move to the living room. Outside, the rain is coming down hard and lightning fractures the dark sky every few minutes. Bean, who sat between my feet while I washed up, now shadows my every step. She’s terrified of thunderstorms. Tamara and I settle onto the couch, and I pet Bean’s head after she curls up against my leg.
“So,” I say, “has Stevie ever mentioned how she feels about me?”
Tamara shakes her head. “I mean, we all know she loves you. But does she love you, love you?”
“That’s the question, right?” I run a hand through my hair. “I’m tired of being friends. I want more. But every time I try to show that, Stevie backs away. I’m afraid if I have a real, adult conversation with her about this, that she’ll freak out.”
Tamara tucks her legs under her and pulls a fleece blanket over them from the back of the couch. “I understand. But don’t you wonder if Stevie might be worried about the same things? I know she isn’t one to really express her feelings—”
I grunt. Understatement.
“So maybe she’s running away to avoid facing the same things you’re worried will happen. Logan, I’ve known you almost as long as I’ve known Stevie. You are right for her, and I think she’s right for you. But I don’t know many couples who get together without actually talking about it first. I mean, you could sweep her into your arms and kiss her passionately and admit your fiery love for her, but with Stevie?” She shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “You’re liable to find her halfway to Canada.”
“I agree. So, what do I do?”
Dean comes in then and grabs another beer from the fridge. “Do about what?”
Tamara sighs as he sits in a lumpy overstuffed chair, looking expectant. “Okay, quick recap. Logan loves Stevie and wants her to know it, and quickly. But she’s dating some other guy right now and seems to want Logan to hang out with another girl. Got it?”
The beer floats inches from Dean’s mouth. “Damn. When did all this happen?”
She waves impatiently at him. “While you were putting the baby to bed.”
“And over the last thirty years,” I add.
“Right,” Dean says. “Glad I got a six-pack. This is clearly a two-beer conversation.”
Over the course of the next hour, we come up with and discard about ten ideas for how to approach the problem of Stevie.
“The girl is too stubborn for her own good,” her sister laments.
“Or I’m completely unappealing,” I say.
Tamara pats my hand and jokes, “You’re not that unappealing, Logan.”
“You know what you need?” Dean’s finishing beer two and tapping his fingers against the arm of the chair. “Something that gets her out of her comfort zone. Catches her off guard. Shocks her. Maybe if she’s a little off balance, not so defensive, she’ll be able to hear what you’re saying.”
“Like what?” Tamara asks.
An idea pops into my head. “I’ve got it. Number two on her bucket list.”
Dean leans forward. “What’s number two?”
“Skydiving.”
This could work. I can set it up, go with her, and when she’s good and petrified that she might die, tell her I love her.
Tamara claps excitedly. “Yes! And . . . it’s the perfect Adventure Thursday.”
Chapter Nineteen
Stevie
Thursday morning, I pack a backpack and Bean and I head outside to wait for Mom to pick me up. Logan was up and out early this morning, probably for a coffee meeting or something. I hid in my room until he was gone, even though he took longer than usual to actually get out the door.
After winning the novice division at the Colorado Canine Challenge, I’d been riding high. I couldn’t believe Bean did so well. And we weren’t the only ones who’d had a good day.
Emmy and Meadow, and then Jude and Meadow, had won the advanced and freestyle divisions, and Aaron and Bear came in third in advanced. The club had a rare sweep of the main events, which made the day super exciting for everyone . . . except Logan. I’d babbled all the way home about all the wins, but he’d been very quiet. I could tell he was happy for me, but after my initial excitement, we went back to being awkward. Which hurt and confused me.
And then there’s Jude. I’ve seen him several times this week, and I do like him, but he seems to want to take things faster than me. I’m starting to have the feelings of doubt that always creep in after