Logan
Hampton, Virginia
The sizzling sound of burgers on the grill fades as I step inside, washing my hands and quickly drying them.
The smell of grilled meat and seasoning lingers in the air.
The air fryer dings, signaling that the sweet potato fries are done, so I grab the tray and set it down next to the fridge.
A large salad is already prepped and waiting in there.
I hear the faint sound of a car locking and glance toward the front door to see Ryan walking inside. He’s the first to arrive.
“Hey, man.” He catches my eye and gives me a nod and that devil-may-care grin he’s known for.
“Beer’s in the fridge, help yourself,” I say, walking back to take the burgers off the grill. Before I can finish getting everything on the table and get back inside, the front door opens again. Lila steps inside. She’s followed by two of her friends.
“Hey!” Lila greets me, her smile as warm as ever. “This is Logan.” She tilts her head in my direction. “And this is Ryan.”
She walks over and right into my arms. I hold her tight and plant a kiss in her hair. She smiles up at me and I take my chance and press a quick kiss to her mouth.
“Nice to meet you,” Ryan says to the girls, bringing my attention back to our friends.
“You too, I’m Alinna,” she says, shaking his hand and smiling.
She’s attractive, long dark hair, bright blue eyes, but she has nothing on Lila.
Which is funny since Lila confessed that she’d been weary of me meeting Alinna, fearing I’d and I quote “fall in love with her because she’s so pretty it’s unfair. ”
“I’m Ivy. It’s nice to meet you, both. This is my daughter, Hadley,” Ivy says, setting Hadley down.
The three-year-old clutches a stuffed bear in one hand and her mom’s hand with the other.
Ivy’s blonde hair is piled on top of her head in a bun.
She is beautiful, but looks tired and from what I know about her from Lila, life’s dealt her a tough hand recently.
Ryan squats down a little, his playful grin back in full force as he reaches out to Hadley. “Hey, kiddo,” he says, his voice light and friendly. Hadley eyes him for a second, then shyly grins back.
“Who are you?” Hadley asks, not pronouncing her r’s quite right.
“I’m Ryan.”
She looks at him curiously before handing him her bear. “This is Echo, Daddy got him for me. He likes you.”
“Hey there, Echo.” He takes the bear and hugs it before giving it back.
I’m about to invite everyone to the backyard when Dalton walks through the door.
“Sorry, I’m late,” he says, looking almost a little embarrassed but trying not to let it show.
The thing about Dalton is that no matter what, he’s always composed.
That’s the way he carries himself. But his eyes flare when they land on Ivy.
He quickly masks it. But I saw the look, like he noticed something he didn’t expect.
“Dalton, this is Alinna, Ivy and Hadley,” Lila says, introducing the group as Dalton offers a quiet greeting, his gaze lingering on Ivy for a moment longer than necessary. I can see him soften for a second as he studies her.
“Nice to meet you,” Dalton says. He doesn’t say anything else, but there’s a visible gentleness in his eyes as he watches Ivy. Hadley giggles when Ryan makes a funny face at her, pulling Dalton’s attention away.
“Let’s eat,” I finally say, eager to get everyone out to the patio where the food’s waiting. “We’ve got burgers, fries, and a big salad. I hope you came hungry.”
I lead them out the back door to one of my favorite parts of my house—the back patio. A large wooden table topped with our dinner sits centered under a pergola with enough chairs for everyone. It’s all surrounded by lush greenery beneath twinkling lights carefully strung in a zigzag pattern.
I watch Lila as she walks past me, her hand brushing mine.
We take our seats around the table and I feel a little more at ease with each passing moment, the chatter flowing easily between everyone.
Ryan’s making jokes, and Alinna is laughing at everything he says.
Ivy and Dalton are talking about Dalton’s job, but there’s still that subtle undercurrent of something unspoken between them.
Hadley’s busy with her fries, and every now and then, I see Dalton looking over at her.
She’s got him wrapped around her little finger already, and I can’t help but smile at the sight.