**Blue's Notes: Thank you once again to Callie, and to my readers and friends for your support.**
"For such a great little town, you'd think they would have more places to stay," I complain as I carry my duffel bag up the wooden staircase. One fucking room left in this whole place. This room had better be worth it. 'Oh it's the best room in the entire place.' Yeah, right lady, I think as I unceremoniously throw open the door to our room. "Oh, wow," I gasp. The room is an explosion of blues and yellows, from the matching curtains and bedspread to the vase of fresh flowers sitting on the bedside table.
"Hump. Well, the woman did say it was the best room in the place," murmurs Logan from behind me.
I move out of the doorway and stash my duffel bag in the corner of the room, and flop down on the only bed. Moments later I feel the bed dip with Logan's weight as he mimics my actions. This brings back memories, I think recalling when I saved him from being thrown off the roof. I need to do something. I can't just sit here for the rest of the day.
"Do you want to go out for a little while?" Logan asks interrupting my thoughts, "We can't very well stay here for the rest of the afternoon."
Rolling over to face his side I reply, "Read my mind."
Logan turns his head and graces me with a brief smile before getting up off the bed. He offers me a hand up, and then we leave.
****
We end up driving all over the small town, Logan is reminiscing. He's been telling me about how the effects of the pulse have yet to hit here. "It's three o'clock."
"Yeah."
"I'm just saying, it's three o'clock. Thought you might be hungry, I know a wonderful little place where we could get some out of this world pasta tricolore and a sinful death by chocolate cake." He says, smiling at me out of the corner of his eye.
"Bring on the food." I say as my stomach gives a little rumble.
"I'll drive faster," he chuckles.
Before I know it, we are pulling onto a one-lane gravel road that runs along the beach. Logan drives up and parks beside of two other cars in front of a beautiful house, adorned with every kind of flower and shrub imaginable. "This is a restaurant?" I question.
"Nope, this is my aunt and uncle's home," Logan explains as he steps out of the car leaving me dumbstruck in the passenger seat.
I quickly follow his lead, scrambling out of the car to catch up with him. "I thought you liked me," I pout. "But here you are subjecting me to your relatives, again."
"I do like you Max," Logan blushes as he answers. Clearing his throat he continues, "This is my mom's side of the family. Nothing like the Cales." Grabbing my hand he propels me to the front of the house, "Trust me."
Before I can zing back a witty comeback the door is thrown open and Logan is ripped from my grasp by an elderly gentleman with surprising strength. The man has engulfed Logan into a bear hug, just like he was a little kid. I have to laugh. "Honey, come see who it is," the man, who I am assuming is Logan's uncle, calls into the house. "Radar, is here, and he brought his girlfriend with him."
Logan is turning about four shades of red right in front of me. "Umm, Uncle Christian, this is my friend…" stammers Logan.
Christian barges ahead and sweeps me up into a hug, "Oh I know who she is, you only talk about her every time you call. It's nice to meet you Max," he says putting me back down on the ground.
I stand there for a few minutes, dazed and confused by this welcome, until Logan and I are both pulled into the house by Christian. Logan talks about me to his family? Every time he calls?!
"Logan!" Exclaims a pleasant looking woman wearing an apron, as she walks out of what must be the kitchen. "How are you doing darling? I didn't think we would ever see you back on your feet," she says looking at him, "but just look at you now."
"Aunt Mary, this is my friend Max," Logan says as he turns to where I am standing.
I step away from my spot by the door and move forward to shake her extended hand, only to be swept into another hug. I swear if one more person hugs me, I am going to have to kick some ass. But I am loving this look on Logan's face. He looks so—happy. "It's nice to meet you," I say stepping back from her.
"So what the brings the two of you to up here?" Christian asks as we move into the living room to sit down.
Logan casts me a questioning look, and I shake my head slightly. "Food," he replies laughing.
"Oh, so the two of you came all the way from Seattle just to taste my pasta?" inquires Mary with a knowing look in her eye. I can't help but blush, Logan and I aren't like that.
"Well who I am to refuse my favorite nephew? Dinner will be ready in about an hour."
"Why don't you kids go for a walk? You probably need to stretch your legs after all that driving, or did you fly in?" Without waiting for an answer Christian rambles on, "Regardless, go outside and take a nice long walk on that beach."
*****
After all the hugging, I was most definitely glad to be out of that house. "I gotta say it Logan, they are very different from the Cales."
"Yeah, Aunt Mary reminds me so much of my mom," he says as he bends down to remove his shoes.
Casting a questioning look in his direction he replies, "Come on, takes yours off to. We'll walk in the sand, it's much better here than in Seattle. No hoverdrones."
So we walk.
"It's so beautiful out here," I say looking at the water.
"It is beautiful here," I hear him echo, "I loved spending the summers up here when I was a kid. I learned how to swim right over there," he says moving me a little so that I can see a little alcove. "By midday, the water there would be close to perfection."
Glancing back the way we came, I see that we have walked almost a mile up the beach. "Maybe we should head back. Can't have Eyes Only wearing himself out."
"You mean you wouldn't carry me back?"
"Not on your life," I reply then pretend to pout. "'Sides I thought the guy was supposed to carry the girl?"
"Well, we'll just have to follow tradition then won't we?" He says surprising me as he picks me up in his arms.
Briefly I recall an old movie I watched one night with Logan—well, I watched it while he slept. "My hero," I swoon laying my head on his shoulder. He looks down at me and smirks. I'm waitin' for a witty comeback, but judging from the look in his eyes that isn't gonna happen. He's gonna kiss me. Oh God, he's gonna kiss me, I think. Then I can't think anymore 'cause my brain just shut down. All I know is that his lips are soft and warm, and he tastes like…chocolate?
"Um, Logan," I pant between kisses, "maybe you should put me…" Too late, I think as his knees buckle and we tumble to the ground.
"Isn't the girl supposed to go weak in the knees?" I ask as he kisses me again. Breaking the kiss I stand up and then pull him to his feet. "Are you okay?"
There is a mischievous smile on his face and his blue eyes are sparkling as he throws me a line. "Why? Want to play doctor with me?"
Throwing my hands up in exasperation, I grab his hand and we slowly make our way back to the house.
Christian and Mary kept me entertained all through dinner, regaling me with stories about their little Radar. Can't wait to get back to Seattle and tell Original Cindy. After Logan makes plans for his aunt and uncle to come to Seattle in a few weeks we leave and head back to the bed and breakfast. And the one bed.