Page 54 of Beary In Love

The next morning, Serena stood before her bathroom mirror, wrestling with her usually unruly hair. For once, the light brown strands cooperated, falling in soft waves around her shoulders. She'd swapped her typical messy bun for something more deliberate, letting her hair frame her face in a way that made her gray eyes pop behind her glasses.

"Okay, take twenty-six," she muttered to her reflection, adjusting the neckline of her wine-colored blouse. The silk material felt foreign against her skin after weeks of practical scrubs and t-shirts. "Logan, we've known each other a long time..."

She groaned, slumping against the counter. "No, that sounds like I'm breaking up with him."

The clock on her phone showed 8:45 AM. She'd been up since six, trying different outfits and rehearsing various versions of her speech. Her bed looked like a clothing explosion had hit it.

"What about..." She straightened, squaring her shoulders. "Logan, remember when you kissed me last night? Well, I'd like to try that again, but maybe somewhere other than my cheek?"

"God, that's terrible," she laughed, dabbing on a final coat of mascara. She rarely wore makeup beyond the basics but today called for something special. A touch of smoky eyeshadow, a swipe of rose-colored lipstick that made her feel daring.

Her phone buzzed with a text from Julie: "Did you tell him yet???"

"On my way now," Serena typed back, then added a nervous emoji.

Julie responded with a string of heart emojis that made Serena smile despite her nerves.

Serena’s heart suddenly fluttered as she remembered Logan’s expression last night. Maybe she didn't need a speech after all. Maybe she just needed to be honest.

23

LOGAN

Logan's breath caught in his chest as Serena walked up his cabin's front steps. Her light brown hair fell in soft waves around her face instead of its usual messy bun, and without her glasses, her gray eyes seemed to sparkle even more than usual. The wine-colored blouse she wore hugged her curves in ways that made his bear want to growl in appreciation, and her fitted jeans... He forced his gaze back up to her face.

Something was different about her today. Beyond the obvious effort she'd put into her appearance, there was a determined set to her jaw that made his pulse quicken.

"Logan." Her voice was soft but steady as she climbed the porch steps. "I need to talk to you about something."

He leaned against the railing, trying to appear casual despite the way his heart hammered in his chest. "What's on your mind?"

Serena took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. "I've been thinking about us. About how things used to be, and how they are now." She stepped closer, close enough that he could smell her lavender shampoo. "We're different people than we wereback then. Better people, I think. And working with you these past weeks, I've realized something."

His bear stirred anxiously inside him, sensing the importance of what was coming next.

"I still have feelings for you," she said, her cheeks flushing pink. "Strong ones. And I know we agreed to just be friends, but I can't help wondering if maybe we could try again. If you'd want to try again."

Logan's mind went blank, his body tensing with surprise and something else - hope, maybe, or desire, or both.

Serena shifted nervously in the silence, her cheeks flushing pink. "I know it's a lot to ask, and if you don't feel the same way-"

Logan's bear rumbled with pure joy deep in his chest. Here was Serena - his Serena - standing before him with her heart on her sleeve. The morning sun caught the golden highlights in her hair, and that determined tilt of her chin made his heart skip.

A slow grin spread across his face. "You beat me to it."

"What?" Serena blinked, her eyes widening.

"I've been trying to figure out how to tell you the same thing." Logan closed the distance between them in two long strides. "I was going to do something romantic, maybe take you stargazing like we used to. But here you are, brave as ever, saying exactly what I've wanted to hear."

Her lips parted in surprise, and his bear focused on that small detail with intense interest. "Really?"

"Really." He reached up, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I'd love nothing more than to try again with you, Serena. I agree that we're both different people now. We are better people. And working with you these past weeks..." He shook his head, chuckling. "Let's just say my bear's been insufferable, wanting to be near you all the time."

"Your bear's been insufferable?" Serena laughed, the sound making his chest tighten. "You should try being around youwhen you're being all..." She gestured vaguely at him. "You know, competent and caring with the animals."

He caught her hand in his, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. The touch sent electricity racing up his arm.

"Competent and caring?" Logan raised an eyebrow, stepping closer. "That's what does it for you?"

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