Of course and hopefully a little pleasure." 

"Well, Cape Town is the perfect place for both, let me tell you," Matthew says, glancing at Kristin. Kristin rolls her eyes and walks into the house, followed by Gabriella. "Would you like to join me for a drink, after you have settled in?" Matthew gestures that they follow the women.

"No, not tonight," Connor says and further into the building. "I am a bit tired tonight. Maybe tomorrow?"

"Leave your number with Kristin," Matthew says, adding, "and we can make a reservation at a favourite spot of mine." 

"Your leaving?" Connor asks as Matthew turns back to the front door.

"Yes," Matthew says, "Well, I have a previous engagement, that I unable to miss, so you and I shall catch up on another occasion." Matthew gestures to the building as he says, "This is not exactly my taste of accommodation, but Kristin is an excellent hostess. Both she and Gabriella have impressed me with the professionalism and overwhelming hospitality. Your stay here will be that of a five star quality, I'm sure. Have good night, Mr. Deveroux." They shake hands and Matthew walks out the door. Connor watches him leave before joining the ladies in what appears to be the reception area.

“Please have a seat, Mr. Deveroux,” Kristin says gesturing him to a chair and brings him the register. "You have to excuse my tardiness, as I was expecting you tomorrow evening," she says as he takes the book and signs in. He gives his sister a glance, who has now become a silent staring painting, before answering.

"Yes, well my flight was on time. There were no delays and apparently no hotels available for me to overnight in Johannesburg. There was no way that I was staying on the bench of in n airport, just because off a sold out concert. I did, however, ask my assistant to contact you with regards to this. Did she not contact you?" Connor asks and feels Gabriella's intense gaze burn into his skull.

"No, I don't" She says, and checks her cell phone, that she pulls out of her skirt pocket. "Oh, yes. She did. Sorry," she says apologetically. 

"Where would you like me to put his bags, Kristie?" David asks, entering with Connor's luggage

"You can place it in Logan's room," Kristin says to the young man and he disappears down a hall way. Connor shoots Kristin a look, at the mention of the room’s name, but she does not notice. Connor glances at Gabriella, but she too missed his reaction, as she was gazing down at her cell-phone as well.

"Gabs," Kristin calls to Gabriella. "Why don't you help David by opening the room?" Gabriella continues to stare blankly into her phone in silence. Kristin looks up at her and calls her name again. "Gabriella!"

"Huh?" Gabriella says, gazing up at them.

"Help David?" Kristin asks her and she first shakes her head and then nods silently. 

"Kristin," David appears from nowhere, making Kristin jump, "I have left the luggage outside the room for you."

"Thank you, David," Kristin thanks him, glancing at Gabriella with contempt. David smiles then looks at Gabriella who now has returned her focus on Connor.

David shrugs and says, "Well, I will be leaving now. So, nice to meet you, Mr. Deveroux. Good evening, ladies," and leaves shortly after. Kristin moves to the door where Gabriella stood and looks at her with concern.

"Let me just take him to his room" Kristin says softly, "and then you and I can have a good chat."

"No, Kristin. It is getting late," Gabriella says abruptly, "I have to go, so I will see you tomorrow." Gabriella looks at Connor again and says, "Nice meeting you, Mr. Deveroux. Good night." Gabriella hurriedly walks out the door. 

"Okay, but," Kristin says, but Gabriella was gone. 

"Can I please go to my room now!" Connor says in a tone suggesting that she should not question him. "It has been a long day for me too!" Fatigue was sneaking up on him along with the fact that he did not want to spend alone time with Kristin at all.

"Yes, of course," Kristin says, eyeing him curiously. “I'm sorry Mr. Deveroux, I wanted to know if you were hungry." 

Connor shakes his head and says, "I just want to sleep!" 

"Okay," Kristin says. "Let us get you settled then." Kristin drops her head and leads him to his room. 

Kristin takes him up a flight of stairs, clearly  a new addition to the design of her parents home. The room appeared to be above her old room with the words on the door reading 'Logan's Lair'. She unlocks the door and opens it for him and he lugs his bags inside.

"Well, there are clean towels in the bathroom" Kristin says, adding, "and should you want to unpack, the cupboards are at your disposal." Connor looks around the room and then at her.

"That won't be necessary," Connor says. "I don't intend to stay long."

Kristin shoots him a look and says, "Of course. Have a good night." She pulls the door closed as she leaves.

Connor stares at the door, listening to her walk away and down the stairs. His sense of smell, as well as his hearing, has also been enhanced after his accident. When he could no longer hear or smell her, Connor then took in the ambiance of the room.

