Page 95 of A Summer Mismatch
“Seems like we’ve managed to match everyonebutLogan and Julia,” Don grumbled. “First, Horace and Smitty. Now Horace and Julia. We’ve gotten too distracted. The targets are Logan and Julia.”
But Winnie smiled broadly as she watched her husband and granddaughter rest their backs against the canoe and close their eyes, while Logan paddled awkwardly—and slowly—toward shore.
“I’m going to go help him,” Don said, stomping off. He came back a short time later with a paddleboard and oars. With quick motions, he made his way out to Julia and Horace, said something stern to them, handed them a couple of oars, and made it back to shore just as Logan was pulling the canoe onto the grass.
“Thanks,” Logan said.
Julia and Horace took turns paddling, and within a few minutes, Don and Logan helped drag the canoe up. Julia was sopping wet, but glowing in a way that warmed Winnie to the core. Don lent a hand to Horace to help him up out of the canoe while Logan held out his hand for Julia and pulled her up and into him.
And sure, it wasn’t a steamy kiss, but she knew she wasn’t the only one who saw Logan and Julia holding hands while “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” blared in the background.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Logan
Loganwouldnevergrowtired of the feel of Julia’s fingers tangled with his. He glanced over at her, appreciating the way her lavender dress shimmered in the silver light of the full moon. It hit just above her knees, the sleeves looked like the petal of a flower, and a sparkling, see-through fabric along her neck and shoulders made it so she’d fit in perfectly with the stars glowing above them. The sight of her took his breath away. This was the dress she was supposed to wear to the Watermelon Gala, and it was well worth the wait.
Not that he’d hated the dress she had worn to the gala. Not at all. But where that dress made his mouth go completely dry, this one made him feel like a fire was spreading through him.
“I feel nervous. Why am I nervous?” Julia looked at him as he led her through the door to the elephant barn.
“I’m nervous too.” It felt like he was taking his girlfriend to meet his parents.
Instead, he was taking her to meet Adia, which felt just as monumental, somehow. After this, they were going to have a romantic dinner on the beach, compliments of Grandpa Smitty and Horace.
Horace had really turned a corner since he’d been stranded in Paradise Lake without the oars. Whether the sun addled his brain, or being alone with Julia had softened him, or perhaps it was something else entirely, Horace was really giving Logan a chance.
And begrudgingly working with Grandpa Smitty as well. Though Logan had a feeling his complaints were more for show. He was just relieved that Nonna had stopped talking about her and Grandpa leaving The Palms. They were going to stay here, and it felt like he could expand his lungs fully for the first time in a long time.
Julia’s parents were coming home tomorrow, which meant he was going to have to meet her dad next. Hopefully he took to Logan quicker than Horace. But Logan had managed to win Horace over, so he could do anything. And Cameron and Flora loved him, which Julia assured Logan would go a long, long way.
“Cameron is a great judge of character,” she informed him. “Sometimes we think he sees the soul of people, and he always finds the best ones. And it’s not always who you expect. Looks can be deceiving… but not to Cameron.” She laughed at that, and Logan couldn’t wait to learn all the ins and outs of Cameron and Julia and their family dynamic.
Julia followed him as they walked up to the elephant pen where Adia was still being housed. Allison and Finn were already there, along with Kai.
Julia looked at Logan in surprise. He’d led her to believe they’d be alone tonight, but Logan had another plan.
“Nice to see you on this momentous night, Julia,” Kai said, a wide, anticipatory grin on his face. Logan threw him a warning glare. That man couldn’t keep a secret to save his life.
“Momentous?” she asked, looking to Logan for clarification.
“Come meet Adia,” he told her, tugging her close to the metal stall door.
“Here’s an apple,” Allison said with a smile. “Just don’t do anything too aggressive or fast. Give her a moment to get used to you.”
Julia swallowed, her eyes widening.
“Adia is going to adore you just as much as I do,” he whispered.
“I hope so. I didn’t realize they were so big. I mean, I knew elephants were big. I’ve been seeing them every week this summer. But this close“—her neck tipped up, up, up—”wow.” They approached Adia’s pen, and the elephant bounded toward them, her energy nearly fully restored.
“Hi, Adia! This is Julia, my girlfriend.” Adia snorted. “My other girlfriend,” he assured Adia. “I have room in my heart for both of you.”
Kai laughed. “This is going in my end notes.”
“You’re a writer?” Julia asked him, her eyes bright.
“Academic papers,” Kai said. “Logan is my best source material.”
