Healing Hearts: A Second Chance, Small Town Romance Novel

Chapter 57

Logan

I loiter to wait for Sage to come out, she's just saying her goodbyes to Ali and her folks. Mine are going over to hers for drinks. And yes, I am waiting to catch Sage to see if she wants to come over to mine and spend time with me, grab a pizza from Jefferson's on the way and chill out in front of the fire with Hector.

She comes out, a smile on her face. Ali gives her a hug then she turns to her mom and gives her a hug. My folks' wave at me.

"Catch you both later." I say as I open the door to my truck. Sage makes her way over to me.

"Well, that went well. I'm quite looking forward to the fundraiser now. It feels good to be part of something."

"That's a step in the right direction. I told you; you'd get to like it back here again."

"I never didn't like it, Logan. I just wanted to try something else first. Besides, it's only short-term."

"You keep telling me that, darlin'. But I have a feeling things will change." You'll see." It makes me chuckle when she huffs at me and flicks her hair over her shoulders. Yeah, it's her defiant action.

"Logan, you need to get real and know that I am not staying."

"You want to come over to mine? We can grab a pizza and chill at mine afterwards with the fire on, a movie, some beers. What do you think?" She cocks her head to the side and looks me in the eye. I can tell she thinks it's a good idea, because she's also carrying the faintest of smiles.

"Yeah, why not. I'll meet you at Jefferson's."

"Perfect follow me." I tell her as I step into my truck. I watch as she makes her way to the practice to collect her car and wait patiently for her.

A few minutes later she is behind me and flashes her lights to let me know to pull out of the diner's car park.

I swing a right and head up Main Street to the end past the hardware store, pharmacy, butchers, the grocery store and the corner bookshop and café. Applying the handbrake, I check my rear view and can see Sage fixing her lipstick. Cute. Adorable. So unnecessary, she is beautiful just as she is.

I swing the door open and step outside my truck just as she comes out of her car. "Still cheese and pineapple?" I ask her. "With stuffed crust and onion rings and garlic bread?" I walk towards her and place my hand on the lower part of her back. She still moulds well into my hand. It's a warm and familiar feeling. One I want to experience a whole lot more.

"You got it, no changes. And what about you? Still shredded beef with olives." She chuckles. Sage never did get how I could eat olives with shredded beef, hell even I don't know how I do, but I love it.

"The very same." We head to the door to the pizza parlour and open it.

"Hey, Dr Logan. How's it going?" Jefferson who has been running the place for the last twenty years glances up as up from the dough he is kneading.

"Jefferson. All good thanks."

"The usual. And for you Miss Sage, do I take it your tastes haven't changed in all this time." Sure thing about Jefferson, is that he never misses anyone's tastes. That and Sage and I practically lived in this place growing up. It was one of our favorite things to do, grab a pizza and drive up to our spot higher in the mountains, listen to nature, look at the stars, have a night picnic with some lemonade, ah it was so blissful, so innocent and so damn perfect.

"Hey Mr Jefferson. Yes please, cheese and pineapple." Sage says and sits at one of the round wooden tables. He has six tables in the space all with pale blue iron chairs. It's quaint. On the walls are old photos of his family and how the place used to look all those years ago. It has that whole nostalgic vibe going on.

"I've kind of missed this place." She says as her hands rest on the table; I reach out to hold them in mine. Sage allows me to. I know we slept together last night and trust me it was the best feeling in the world to have her in my bed and wake up to her this morning. But this, well this feels so comfortable and so right but I am unsure of my boundaries with her right now. Does that make sense?

"Nobody makes pizza like Jefferson." I say and she nods.

"You've got that right, Logan. So," she starts. I hold my breath. I sure hope she isn't going to mention again about all this nonsense of her leaving Willowbrook again.

"What exactly are we doing here?" I know where she is coming from but decide to play it dumb.

"Ordering pizza." I give her my goofy grin; I know for a fact she loves it.

"Silly. You know what I'm talking about."

"Seems to me darlin' you're calling all the shots. You know already how I feel about you, Sage. You've always had my heart that hasn't changed. I want us to be permanent again to try for a second chance. I'm not really interested in a fling whilst you're between here and wherever the hell it is you want to be."

I wait for her to respond, trying not to hold my breath for too long.