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EVERLY: In two weeks, everything is going to change again. Jazzy and Stanton will be gone. Any changes I make after that, I’ll have to do myself. And I keep thinking… what if I’m not strong enough? What if this growth I’ve experienced is only because they were here to catch me if I fell?
She shakes her head.
EVERLY: What if I’m not ready to fall on my own?
CHAPTER 25
It was nine in the morning on Saturday, and Logan was idling in a black pickup truck in Everly’s driveway.
“What’s on the agenda?” she asked, popping open the passenger door.
There was nothing specific on the call sheet for today. Sady and the hosts were currently on their way back from a convention in Chicago, and Everly had no idea what they could film without them.
Though she’d seen him multiple times this week, settling into the cab next to Logan still caused her heart to flutter. She would have sworn his eyes were bluer than she remembered, his beard more perfectly groomed, his face more handsome.
She leaned across the console to kiss him, and Logan met her halfway, his hand doing that thing where it cradled her cheek, his palm against her jaw as his fingers cupped her ear and threaded into her hair. He smelled like winter and coffee, and the wisps of his beard tickled her skin. His mouth was warm and welcoming on hers.
It would be so easy to disappear into this man’s kisses forever.
She practically groaned in disappointment when they finally pulled apart.
“Interviews around town,” he said. “Sady wants me to take you to some of your favorite places and have you reflect on the journey so far. Filler stuff, basically.”
Everly nodded, but internally she was scowling. Ever since Thursday’s episode, the thought of Sady left a bad taste in her mouth.
She fought to keep those thoughts off her face as she smiled at him. “We could go to the beach. There’s a spot not far from here that’s only for residents, so it doesn’t get too crowded on weekends, especially this close to winter.”
He reached out his hand for hers. “To the beach, then.”
The trip was only a few miles, and they crossed town in a comfortable silence interrupted only occasionally by Everly pointing out the best ice-cream shop (The Banana Splits), the best market (AJ’s always had her favorite pens and the best variety of laundry detergents), and the only thrift shop in town (which rarely had her size but got excellent selections of cute jewelry).
Once he’d turned off the main drag, she pulled their clasped hands into her lap.
“How was your trip to New Hampshire?” Sady had sent him to scout locations for their next guest the day before.
He shrugged. “Fine.”
He’d been so open lately that Everly’s hackles immediately sprang up at his one-word answer. “What’s wrong?”
His grip tightened on the steering wheel, and on her fingers. “I… don’t want to think about a next guest. Because that means I won’t get to spend my work days doing this.” He waved their hands between them.
Everly watched them move. “Yeah, maybe don’t holdallthe guests’ hands. I prefer to be hand monogamous, unless it’s, like, a family member, or Ravioli. You can always hold Ravioli’s hand.”
“Ravioli has paws.”
Everly never tired of the way she could derail him simply by babbling long enough. It had become one of her new favorite games. “Even better. Then they’re not subject to the agreement at all.”
He shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. I’m not going to get to see you every day at work soon.”
She knew what he’d been implying, but her heart jumped at his honesty all the same. Then it plummeted to her stomach. He was right. Soon Logan wouldn’t be here every day. Neither would the hosts. Over the last few weeks, she’d grown accustomed to being surrounded by people who looked like her, who made her feel like her best self. It had started to feel… real.Normal.
She wasn’t ready to give that up.
To give anything up that this show had given her.
She squeezed his hand back and tucked it to her chest. “We’ll figure it out. I can come to Boston, or even New Hampshire. And one of the other guests is in Rhode Island, right? That’s not too far.”
“I know we’ll figure it out, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.” There was a red light ahead, and he eased the truck to a stop. Then he glanced over at her. The look in those blue, blue eyes was solid, sure.
