Page 42 of The Runaway Bride's Vow

Chapter Thirteen

Wonderful company. Check.

Stimulating conversation. Check.

Full attention. Check.

The evening had been perfectly perfect in every way.

Brooke enjoyed how they’d spent the day with Kaylie as they visited a nearby park and afterward played board games before her mother picked Kaylie up. And then Logan had taken Brooke to dinner. He’d been engaging throughout the meal. She wasn’t sure what the food tasted like, because she’d been so caught up in their conversation about his upcoming renovation contract.

And now as they headed home, she couldn’t stop smiling. She leaned her head back in Logan’s pickup as her fingers laced with his. The sun hung low in the sky, splashing it with warm oranges, pinks, and purples. It was like someone had taken a paintbrush and painted it.

This was their three-month anniversary since their coffee debacle. She wondered if Logan remembered. She thought about mentioning it, but she wasn’t sure it was a good idea. What if he didn’t look back on their first meeting as fondly as she did? And she didn’t want to do anything to ruin this special evening.

Country music played on the pickup’s radio, something he had turned on for her because country wasn’t exactly his thing. She had a feeling it was growing on him because he didn’t grouch about it nearly as much as he used to.

When he turned in the opposite direction of her apartment, she was confused. “Where are we going?”

“You’ll see. We’re almost there.”

She glanced over at him and caught the slightest of smiles pulling at the corners of his kissable lips. He was up to something. She was certain of it. She just didn’t know what he had planned.

It wasn’t like Logan to be sneaky. In fact, he usually liked to run things past her in advance just to make sure she was on board with his plan. Tonight, he was being sneaky. Interesting.

The truck slowed before pulling into a parking spot near Lacy’s Java ’N Tea.

She sent him a puzzled look. “You drove out of your way to get coffee?”

He shrugged. “What can I say? They have the best coffee in San Francisco.”

She couldn’t argue with his logic. “Yes, they do.”

She wondered if this was Logan’s way of letting her know that he’d remembered their anniversary. Her heart fluttered in her chest. She’d never been with a man who was so thoughtful. How had she gotten so lucky?

She didn’t know it was possible to fall so completely and absolutely in love with someone so quickly. And yet in some ways it felt as though they’d been together for a long time.

She released her seatbelt and met him on the sidewalk. Immediately, their hands touched. Their fingers intertwined. By now, it was natural to hold his hand. Her fingers tightened around his hand as her thumb stroked the back of his hand. The connection sent an arch of awareness zinging through her.

She paused and looked up at him. “Thank you for a lovely evening.”

“It’s not over yet.” He started to walk toward the coffee shop, and she fell in step beside him.

He opened the door for her and let her enter first. He was such a gentleman. She loved it. She loved him! The acknowledgment didn’t scare her any longer. She knew her heart was safe with him.

At that hour of the evening, there weren’t many people in the coffee shop. A few were sitting at the tables, working on their laptops. Some were scrolling on their phones. And another couple was off in the corner with a coffee cup in front of each of them as they gazed deeply into each other’s eyes. They were in their own little world as they spoke softly to each other. Love floated through the air.

Ellie stood behind the counter with a friendly smile. “Hey, I don’t normally see you in here at this late hour.”

Brooke nodded toward Logan. “Someone had a craving for your coffee.”

“And I don’t hear you complaining,” Logan said.

“That’s true. This place has the best brew.”

“What can I get you?” Ellie asked.

Brooke was tempted to go for one of their dessert coffees, but instead she ordered the same thing she’d ordered the morning she’d met Logan. Hopefully, this time they wouldn’t end up wearing it.

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