CHAPTER FIFTEEN #2
She sighed. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” The possible repercussions of this make-out sesh hadn’t fully hit her yet, but she was certain they would soon.
“Why not?”
“You’re only here for the summer. It’s a small town. If things go south, it could get complicated.”
“Hanging out with you and your friends has been the best part of being here,” Logan said. “And I don’t want to make things awkward between us, but I can’t hide how I feel anymore.”
“Oh yeah. And how’s that?”
“I like you,” he said. “I’ve liked you since you side-eyed me at the coffee shop when I interrupted your conversation with Hope.
Then a little more when you dove over that cliff to save Joseph.
More still, when you slogged out of the lake, sopping wet.
” He smiled at the memory, and she slapped him playfully.
“I guess I like you too,” she admitted. “Sticking up for me when Joseph called me bossy. Saving my butt from the wolves. And that dunk in the basketball tourney? Hot.”
“I’m still paying for that. I think I pulled a hammy.
” He chuckled, but quickly got back on task.
“At first, I thought maybe I was just bedazzled by your camping skills, or seduced by your blunt, tell-it-like-it-is personality, but it’s more than that.
It’s only been two weeks, but I feel like I’ve known you forever. Do I sound crazy right now?”
“A little, but I get it. We’ve hung out a lot in those two weeks.”
“I understand I had to be relegated to the friend zone during the campout, but I’d like a chance to move up.”
He was saying all the right things. But she couldn’t help that nagging feeling that there was something he wasn’t telling her. He misinterpreted her hesitation.
“Oh, crap.” He smacked his forehead. “You’re not actually dating Carter, are you?”
“No,” she said. “It’s not that. I haven’t talked to him since the softball game.”
“Okay.” He dragged out the word. “So, what do you think?”
“You don’t have a secret family back in Texas, do you?”
“Huh? No. Just my brother.”
“You by chance dying?”
His brows knit in confusion.
“Never mind.” She flicked a hand. “Fine. I guess we can try dating.”
He kissed her again to seal the deal and, hand-in-hand, they returned to the reception.
“Please ignore my friends for the next five minutes.”
“Why?” he asked.
“You’ll see,” she muttered. As they approached the table, five pairs of eyes met hers. They all sat ramrod straight, lips pressed together, glancing between Tess and Logan’s intertwined hands.
“Get it out of your system,” Tess said. “Then shut up about it, all right?” That opened the floodgates.
“You go, girl,” Maddie said, holding up her hand for a high five, which Tess ignored.
“Yaaas,” Holly said. “I knew it. Pay up, Faith.”
“I didn’t bet they would never ,” Faith said. “I just thought Tess would take longer to break.” Still, she pulled out a twenty and handed it to Holly.
“’Bout time,” Alex said with a lecherous grin and a wink.
“Well, I think it’s great,” Juliet said, always the sweet, supportive one.
“Me too,” Maddie agreed. “Double thumbs-up.”
“All done?” Tess said as Logan laughed. “Sure you boys don’t want in on this?”
Brody, Cole, and Nick all shook their heads.
“We’re good,” Cole said.
“That about covers it,” Brody said.
“Don’t forget she’s my sister.” Nick put on a stern face. “Hurt her, and I’ll have to thrash you, and all that.”
Logan saluted Nick and leaned over to Tess. “I love how close you all are.”
“It’s a blessing and a curse,” she said. “And I guarantee the novelty will wear off.”
Later that night, Logan had somehow ended up sitting alone at the table with Maggie, who’d fallen asleep in his arms.
Tess eyed him from the dance floor where she and her friends struggled through the Macarena. It was impossible not to notice how in his element he looked. Holding a baby seemed so natural, so easy, so dad-like.
She mentally slapped herself. That was getting way ahead of things. He probably would be a good father. To someone, someday, but not to her kids. Not now.
When the party wound down, Logan gave her a long kiss goodbye and returned to the inn with Max. Tess, Juliet, and Maddie were staying in one of Alex’s cabins for the night, so they only had to stumble up the trail and fall into bed.
“You nervous about this Logan thing?” Juliet asked. Maddie had claimed the first shift in the bathroom. Tess and Juliet sat on the couch, waiting for their turn.
“The beginning’s always great.” Tess shrugged. “It’s when they go home that sucks.”
Over the years, they’d all had experiences with short-term relationships. That was the main problem with a small town. Most of the men they met—and dated—weren’t from here and didn’t plan to stay here.
“Think you’ll ever leave GVF?” Juliet asked.
“I don’t know. I’m not totally opposed to it, but I’ve never met anyone to tempt me into it either.”
“Until now.” Juliet waggled her eyebrows, and Tess threw a pillow at her.
She took her turn in the bathroom, got ready for bed, and slipped under the covers. Her last thought before falling asleep was of Logan—and that amazing, world-class, five-star first kiss.