22. Serena
22
SERENA
S erena slumped against her front door, sliding down until she sat on the cool hardwood floor. Her heart fluttered like a hummingbird trapped in her chest, and she pressed her fingertips to where Logan's lips had kissed her cheek. The spot still tingled.
"Oh god," she whispered to her empty house. "I'm in so much trouble."
She kicked off her shoes, letting her head fall back against the door with a soft thud. The events of the day played through her mind like a highlight reel - Logan's strong hands lifting her off the ground when she cracked Beatrice's puzzle, spinning her until she squealed with laughter. The way he'd "happened" to remember that overlook spot where they used to watch sunsets, producing a bouquet of wildflowers from his truck.
"I just wanted you to know how proud I am of you," he'd said with that half-grin that made her knees weak.
Then there was that impromptu dinner at Betty's Drive-In, where they shared fries just like they used to. Logan had even remembered she liked extra pickles on her burger and sweet-talked the waitress into bringing extras.
"Such a gentleman," she'd teased him when he'd walked her to her front door.
"Only with you," he'd replied with a wink that sent warmth spreading through her chest.
Serena groaned, covering her face with her hands. "What am I doing?"
But she couldn't stop the smile spreading across her face. Every time she caught him looking at her today, his gold-flecked eyes had been so soft, so warm. The way he'd touched her elbow to guide her, found excuses to stand close, laughed at her terrible puns - nobody could fake that kind of attention to detail.
She touched her cheek again, remembering how his stubble had scratched slightly against her skin, how his lips had lingered just a moment longer than strictly necessary for a friendly kiss.
"I'm completely head over heels," she admitted to the empty room, letting out a breathless laugh. "Totally, absolutely gone."
Serena paced her living room, her sock-clad feet padding across the hardwood floors. Every few steps, she'd pause to stare out the window at the moon-drenched garden, then resume her restless circuit.
"Friends," she muttered, running her fingers through her loose hair. "We said we'd be friends."
But friends didn't look at each other the way Logan had looked at her today, like she was something precious he'd found again after losing it. Friends didn't find excuses to touch each other's hands while passing potions ingredients back and forth.
She flopped onto her couch, grabbing a throw pillow and hugging it to her chest. "And friends definitely don't kiss cheeks like that."
The memory of his lips against her skin made her flush all over again. Ten years ago, she'd been so certain he was the one - until that fight about her leaving for vet school had exploded into accusations and hurt feelings.
"But he's so different now," she said to the empty room.
These past weeks, she'd watched him bottle-feed injured fox kits, seen how tenderly he cared for each animal that came through his sanctuary. The way he'd supported her magic, encouraged her to experiment and grow - it was a far cry from the stubborn young man who'd once insisted his way was the only way.
"Remember when he used to solve everything by charging in?" She smiled, remembering earlier today when he'd actually asked her opinion about handling a particularly skittish deer. "Now he actually listens."
Serena stood up and resumed pacing, this time with more energy. "He remembered my favorite wildflowers. He still knows exactly how I take my coffee. He keeps finding reasons to work late just so we can watch the sunset together."
She stopped at the window, pressing her forehead against the cool glass. "And the way he looked at me at the festival..." Her breath fogged the pane as she whispered, "Nobody's ever looked at me like that. Not even..."
She couldn't finish the thought about her ex-husband. Because the truth was, what she'd felt for her ex paled in comparison to how Logan made her feel - both then and now.
Serena fumbled with her phone, nearly dropping it twice before managing to dial Julie's number. Her hand trembled as she pressed it to her ear, pacing circles around her coffee table.
"Julie? Are you awake? I need to talk."
"For you? Always." Julie's voice crackled through the speaker. "What's got you calling at this hour?"
"Logan kissed me." Serena collapsed onto her couch. "Well, on the cheek, but-"
"Finally!" Julie's squeal made Serena hold the phone away from her ear. "Tell me everything."
Serena spilled out the whole evening - the sunset, the wildflowers, the way Logan's eyes had lingered on her. Her voice softened as she described how natural it felt working beside him at the sanctuary these past few weeks.
"And now I can't stop thinking about him," Serena admitted, twisting a loose thread on her sleeve. "But we said we'd just be friends, and what if I'm making another mistake? What if-"
Julie's laughter cut through her spiral of doubts. "Oh honey, listen to yourself. You sound like a teenager with her first crush."
