A/N: Hey everybody. Finally, here's the next chapter (ff.net wouldn't let us post earlier). We hope you like it! Many thanks to our new beta Alaidh who took care of all those horrible spelling and grammar mistakes that you had to put up with so far. We really appreciate your help and constructive criticism!
Anyway- we hate to disappoint you guys in the anti-sandal fraction. (you know what we're talking about) but we decided to stick with the sandals. So just imagine Logan wearing something else, okay?!
But before we're saying too much, just go ahead and read!
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If the shoe fits...
Max finally saw the sign indicating they'd nearly reached the shoe store. It was on the other side of the street, though, so she made sure to cross where the curb was level with the street so Logan wouldn't have any trouble.
"What?" She had heard him make a sound behind her that sounded like a chuckle and partially turned around.
"Nothing," Logan said innocently, and grinned at her.
She suspiciously raised an eyebrow, but decided not to press the matter. She couldn't wait to find the right shoes.
"Come on; it's over there!"
"I'm coming. Relax! They're not going to close for about an hour. We have plenty of time," Logan said.
"Yeah, right. Never been shopping with Val, huh?" She couldn't resist and only hoped he wouldn't take it the wrong way.
"I didn't say that! I just said she liked to pick stuff out for me."
"Whatever."
"So let's see if they have a nice pair of shoes to go with that dress." Logan said quickly.
Max reached the entrance and opened the door for Logan to wheel through. Max beamed, seeing the aisles with all kinds of different shoes. She had never regarded herself as that kind of girl, but now she thought she might get used to it. This felt so wonderfully normal.
Logan stopped next to one of the little stools, that were spread all over the store for the patrons to use while trying on shoes, and watched Max pick a couple of pairs of shoes, seemingly at random, from the shelves. She looked like a little child in a candy store who wants to try everything all at once.
Max was oblivious to Logan watching her. She grabbed one pair of shoes and then another. Only then did she turn to see where Logan was. Smiling, she walked over and put the shoes on the floor next to him. "Watch them. I'll be right back."
Logan's grin widened even more. This was so cute. She looked so happy and relaxed; no one would have known that they were on the run. And now she had asked him to watch her shoes!
A minute later she returned with three more pairs and started to try them on. Three pairs were eliminated immediately. Max finally ended up trying to decide between a pair of beige high heels and a pair of black sandals.
"Give me the dress, will you? I need to see which ones go better with it."
Logan handed her the bag with the dress.
"What do you think?" she asked while unpacking.
He took a second look at the shoes "I'd say the black ones," he said, trying to sound indifferent. He knew that women didn't like too quick or decisive judgements...especially not from men.
"But the other ones look more special."
She held the dress close to the shoes. "On the other hand, probably can't walk in those for long."
"And you can display your toe ring in those," he said, cursing himself that very minute for letting that slip.
How would that look like now? Like he had been eyeing her up and down, from head to toe, literally.
Actually, he had noticed the little twinkle on her toe when she had come out of the bathroom the night before.
Max was so engrossed in the issue at hand that Logan's comment didn't register immediately.
But then she wrinkled her brow for a second. She couldn't believe he had noticed the small ring!
She straightened herself. "You're right. I think I'll go for the black ones."
She stood up and returned the dress and the bag to Logan.
Logan could feel himself blush a little, due to his remark about the toe ring. He had immediately loved that little piece of jewellery on her slender foot.
Max reached for the pairs of shoes that would stay in the store and returned them to their original spots.
When she returned to Logan she smiled. "What about you? Don't you need some shoes as well?"
Logan felt his head get as red as a tomato immediately. He felt like he had been caught daydreaming about her.
"Earth to Logan! What's up?"
"Uhhm. What did you say?"
"I asked if you wanted to buy some shoes, too?"
Logan looked at her, confused, then looked down at his feet. "What for?" he said, shaking his head.
He was wearing a pair of black loafers, which looked as new as they did the day he had bought them.
Max realised what she had just said and felt stupid for being so unobservant. "Sorry."
Logan saw the look on Max's face and changed his mind.
"You know what? You're right. It's probably going to be warmer soon, so why don't I look around for some sandals now that we're here. Something nice to go with my new pants."
Max let out a silent sigh of relief. She'd seen him react completely different to statements as blunt as hers before. "Great. I think the guy's stuff is over there."
