They worked in a comfortable silence for a while longer, laughing occasionally as they spritzed each other with cinnamon and pinches of flour. The pie was put into the oven, and before long, the delicious aroma of sugared apples was wafting through the house. They opened a bottle of wine as they waited—something else they had purchased from the store. Talking, and laughing, and swapping stories until the buzzer went off and it was time to go.
He reflected on all his time here in Cleveland. Logan took the time to slow down...and smell the roses. He was enjoying the simple life. He’d actually enjoyed being off work, not bogged down in board meetings and paperwork, no stress. He was happy and smiling. He slept like a log. Even slept in. Enjoyed his leisurely strolls. Enjoyed talking care of a pet. Enjoyed walking the dog on the beach, and staring up at the stars at night. Read a book.
Life was sweet.
If Logan had been concerned about where exactly the cookout was, he needn’t have worried. It wasn’t in some random neighbor’s backyard, it was right there in the middle of the street. Someone had stolen two traffic cones to block off the road, and everyone who lived inside was milling about on the street.
The smells of smoked barbeque and apple cider hung heavy in the air, accompanied by the shrieks and squeals of little kids as they zigzagged delightedly across the lawns. Men were drinking beers, standing beside the grills. Women were chatting happily amongst each other, looking over every now and then to yell a word of caution to their kids. An amateur speaker system had been set up to play some lively bluegrass mix, and to top it all off, someone had even managed to procure a cotton candy machine. (Which helped to explain the sugar-high children.)
“This is awesome.”
Logan spoke without thinking, staring in wonder across the street. It was exactly what he’d wanted when he’d agreed to make the switch. Exactly what he’d been hoping for when he shed the perpetual spotlight of an international billionaire and took on the regular persona of his twin.
He felt immediately embarrassed, of course. What kind of grown man was tickled by the novelty of a neighborhood cookout? But Lacy was right there with him. She slipped her hand into his with a little smile—gesturing to the party up ahead.
“Shall we?”
For the next few hours, Lacy and Logan were the perfect neighbors. They feasted with Paul and Susy on the messiest barbeque ribs Logan had ever seen—taking turns to wipe sauce from each other’s blushing cheeks. They released Spartacus—much to the delight of the children—and watched as he chased after them up and down the road. And when the sun went down and the grills turned off, they danced with the other couples under the light of the stars.
When it was over, Logan could honestly say it had been the perfect night. But the night wasn’t finished with them yet...
“So you’ve really never seen Titanic?” Lacy asked incredulously, as she popped another bite of cotton candy into her mouth. “How is that possible?”
Logan made a swipe for the candy, tearing off a handful for himself.
“I don’t know—I’m not a fourteen-year-old girl?”
She giggled as they headed up the steps to the front porch, Spartacus trotting obediently by their side. “Could have fooled me. I heard some pretty girly shrieks when you were trapped up there on the fridge.”
“Oh yeah?” Logan’s eyes cooled sarcastically as he pulled open the door. “And later, in the shower? Did I strike you as a fourteen-year-old girl then?”
She bit down on her lip, and wisely conceded the point. The dog rushed in ahead of them, but instead of following along, Logan cocked his head towards the swinging bench on the porch.
“You want to hang out here for a while?”
She glanced at him for a split second, before nodding with a shy smile.
“Yeah, that sounds perfect.”
He procured a blanket from the house, along with a few throw pillows, and together, the two of them cuddled up under the stars. The street was deserted, the crickets were chirping, and two mugs of hot chocolate were steaming on the bench by their side. They kept it their distance for a little while, maintaining those social boundaries, before she scooted suddenly closer and rested her head upon his shoulder.
“Thanks for letting me come with you tonight. I had a lot of fun.”
Logan’s breath caught in his chest as he glanced down at the top of her head, surprised by the sudden proximity. At first he just sat there, afraid to move and frighten her off. Then, slowly, he extended his arm and wrapped it around her tiny shoulder.
A rush of warmth swept through him, and he closed his eyes with a little smile.
How long had he wanted to do this? How many times had he imagined it? From the first moment they’d met, he knew this was exactly where he wanted to end up.
“Th
ank you for coming,” he breathed. “It wouldn’t have been the same without you.”
He felt her stiffen slightly in his arms, before she twisted up her head to see him.
“You know, you’re not like how I thought you’d be.”
“Oh yeah?” He gazed down at her with a gentle smile. “And how’s that?”