Page 96 of A Summer Mismatch
She peered at Logan, who only shook his head and smiled. “I’ll fill you in later,” he promised. For now, he turned back to Adia, who was studying Julia very carefully.
“Hi, Adia,” Julia said softly. “Have an apple.”
She stuck her hand through the bars. “Will she just eat it from my hand?”
“You can drop it to the ground,” Allison said. “It’ll be easier for her to get that way.”
Julia did, and Adia eagerly picked it up and ate it. Then she stuck her trunk out to explore Logan’s face first, and then Julia’s. Julia held still, but laughed when Adia’s trunk brushed over her ear.
”Is this okay?” Logan asked.
“This is incredible.” She sounded breathless.
“Adia,” Logan said, rubbing her trunk as he spoke. “Would you like to go see your mom and sister?”
“Really?” Julia asked. “Tonight?”
“Yes. She’s ready to go back with her family, and I wanted you to be here when we did it.”
“Thank you,” Julia’s eyes watered, and he knew she got how much this meant to him. And for her to be there with him. He held her hand and stepped back as Allison and Finn took over. “Let’s go to the enclosure and we can watch her come out.”
They walked together to the fence that separated the rolling grassy fields of the elephant enclosure and the walkway for visitors. She squeezed his hand tightly as the metal gate separating Adia from her family opened. In a moment, Adia bounded out of her pen and onto the grass, her horn sounding in jubilation. June’s head lifted, along with Lulu’s and the elephants all ran to one another, their trunks exploring every part of Adia’s body, while they all purred. Their ears flapped joyously.
“They love each other so much,” Julia whispered. “This is incredible.”
“I was thinking today about the first time we met,” Logan said.
Julia groaned and turned to look at him. “Seriously? I’d love it if you could forget that.”
“Not a chance.” He turned to her, and cupped her face in his palm, running his finger along her cheek. “I was drowning that day, and I didn’t even know it until you came along with oxygen.” He pressed his forehead against hers.
“This has been the best summer of my life. And the funny thing is, I wouldn’t have thought I’d ever say that.”
“It’s been an unexpected summer,” Logan agreed. He couldn’t resist stealing a quick kiss. “In all the best ways.”
“The very best,” she murmured, returning his kiss with another.
“I love you, Julia.” He was planning on waiting until dinner to say it, when the moment was perfect and romantic. But life was too uncertain to wait to say the things in your heart.
She threw her arms around him and buried her face in his neck. “I love you too. So much.”
Vulnerability struck his heart, but instead of pushing it away, he embraced it. If having Julia’s love meant opening himself up to more hurt and loss, then he was willing to take that risk. For Julia, he would risk anything.
He captured her willing mouth with his. Kissing Julia freely was everything he’d dreamed it would be.
And while Adia participated in her noisy, joyful reunion with Lulu and June, Logan worked on showing Julia just how much he loved her.
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
Winnie
NancyeyedtheSecretSeven until they settled in their seats and quieted down. Everyone had come early, even Samantha, wearing an elephant-print dress that Winnie had just finished for her that morning. She’d triple-checked the dress bag before giving it to Samantha. There would be no more Sweetie-costume mix-ups in her future.
Samantha smiled at her. She was such a darling girl. It was a mystery why she hadn’t found anyone, but they weren’t allowed to set her up, which was too bad.
“Welcome, everyone,” Nancy said. “There are a few things we did right, and a few wrong turns as well.”
“The break-up music was a wrong turn,” Rosa said, crossing herself and looking heavenward. “That won’t happen again.”