She got hold of the box with her new shoes and then preceded Logan to the other side of the store. She was glad the two saleswomen she had seen were both busy with other customers.
Logan looked around, a little insecure. This was the first time he'd bought shoes after the shooting. How do you buy shoes in a wheelchair? Just pick what you like and make sure they're your size, he told himself.
"So what do you suggest, Max?" he asked, wheeling through the aisles.
Max could tell he wasn't quite comfortable, but she was not going to allow him to chicken out. "How about these?" She held out a pair of light leather shoes to him, figuring they would be easy for him to try on and that would help him relax.
"Mmm, yeah, okay. Keep an eye on them. But let's choose another pair, before I try them on," he said, continuing along the shelf.
She reached for a pair of sporty black sandals and put them down in a quiet corner, waiting for Logan to come over. She sat down on one of the stools and watched him look at the shoes.
"Which size are they anyway?" he asked
"No idea." She reached for one shoe and checked. "12. That OK?"
"Yeah, that should be okay." Logan said. "I just have to make sure they're not too small, I mean.." Bling had warned him about choosing the right shoes. They had to fit properly[SM1] and be made of a good material.
Max held up the other pair. "These are a little bigger. We can check."
"Okay", Logan said lifting up his right leg to slide off his shoe and sock. Then he took the shoe Max was handing him.
She tried not to watch him, knowing he would feel stared at. But then again, she was just buying shoes with him. He had no reason to freak out.
He slid on the new shoe and adjusted the heel a little until it looked right. It looked right, yeah, but how on earth was he supposed to know if it fit correctly?
"What do you think, Max?" he asked trying to feel his toes with his thumb through the soft leather.
"Looks good. But I can't really tell you if they fit."
"Neither can I," he frowned. "Maybe we should ask the lady for help," he added, much to Max's surprise.
"Sure."
"Excuse me!" he said, as he called for one of the saleswomen.
Max was wondering how the saleswoman was supposed to help them in this matter.
"Can I help you?" the red-haired woman asked them in a friendly voice.
Max noticed a moment of hesitation wash over the saleswoman's face, but she regained her composure immediately.
"Yes, please. I was trying on some new summer shoes and I was wondering if you could tell me if these shoes fit me well enough."
'One of those smiles, and Logan can convince everybody that he's just a normal guy. He just doesn't use it often enough', Max thought to herself. 'But maybe it's better that way, otherwise he would have the girls running after him, chair or no chair.' Max felt a twinge of something at that thought. Could it be jealousy? She inwardly shook her head. 'Get a grip, girl!'
The redhead sat down on another little bench next to Logan and looked at his feet closely.
Then she hesitantly started to push into the leather a little to check where Logan's toes ended. "May I?" she asked, a little insecure.
"Sure, I don't feel it anyway." Logan answered nonchalantly.
"Is your heel all the way back?" the young woman asked.
Logan shifted his leg and straightened out the shoe. "Now it is, I think," he said.
"Well then it should be okay."
Max leaned in to check for herself, and, unlike the other woman, she didn't hesitate at all to stick her finger in the shoe. "You seem to be OK; there's some space left."
"Okay, how about the other pair?"
Max handed him the other shoe and waited for him [SM3]remove the one he was wearing.
He actually wasn't too eager to try on another pair, but, after all, he had insisted on choosing another one.
This time it was not as easy to slip the shoe over his unresponsive foot. The leather was not as soft and the two straps that were crossed on the middle were pretty tight. Those shoes looked more like surfer's shoes.
Max could tell he didn't like having an audience while he struggled. But the redhead stepped in. "Here let me do that. Those straps are a little tricky." She busied herself with the shoes, while Logan held his foot in place.
Task achieved, the woman sat back. "So how do you like those? They fit a little tighter I'd say, but they'll be nice to wear in the hot summer."
Logan was relieved that the saleswoman had offered her professional help here. Letting Max help him put his shoes on was the last thing he wanted to do.
"I like them both." Max nodded her agreement.
"So how do I decide now?" Logan asked
"Why do you have to decide?" Max shrugged. "Just take them both."
"Yeah right. I practically don't even need shoes, so why buy two new pairs just to add to our baggage?" Logan asked.
Max acknowledged his logic and bit her lip, thinking. "Take the sandals, you have closed shoes already."
"That's a good point. All right." He turned to the woman. "I'll take the sandals."
