Chapter 18
Logan
Logan watched her drive off.
Damn.
He still loved her.
He knew he always would. He had na?vely hoped that his feelings would change once he spent time with her again, that he would see her, talk to her, and those same passionate, overwhelming feelings would be miraculously gone. They were not gone. His feelings, if anything, were stronger than before.
She was still so funny. Engaging. Open. Honest. Smart.
So very smart. Quick on her feet. They could talk about a hundred different subjects, at length, when they were kids, and that had not changed either.
She looked straight in his eyes when they talked and made him feel like he was the only human on the planet.
She listened. She asked questions. She still showed any and all emotions she was feeling, which he found so authentic.
He remembered how they used to park and make love in his truck, the seats back. He remembered how they used to play chess naked. Had they ever even finished a game when they were naked? Probably not. He let the memories of naked chess games dance through his head.
He remembered all the books they talked about.
He hadn’t been interested in books when he was in elementary school at first, but then Bellini had always been talking about books and reading books, so he’d started reading, too.
Eight years old, and they would sit together, their backs against a tree, and read.
They would read together at his house, by the lake, or by the stream, or in the barn when his mom was home and his dad wasn’t.
Bellini knew and loved his land almost as much as he did.
He drove by the town Christmas tree on the way home. Neighborhood homes were decked out in lights. This was the best Christmas he’d had since they broke up. Maybe something hopeful would happen. Maybe something romantic. Maybe she’d change her mind about them.
He saw a blow-up Mrs. Claus standing on someone’s roof. She was swaying back and forth, an arm raised as if to say, “Help! I’m going to fall over!”
He laughed out loud. Bellini had always, always made him happy.