The room was decorated in rugby memorabilia of the early 2000's and all of South Africa's World Cup wins. Even Logan’s old rugby vest was hung up against the wall in a frame and his medals were hanging in a frame with his picture in his uniform. 

Connor packs out clean underwear and his sleepwear, then prepares to shower. After the shower, Connor wrapped himself with one of the towels and stepped back in the room. There he found a tray, that clearly was not there before. On the tray was a plate of food, covered with a microwave lid. He looks around the room suspiciously before opening the lid. On the plate was cabbage food, browned with mutton pieces and soft potatoes. The smell makes his mouth water. He has not smelled food like this for a very long time. Eighteen years ago, long. He grabs the plate and fork, sits on the bed and begins to eat. Each bite taking him back to his mother's cooking and a simpler life. 

Minutes later Connor was done eating and he places the empty plate back in the tray. Peaking out from under the lid was a note. Connor picks it up and folds it open to read.

It read:

I am sorry if I offended you, but it was a long flight and I am sure that you must be very hungry. You don't have to eat the food as it is foreign cuisine. I did feel guilty for not being more prepared for your arrival.

I do hope you enjoy your stay here with us, however long it might be. 

Have a good nights rest.

Kristin

Connor begins to feel horrible for brushing her off like he did. He dresses into his long sleeper pants and matching vest, then makes his way downstairs to where her room is. Her name was on it. Connor takes a deep breath and knocks on the door. The door swings open and Connor finds Kristin in a sexy baby blue nighty with a plunging neckline. Connor allows his gaze to flash over her, loving what he sees. Kristin, however, turns all the colours of the rainbow.

"Is this how you answer your door?" Connor asks, humour dancing in his eyes. Kristin places her left hand at her neck in an attempt to cover herself, but instead brings Connor's attention to how snug the night dress clung to her figure. 

"I was expecting someone else," Kristin says, looking uncomfortable. Connor nods realizing that Matthew should be returning home from his 'previous engagement' anytime soon now.

"Sorry to disappoint you," Connor says. 

"What is it that you want, Mr. Deveroux?" Kristin asks, hugging herself tighter. Connor notices her heart rate increases as she spoke. 

"I just wanted to say thank you," Connor says, ignoring the increase of her heart rate. Kristin shoots him a confused look.

"Thank you?" she asks him. "For what exactly?"

"The food," Connor says. Kristin nods and half smiles. "I was an ass and you were still nice to me." Kristin giggles at his statement.

"Yes, well, I have been long enough in this business to know crankiness when I see it," she says and places her hands on her hips, exposing her beautiful bosom. Connor's gaze falls back on her chest and Kristin clutches at her neck again, making Connor laugh. They were fuller than he remembered. 

"Well," Connor says with a chuckle. "I will go to bed now." Kristin nods and closes the door as Connor turns away. Connor returns to his room and fatigue catches up to him, causing him to flop onto the bed and drift away into sleep almost immediately.

Kristin's POV

A knock at the door makes Kristin jump and she grabs her gown from her bed before answering this time. Blake stood there with a huge smile on his face. He bends down to kiss his mother on her cheek.

"Evening, ma," he says and enters her room. 

"Where have you been?" She asks him as she close the room door. Blake plops himself onto her bed. 

"I was with Slang," he says, referring to a friend of his that Kristin did not approve of. "I lost track of time, i am sorry, ma." 

Over the years bringing up a boy with Matthew was not easy but Blake was more like his father than her. He had the overwhelming love for rugby and bad taste in friends. His friends was one of the reasons why Matthew insisted that Blake attend his high school years at Plattekloof High. Kristin however countered him saying that even there they were selling drugs on school, pointing out that no matter where they did go, Blake would have to face adversities. It depended on him to make the right choices and that would come from how they raised him. Matthew was not convinced, but she wanted to rely less and less on Matthew, as she has already filed for divorce and wanted to learn how to stand on her own two feet financially. 

Matthew found out tonight that Kristin has filed for divorce, hence his appearance on her doorstep this evening. He was not impressed. 

"Ma!" she hears Blake call her, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Who is the muscle man who left here a while ago?" Blake eyed her curiously as she felt her cheeks warm up.

"He is a guest," Kristin says softly. 

"And you looked like that?" he asks, gesturing to her attire.

"I thought he was you!" she says, closing her gown. Blake rolls his eyes.

"Wow!" he says. "That is so unhealthy, ma. People are going to think we are incestuous"

"But we are," she says with a giggle and begins to tickle him, making him laugh aloud. Blake jumps off the bed and Kristin falls onto it. 