The saleswoman wrapped up all the paper and put the shoes back into the box, then carried them over to the counter.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TBC...
Anyway- we hate to disappoint you guys in the anti-sandal fraction. (you know what we're talking about) but we decided to stick with the sandals. So just imagine Logan wearing something else, okay?!
But before we're saying too much, just go ahead and read!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If the shoe fits...
Max finally saw the sign indicating they'd nearly reached the shoe store. It was on the other side of the street, though, so she made sure to cross where the curb was level with the street so Logan wouldn't have any trouble.
"What?" She had heard him make a sound behind her that sounded like a chuckle and partially turned around.
"Nothing," Logan said innocently, and grinned at her.
She suspiciously raised an eyebrow, but decided not to press the matter. She couldn't wait to find the right shoes.
"Come on; it's over there!"
"I'm coming. Relax! They're not going to close for about an hour. We have plenty of time," Logan said.
"Yeah, right. Never been shopping with Val, huh?" She couldn't resist and only hoped he wouldn't take it the wrong way.
"I didn't say that! I just said she liked to pick stuff out for me."
"Whatever."
"So let's see if they have a nice pair of shoes to go with that dress." Logan said quickly.
Max reached the entrance and opened the door for Logan to wheel through. Max beamed, seeing the aisles with all kinds of different shoes. She had never regarded herself as that kind of girl, but now she thought she might get used to it. This felt so wonderfully normal.
Logan stopped next to one of the little stools, that were spread all over the store for the patrons to use while trying on shoes, and watched Max pick a couple of pairs of shoes, seemingly at random, from the shelves. She looked like a little child in a candy store who wants to try everything all at once.
Max was oblivious to Logan watching her. She grabbed one pair of shoes and then another. Only then did she turn to see where Logan was. Smiling, she walked over and put the shoes on the floor next to him. "Watch them. I'll be right back."
Logan's grin widened even more. This was so cute. She looked so happy and relaxed; no one would have known that they were on the run. And now she had asked him to watch her shoes!
A minute later she returned with three more pairs and started to try them on. Three pairs were eliminated immediately. Max finally ended up trying to decide between a pair of beige high heels and a pair of black sandals.
"Give me the dress, will you? I need to see which ones go better with it."
Logan handed her the bag with the dress.
"What do you think?" she asked while unpacking.
He took a second look at the shoes "I'd say the black ones," he said, trying to sound indifferent. He knew that women didn't like too quick or decisive judgements...especially not from men.
"But the other ones look more special."
She held the dress close to the shoes. "On the other hand, probably can't walk in those for long."
"And you can display your toe ring in those," he said, cursing himself that very minute for letting that slip.
How would that look like now? Like he had been eyeing her up and down, from head to toe, literally.
Actually, he had noticed the little twinkle on her toe when she had come out of the bathroom the night before.
Max was so engrossed in the issue at hand that Logan's comment didn't register immediately.
But then she wrinkled her brow for a second. She couldn't believe he had noticed the small ring!
She straightened herself. "You're right. I think I'll go for the black ones."
She stood up and returned the dress and the bag to Logan.
Logan could feel himself blush a little, due to his remark about the toe ring. He had immediately loved that little piece of jewellery on her slender foot.
Max reached for the pairs of shoes that would stay in the store and returned them to their original spots.
When she returned to Logan she smiled. "What about you? Don't you need some shoes as well?"
Logan felt his head get as red as a tomato immediately. He felt like he had been caught daydreaming about her.
"Earth to Logan! What's up?"
"Uhhm. What did you say?"
"I asked if you wanted to buy some shoes, too?"
Logan looked at her, confused, then looked down at his feet. "What for?" he said, shaking his head.
He was wearing a pair of black loafers, which looked as new as they did the day he had bought them.
Max realised what she had just said and felt stupid for being so unobservant. "Sorry."
Logan saw the look on Max's face and changed his mind.
"You know what? You're right. It's probably going to be warmer soon, so why don't I look around for some sandals now that we're here. Something nice to go with my new pants."
Max let out a silent sigh of relief. She'd seen him react completely different to statements as blunt as hers before. "Great. I think the guy's stuff is over there."
She got hold of the box with her new shoes and then preceded Logan to the other side of the store. She was glad the two saleswomen she had seen were both busy with other customers.
