Page 20 of Light of Christmas

“No, I’m good with just coffee. But take this.” I take out my wallet and hand it to her. I can see that she wants to object but she stops herself, takes the wallet, and heads to the café.

Logan was smart and had a savings account for years just in case she needed to go into hiding or leave suddenly. When she moved in, I refused to let her pay for anything, which started a heated argument. And ended in her paying for the animals’ expenses, and a few of the smaller bills. We will reevaluate things when/if she goes back to work, but if I had it my way, she wouldn’t be paying a single fucking penny.

I take a seat in one of the chairs and set my tablet and sketchbook in my hands. I keep an eye on Logan while she grabs our coffee and try to decide what I want to sketch first.

The second I saw the wolves; I felt the immediate need to start drawing.

I know why she brought me here. She feels like I am always taking care of her, and this is her way of showing she can take care of me too. Logan may think that, but what she doesn’t see is that just by her existing, she makes me feel alive. Like I tell her every day, she is the shining light in my world full of darkness. Without her, I would be miserable and trying to find my way through the dark, alone.

Logan walks back over with a smile on her face carrying coffee and a bag. As she sits down, she sets everything on the table separating us. She pushes the table forward a little so she can move the chairs closer together. My need to constantly be touching her in some way definitely has worn off on her, too.

I chuckle and she shrugs. Logan hands me my coffee and gets comfortable in her chair with a blanket and offers me the other. I shake my head no and she starts pulling her kindle out of the bag but stops.

“Oops. Sorry, I forgot to ask. Are we staying for a while, or do you want to drink our coffee and go?”

“We’re staying pretty girl. Get comfy. You said we could stay until they close and that sounds fucking perfect. As long as you promise me you won’t read the book we are reading together.”

Logan giggles and leans forward making a kissy face at me. “I promise.”

I give her what she wants and plant a quick kiss on her lips then to her engagement ring.

Yeah, I know, I’m fucking obsessed with the idea of her being mine.

Logan reaches for the bag on the table and takes out a chocolate muffin. She offers me a bite and I shake my head no.

She sits back in her chair, grabs her kindle, gets comfortable under the blankets and I reach out to prop her legs up on my lap.

Quickly, she gets lost in whatever book she is reading, and I lose myself in my sketchbook. It’s nice not having the pressure of drawing something for a client. Logan has been encouraging me to draw as a way to relieve some of my anxiety. But I think she just enjoys having the completed ones to hang up in her office at the house, next to the one I first gave her.

I barely even notice the sun had set and the wolves are making their way back into the woods for the night when I put the finishing touches on the drawing.

I look to Logan to see she is peacefully sleeping in the chair and the workers are starting to close down the café.

Quietly, I pack everything back up and gather Logan in my arms. She wakes up but snuggles back into my chest when she sees it’s me. From the looks on the workers’ faces, this must happen a lot because they smile and one of them meets me at the door to hold it open.

I get a very sleepy Logan tucked safely in the truck and start making our way back to Willow Lake.

This day was exactly what both of us needed. And Logan was the one who planned it. I have hopes that this was a step in the right direction that showed my pretty girl that she can start healing and we can both start living our lives to the fullest again. But this time, together.

Chapter Twelve

Logan

“Thatwasfun,butI think I’m going to have a permanent bruise on my ass for the next decade.” I tell Grayson as we shed our winter gear.

Grayson chuckles and places an arm full of logs in front of the fireplace.

We spent the last two hours sledding. It was a blast, but Grayson wanted to go on the one with the most bumps. With our combined weight, we were flying down the hill, and I felt every single bump.

I would do it again in a heartbeat. Yesterday Gray and I checked something off our bucket lists. It was the most peaceful and magical day all in one. And the sketch Grayson gave me at the end of the night is the best one I’ve seen. He captured the beauty of the older wolves. And somehow captured the playfulness of the wolf pups. I could tell he was in his element, and I loved seeing it.

While Grayson gets the fire going, I start heating up some dinner. After getting the fire going, he hangs all our wet clothes near the fireplace and heads upstairs to change.

I’m almost done with dinner when Grayson’s phone starts ringing. I check and see its Landon. I go to answer it out of habit, but I stop myself. My chest starts to feel tight, and I take a few breaths to calm myself.

“Bear. Landon’s calling.” I call from the base of the stairs.

“Answer it. Tell him I’ll be done in a second.”