"I will go to bed now," He says. "You are crazy and I have school tomorrow." Kristin laughs as he walks to the door.

"Blake!" Kristin calls him and turns back to look at her. "You have to be careful around your friend Slang. Your father is already not happy that you attend school here. Don't give him a reason to over-react."

"I won't, ma," Blake says. "and he is not my father." 

Kristin nods and he greets her again before leaving her room. Her thoughts drift back to the conversation she had with Matthew earlier that day. His green eyes were filled with anger as she explained that their marriage was nothing more than a farce and a business agreement. 

"Not for me!" Matthew shouted back at her, making her flinch. "I love you, Kris!"

"Don't call me that," she said. Matthew was forbidden to call her that ever since Logan passed away. That was his name for her and no one was allowed to call her that ever again. 

"You won't listen to reason!" he said in utter desperation. "Please, can we just try one last time? I cannot loose you like this!" Matthew takes her right hand into his and goes down on his knees. Kristin looked down at him and shook her head.

"Get up, Matthew," Kristin said and tried to move away, but he pulled her back. "Let me go!"

"Never," Matthew said.

"What the hell is going on here?" Gabriella walked in at that moment and Matthew gets up from the floor. She eyes them both as she spoke again. "The guests called me saying you guys are having an argument." Gabriella focuses on Kristin and asks, "Where's Blake?" 

"At a friend," Kristin said, still trying to free her hand from Matthew. "Let me go, Matthew!" Kristin shouts again. 

"Matt, let her go," Gabriella said.

"No!" Matthew said, sounding like a child.

"Matt, let her go!" Gabriella said with authority. Matthew glanced at her and released Kristin's hand. "You are like a four year old!" The door bell rings.

"I will get it," Kristin said.

"No, let me," Gabriella said. "Sort this out." she said and answered the door, but never returned. Then as Matthew and Kristin were talking they heard an argument and found Connor, David and Gabriella at the door. Kristin was overwhelmed by Connor's presence. His gaze was intense and Kristin was not sure if it was the unusual colour of his eyes that intrigued her. He seem to be staring into her soul and had some familiarity that she just cannot put her finger on. Even touching his hand, after the shock, made her whole body tingle. 

Kristin rubs her hand as she remembers the sensation. Kristin has not felt anything for any man, since Logan. Kristin close her eyes and places a pillow close to her chest as she remembers Logan. Tears stream down her cheeks as her heart overflows with grief. Slowly Kristin lays back down on the bed, sobbing bitterly.

Kristin wakes up the next morning at the foot of her bed. Her alarm goes off seconds after she lifts her head and she reaches for it. She jumps up and gets dressed, knowing that Gabriella will make her appearance soon for their morning pow-wow. Minutes later, she makes a pot of coffee and unloads the dishwasher. She checks the time and sees that it is 5:36 am. She makes her way to Connor's room and knocks softly. When he does not answer, she unlocks the door and looks inside. The bed was empty and made up. It looked as if no one has slept in it. Kristin moves further into the room and sees a laptop opened on the dresser. She glances at his laptop and sees US Government at the top of the screen. Suddenly, Connor walks in to the room from the bathroom. His face was angry as he looked at her. He pushes the laptop closed and eyes her curiously. 

"What are you doing here?" He asks, clearly angered by her presence. 

"I, er," Kristin mumbles. "Came your for tray."

"What?" He asks her, pulling a face indicating he was annoyed by her. 

"I came to fetch the tray," She says clearly. 

"So, you sneak in without my consent and steal it away?" Connor asks as he sits down on the bed, holding the laptop in his hand. 

"I am sorry," she says. "I thought you were still fast asleep and I need it for the breakfast rush, so, I just came in and yes I was going to steal it away, but technically it is not stealing as it belongs to me. So, there." Connor eyes her silently as she squirms nervously under his scrutiny. "So, where is it?"

"Where is what?" he asks her, making his way to the bed.

"The tray?" she asks him, looking around the room. 

"I took it to the kitchen earlier," Connor says, opening his laptop once again as he sits on the bed.

"Wait, what?" Kristin asks. Connor lifts his gaze to look at her. "How long have you been up?" 

"Not long," Connor says adding, "I took the liberty of cleaning the room, as I needed to catch up to some emails. Before I did though, I took your precious tray into the kitchen and placed it in your beloved dishwasher." His sarcasm angered her. 

"This is why we don't serve guest supper," Kristin says, and grabs her mouth in shock. Connor shoots her a look. "Sorry!" she says and turns to leave. What was wrong with her?

"Next time I will leave it outside on the floor so the mice and cockroaches can have a feast!" Connor shouts after her. Kristin stops and turns back to face him.