Logan looked around, a little insecure. This was the first time he'd bought shoes after the shooting. How do you buy shoes in a wheelchair? Just pick what you like and make sure they're your size, he told himself.
"So what do you suggest, Max?" he asked, wheeling through the aisles.
Max could tell he wasn't quite comfortable, but she was not going to allow him to chicken out. "How about these?" She held out a pair of light leather shoes to him, figuring they would be easy for him to try on and that would help him relax.
"Mmm, yeah, okay. Keep an eye on them. But let's choose another pair, before I try them on," he said, continuing along the shelf.
She reached for a pair of sporty black sandals and put them down in a quiet corner, waiting for Logan to come over. She sat down on one of the stools and watched him look at the shoes.
"Which size are they anyway?" he asked
"No idea." She reached for one shoe and checked. "12. That OK?"
"Yeah, that should be okay." Logan said. "I just have to make sure they're not too small, I mean.." Bling had warned him about choosing the right shoes. They had to fit properly[SM1] and be made of a good material.
Max held up the other pair. "These are a little bigger. We can check."
"Okay", Logan said lifting up his right leg to slide off his shoe and sock. Then he took the shoe Max was handing him.
She tried not to watch him, knowing he would feel stared at. But then again, she was just buying shoes with him. He had no reason to freak out.
He slid on the new shoe and adjusted the heel a little until it looked right. It looked right, yeah, but how on earth was he supposed to know if it fit correctly?
"What do you think, Max?" he asked trying to feel his toes with his thumb through the soft leather.
"Looks good. But I can't really tell you if they fit."
"Neither can I," he frowned. "Maybe we should ask the lady for help," he added, much to Max's surprise.
"Sure."
"Excuse me!" he said, as he called for one of the saleswomen.
Max was wondering how the saleswoman was supposed to help them in this matter.
"Can I help you?" the red-haired woman asked them in a friendly voice.
Max noticed a moment of hesitation wash over the saleswoman's face, but she regained her composure immediately.
"Yes, please. I was trying on some new summer shoes and I was wondering if you could tell me if these shoes fit me well enough."
'One of those smiles, and Logan can convince everybody that he's just a normal guy. He just doesn't use it often enough', Max thought to herself. 'But maybe it's better that way, otherwise he would have the girls running after him, chair or no chair.' Max felt a twinge of something at that thought. Could it be jealousy? She inwardly shook her head. 'Get a grip, girl!'
The redhead sat down on another little bench next to Logan and looked at his feet closely.
Then she hesitantly started to push into the leather a little to check where Logan's toes ended. "May I?" she asked, a little insecure.
"Sure, I don't feel it anyway." Logan answered nonchalantly.
"Is your heel all the way back?" the young woman asked.
Logan shifted his leg and straightened out the shoe. "Now it is, I think," he said.
"Well then it should be okay."
Max leaned in to check for herself, and, unlike the other woman, she didn't hesitate at all to stick her finger in the shoe. "You seem to be OK; there's some space left."
"Okay, how about the other pair?"
Max handed him the other shoe and waited for him [SM3]remove the one he was wearing.
He actually wasn't too eager to try on another pair, but, after all, he had insisted on choosing another one.
This time it was not as easy to slip the shoe over his unresponsive foot. The leather was not as soft and the two straps that were crossed on the middle were pretty tight. Those shoes looked more like surfer's shoes.
Max could tell he didn't like having an audience while he struggled. But the redhead stepped in. "Here let me do that. Those straps are a little tricky." She busied herself with the shoes, while Logan held his foot in place.
Task achieved, the woman sat back. "So how do you like those? They fit a little tighter I'd say, but they'll be nice to wear in the hot summer."
Logan was relieved that the saleswoman had offered her professional help here. Letting Max help him put his shoes on was the last thing he wanted to do.
"I like them both." Max nodded her agreement.
"So how do I decide now?" Logan asked
"Why do you have to decide?" Max shrugged. "Just take them both."
"Yeah right. I practically don't even need shoes, so why buy two new pairs just to add to our baggage?" Logan asked.
Max acknowledged his logic and bit her lip, thinking. "Take the sandals, you have closed shoes already."
"That's a good point. All right." He turned to the woman. "I'll take the sandals."
The saleswoman wrapped up all the paper and put the shoes back into the box, then carried them over to the counter.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TBC...