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For my barbecue date with Logan, I decided on an off-the-shoulder bright yellow peasant top and jeans. As I combed my long, wavy hair out and framed it around my face, I hoped the outfit came off as summery and fun, whilst also being modest. Most of all, I found myself hoping Logan liked it.
He pulled up to the curb in his giant, red pickup truck.
I fumbled with the six-pack of wine spritzers as I watched him get out of the vehicle and walk towards me.
“Hi,” he said as he swung his keys around his finger.
“G’day,” I muttered.
A wide smile spread across his face. “I really like it when you say things like that.”
“Like what?” I asked.
“Aussie stuff,” Logan clarified.
“You’ve met the right woman, then, haven’t you? I’m as Aussie as they come.”
My teasing was an attempt to cover up my nervousness. I wasn’t sure why I was suddenly anxious around Logan—I’d been fine the last couple of days. But now that I’d privately acknowledged how I was feeling about him, I was an emotional mess. Never mind the fact that I was about to be introduced to a whole heap of his friends.
Logan must have had a sixth sense. He rested his hand on my shoulder and said, “Don’t stress about today. It’s only lunch with friends. You’ll fit right in.”
“I hope so,” I said with a sigh. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not the most outgoing person, especially with new people.”
“If you’re shy, that’s okay. It won’t matter to them, and it doesn’t matter to me. Just be yourself, Aria.”
I felt his fingers toying with my hand and I laced my own with them. “Alright.”
He led me to the passenger door of his truck and opened it for me. Even at five-foot-nine, I quite literally climbed into the thing before I settled into the plush leather seat. I belted up as Logan got into the driver seat.
“Did I mention this truck is fucking huge?”
“You think?” Logan asked as he started the engine up.
I laughed at the beast roaring to life. “Everything is big about it, I guess.”
Logan chuckled. “I like a big truck.”
“And you cannot lie?” I quipped.
The pair of us burst into laughter.
The drive was short and soon, we were pulling up to Natalie and Liam’s beachfront home.
We weren’t even at the door when Lee swung it open. “Hey, you two!”
The sound of children squealing happily assaulted our ears as we greeted the young mother.
“I brought along some wine spritzers,” I said as I held the six-pack out to her.
“Thank you. Come on in. Everyone’s dying to meet you.”
Lee’s words were innocent enough, but they made me want to shrink into the ground. The last thing I wanted to be was the centre of attention, but it was unavoidable, I supposed. I was the new girl, and a new potential lover for their friend.
Logan rested his hand on the small of my back and whispered, “It’ll be okay. You’re not alone.”
Lee led us through the house to the backyard. Liam and a bunch of guys were at the grill while a stunning brunette argued with a gorgeous redhead about how much dressing to put into the tossed salad and two other women stood off to the side and chatted as they sipped from glasses of wine.