"I don't have cockroaches!" she screams at him. He gives a laugh, that made her wince.

"Oh so, you have mice, do you?" He says. "Good to know!" Kristin opens her mouth and shuts it, then turns around and leaves his room, banging the door behind her. 

The gall of that man, she thought. Kristin angrily walked away, finding herself still fuming when she reached the kitchen. The aroma of fresh coffee, calms her down and she pours herself a cup. Gabriella car pulls up minutes later as Kristin sits in her kitchen, still going over the events of the morning.

"Morning, sis," Gabriella says, holding two cups of McCafe mugs with her cappuccino and Gabriella's latté.

"Hi," Kristin says blandly. Gabriella pulls a face and places Kristin's cup in front of her.

"What is wrong with you?" Gabriella asks.

"Do you have space in your B&B for the high and mighty Mr. Deveroux?" Kristin asks, cringing as she says "high and mighty'. 

"What?" Gabriella asks. "Why? what happened?"

"He just," Kristin says and stops. "He makes me... Look, with all that is going on, I cannot have some snooty, goody-two-shoes, mess with my mornings." Kristin does not notice that Gabriella's eyes lifted and was focusing on something behind her. "And I knew when that Ms. Gallagher called, I would have some sort of horrible dictator type of guest, who loves it when a woman is at his beck and call! Soon, he will ask me the sheets are not Egyptian cotton and I need to invest on soap with gold in it or maybe even," Kristin sees that Gabriella has lost all the blood from her face. "What is wrong?" Kristin asks, and her stomach gives a horrible turn as she gets the distinct feeling Connor was behind her. "He is behind me, isn't he?" Kristin asks Gabriella and she nods slowly. "Wonderful," Kristin whispers and slowly turns around to face the man. Connor stood there with a look of contempt on his face, staring down at her like she was an insect.

"For your information," Connor says, "I am not a dictator. There is nothing wrong with liking things a certain way. It is called, 'having taste' and maybe even class. Do you even know what class is?"

"I beg your pardon," Kristin raises her voice at the man. "I know very well what class is. I am married to one of the wealthiest men on this continent."

Connor takes a deep breath and says, "Class is something you are born with. You cannot marry it, pick it up on the street or even buy it at the nearest thrift store, as you did most of your items at this establishment." Kristin winced at his words, and felt like Connor's attack was deliberately personal.

"How dare you!" Kristin says and stands up.  

"I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for that dreaded Ed Sheran Concert that will still be showing for another two weeks, according the BBC news." He walks into the kitchen to where Kristin was, glaring down at her. Kristin's heart begins to pound in her throat, more because of his closeness, than his very eminent anger. "I never wanted to be here, but we are stuck with each other until this silly concert is over." Kristin sits back down, but clutches the counter that was eating into her back as he towered over her. His piercing gaze burns into her as he adds, "I actually came down to apologize, as I thought that maybe I judged you too harshly, but clearly that would have been a waste, as you even don't know how to treat an international guest!" His nose flared as he spoke. Something about this seemed too familiar. The look in his eyes, the way he spoke and even the way he carried himself as he walked away. Kristin was left speechless, staring in the direction that he left.

"What the hell was that about?" Gabriella asks, minutes later. Kristin still feeling like she had a dejavu moment. 

"Did I just argue with a guest?" Kristin asks softly.

"Yes, you did," Gabriella says. "You are supposed to be the coolheaded one."

"Oh, my goodness," Kristin says, grabbing her face, that has become a crimson red. "I need to apologize." Kristin jumps up and grabs a cup to fill with coffee. She runs around the kitchen, grabbing many other things, before placing it on a tray.

"What are you doing?" Gabriella asks her as she runs around like a fool. Kristin stops, takes a deep breath and then speaks.

"I am going to apologize," Kristin says and walks towards the door, almost knocking into Blake.

"Woh, ma," Blake says, still in his pyjamas. "Where are you going? Morning aunty."

"Good morning, Blake," Gabriella says with a smile. "Your 'ma' angered a guest and now she needs to make nice." Kristin flashes Gabriella a look and turns back to the door to leave.

"That American guy?" Blake asks as he makes his way to the fridge. "He left." 

Kristin stops at the door at his words. "What now?" she asks her son, after she turn back to face him.

"Yip," Blake says, placing the milk and yogurt on the counter. "Zipped past me in the passage. He's fast for an old guy." Kristin eyes a smiling Gabriella and walks back into the kitchen. 

"I will speak to him, when he returns," Kirstin says, placing the tray down on the counter. "We both need to calm down anyway." Gabriella chuckles happily at her humiliation.