"I do not!" Serena protested, then caught her reflection in the window - flushed cheeks, silly grin. "Okay, maybe a little."
"Serena, sweetie." Julie's voice turned gentle. "The way you talk about him - the sanctuary, the animals, how he's grown - sounds to me like you already know exactly what you want."
Serena's breath caught. The weight of uncertainty that had been pressing on her chest lifted as Julie's words sank in. "I do, don't I?"
"You want to be with him."
"I want to be with him," Serena repeated, the truth of it warming her from the inside out. "God, Julie, I really do."
"Then what are you doing talking to me?" Julie laughed. "Go get your bear man!"
"It's midnight!"
"Since when has that stopped true love?"
"Julie!" Serena laughed, but her heart skipped at the words 'true love.' "Thank you. For everything."
"Anytime. Now go plan how you're going to sweep that man off his feet tomorrow."
After ending the call with Julie, Serena's mind raced with possibilities about her talk with Logan tomorrow. She needed something to calm her racing thoughts. Padding into her living room, she clicked on her TV and scrolled through her streaming services until she found the perfect distraction - "Love's Second Chance at Sunset Bay."
"Oh, this looks perfectly cheesy," she muttered, wrapping herself in her favorite fleece blanket and settling into the corner of her couch.
The movie started with a woman returning to her hometown after ten years away. Serena snorted into her blanket. "Really?
But she kept watching, drawn in despite herself. The leading lady ran into her old flame at - of all places - an animal shelter.
"You have got to be kidding me." Serena grabbed her phone, typing quickly.
"Julie, this movie is literally my life right now."
A string of crying-laughing emojis came back, followed by: "Universe trying to tell you something?"
Serena tossed her phone aside and hugged her knees to her chest, watching as the couple on screen navigated their way back to each other. Her eyes welled up when the male lead gave this beautiful speech about how he'd never stopped loving her, even after all those years.
"It's just the lighting making my eyes water," she insisted to herself, wiping at her cheeks with the corner of her blanket.
By the time the inevitable happy ending rolled around, with a sunset kiss and swelling music, Serena had gone through half a box of tissues.
"This is so stupid," she hiccupped, blowing her nose. "I'm crying over a Hallmark movie."
Her phone buzzed again. Julie had texted: "Go to bed, you lovesick witch."
Serena glanced at the clock - 1:30 AM. "Oh god, I really should sleep." She switched off the TV but couldn't help smiling at how the movie couple had gotten their second chance. Just like she and Logan might.
"Tomorrow," she promised herself, heading toward her bedroom. "Tomorrow I'll figure out how to tell him."
She paused in her doorway, touching her cheek where Logan had kissed her. "At least my story has better special effects than that movie. Their leading man definitely couldn't turn into a bear."
The next morning, Serena stood before her bathroom mirror, wrestling with her usually unruly hair. For once, the light brown strands cooperated, falling in soft waves around her shoulders. She'd swapped her typical messy bun for something more deliberate, letting her hair frame her face in a way that made her gray eyes pop behind her glasses.
"Okay, take twenty-six," she muttered to her reflection, adjusting the neckline of her wine-colored blouse. The silk material felt foreign against her skin after weeks of practical scrubs and t-shirts. "Logan, we've known each other a long time..."
She groaned, slumping against the counter. "No, that sounds like I'm breaking up with him."
The clock on her phone showed 8:45 AM. She'd been up since six, trying different outfits and rehearsing various versions of her speech. Her bed looked like a clothing explosion had hit it.
"What about..." She straightened, squaring her shoulders. "Logan, remember when you kissed me last night? Well, I'd like to try that again, but maybe somewhere other than my cheek?"
"God, that's terrible," she laughed, dabbing on a final coat of mascara. She rarely wore makeup beyond the basics but today called for something special. A touch of smoky eyeshadow, a swipe of rose-colored lipstick that made her feel daring.
Her phone buzzed with a text from Julie: "Did you tell him yet???"
"On my way now," Serena typed back, then added a nervous emoji.
Julie responded with a string of heart emojis that made Serena smile despite her nerves.
Serena’s heart suddenly fluttered as she remembered Logan’s expression last night. Maybe she didn't need a speech after all. Maybe she just needed to be honest.