Page 15 of Savoring Christmas
The next morning,Logan sat at the big kitchen table in his mother’s kitchen, marveling at how perky she was in the morning. Grace had been up for hours by the time he’d arrived and had already put homemade muffins in the oven, fried up a heap of bacon, and completed the morning crossword from the local newspaper.
“Tell me about class last night.” His mother poured him a cup of coffee and set it in front of him. “Will you be cooking Christmas Eve dinner this year?”
“Very funny. I was just happy I didn’t set anything on fire.” Logan took a sip of his mom’s strong coffee.
“Luke mentioned you have a little crush on your teacher,” she said.
He groaned. “My brothers need to learn how to mind their own business.”
“That’s not about to happen in this family,” Grace said with a chuckle.
His dad sauntered into the kitchen, still buttoning up his flannel shirt, then greeted his wife with a kiss on the cheek. “That coffee smells mighty good this morning.”
“It’s the same as every other morning, Walter,” she said, smiling up at her husband. “The muffins are still in the oven but there’s some bacon there on the plate if you need a little something before our planning session.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” Walter snatched a few strips from the plate and joined Logan at the table. “How was class last night? Other than you acting just like your mother and finding a human project that needs saving?”
Logan told them about the lesson in sauce and how to sharpen knives properly, even cutting of onions. “But even more interesting were the other students. They all had very personal reasons for being there, all of which touched my heart.”
“Your cold, dead heart?” his father asked, eyes twinkling. “It’s a Christmas miracle.”
“You’re both hilarious this morning,” Logan said.
“Logan has a crush on Mia,” Grace said.
“I do not have a crush on Mia,” Logan said more firmly than he felt. “She’s a very nice person. That’s all.”
“I see,” his dad replied.
“I mean, sheispretty and obviously accomplished, but I hardly notice,” Logan said.
His mother started laughing. A little too loudly.
“Even if I did like her, I don’t think the feelings would be returned,” Logan said.
“Why not?” His mother glared at him, with her hands on her hips, reminding him of Matilda. “Any woman would be lucky to have you. If you’d put yourself out there, you’d be snatched up immediately.”
“How exactly does one put themselves out there?” Logan asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe one of those dating sites or something?” she asked. “I hear everyone’s doing it now.”
“Mom, they’ve been doing it for some time now.” Logan chuckled.
“Regardless, I think you should ask her out.”
“Not yet. I have to feel her out a little better first,” Logan said.
“Your brothers were absolutely genius making you go to that class.” Grace thrummed her fingers against the countertop. “What better way to get to know her than in a nonthreatening environment surrounded by other people.”
“I have to agree,” Walter said.
Fortunately, Logan heard the crunch of tires on the gravel drive, bringing this particular conversation to a halt. He glanced toward the window just in time to catch Mia pulling up, her little SUV slowing in front of the farmhouse. A light layer of frost clung to the edges of her windshield, the pale winter sun glinting off it as she parked next to his car.
She sat there a second longer than necessary, adjusting her gloves, and Logan wondered if she was regretting her decision to come out to his family’s farm. Hopefully not. Yet, he couldn’t be sure. Mia was an enigma to him, both shy and assertive at the same time. He’d love a chance to figure her out but wasn’t sure she would ever open up enough to let him in completely. However, he was a Hayes, and that meant he would give it his best try.
“I’ll get the door,” Logan said, leaping to his feet.
He got there just as Mia knocked, yanking open the door to greet her.
