Page 108 of The Opposite of Romance
The bacon, eggs, and pancakes they prepared are still warm and so delicious. Even Asher is silent, his loud chewing the only sound breaking the silence.
“I’m stuffed,” I say, placing a hand on my stomach.
I’d love to lounge around the rest of the day, but foolishly, I invited my sister and her family for a birthday hang out, which means I need to get to work. Inhaling deeply, I get up from the chair, steeling myself for everything that needs to be done, but Logan pulls me back down.
“Relax,” he says.
“Thank you for everything. But I really need to start cooking before the others arrive.”
“I’ve got it.” He presses a kiss to my forehead, something that never gets old, and heads to the kitchen. “Liv, Ash! We have work to do.”
They follow him immediately, taking their empty plates with them.
It’s then I realize the kitchen isn’t a mess. Well, it’s messy, but not with dirty dishes and trash. It’s messy with food prep. I watch in awe as he delegates age-appropriate tasks to Liv and Ash, preparing a feast. He consults his phone a few times, making me giggle, but he looks completely in control. The meat’s marinating, and they’ve got three different sides and salads all ready.
I head to grab another coffee, but Ash stops me. “You’re not allowed in the kitchen today.”
I glance at Liv, and she nods. Logan repeats the same. Sighing, I get out and Logan hands me a fresh cup.
“Could you, umm, go somewhere else for a while?” he asks, sounding flustered, which is completely adorable.
“Sure.” I smirk, fully confident he has control over whatever is happening here.
Not sure what to do with myself, I get comfortable on the couch with my Kindle.
The doorbell startles me from the book I’m engulfed in. By the time I get up, Asher has already opened the door to let Sandy, Liam, and Stella in.
“Happy birthday, sis! Another year that you’re older than me,” she says cheerfully, and I slap her shoulder, making her chuckle.
She lands a smacking kiss on my cheek while Liam rolls his eyes at her antics.
“Happy birthday, Sadie,” he says, hugging me.
Liam is a handsome guy that treats my sister great, worshipping the ground she walks on. I, naturally, love him for it.
Logan and he share a man-hug. We’ve been hanging out a lot, the four of us, and the guys became great friends.
Liv and Ash are our servers for the night, wearing their best clothes and taking our orders. Some wine spills from my glass as Asher brings it to me, making me chuckle. The day passes in laughter and friendly chatter, so unlike any birthday I’ve ever had.
I didn’t care for birthdays much before. Mostly, it meant I got to do a ton of extra work for a couple of lame presents. Whether it wasmybirthday or David’s, Ash’s, or Liv’s birthday, it was pretty much the same for me. There was no difference to the day. Only extra work.
But this one was something else. I got to relax and enjoy it with my favorite people in the world. I guess thirty-seven is the charm.
Sandy and Liam leave when Stella gets too fussy, and Logan and I work in tandem, starting the cleanup and getting the kids ready for bed. It’s another thing that’s new—we’re a team. Whatever I’m doing, he joins me, helping. He does the dishes while I help Asher take a quick shower and in less than half an hour; the house is spotless, and the kids are in bed.
He pours me a margarita, grabbing a beer for himself, and brings them out to the deck. Fire crackles in the fire pit, illuminating the surrounding space. It’s still warm, but the kids wanted fire, so Logan litit.
We get cozy near the fire, and I have to admit, it adds a certain charm, no matter the temperature. Logan puts his arms around me, enveloping me in his warmth.
“Thank you for today,” I say, turning my head to look him in the eyes.
“For what?”
“For everything. Preparing everything, getting the kids involved. The day’s been perfect, and it’s because of you.”
“I had help,” he responds, still unwilling to admit what he did.
“Regardless, thank you.” My lips brush his, drinking him in. As soon as his teeth capture my bottom lip, I let out a quiet moan.
