Page 108 of Attractive Forces

“That’s a good idea.” I give Mum’s shoulder a squeeze as I walk past.

I don’t want to intrude on Aaron’s call, but while Logan hovers next to me at the door, I put my head around the door so Aaron can at least see I’m here.

He’s got Mum’s phone propped up on a pillow on his lap. He looks over at me, his eyes bright.

“Jake’s here,” he tells Dad.

“Hi, Jake,” Dad says.

“We were just talking about the time we went camping at Castle Point. Remember that?” Aaron says to me.

I clear my throat. “Yeah, I remember.”

I glance back at Logan and make a quick decision. I grab his hand, pulling him into the room with me.

“Come meet my dad,” I say to him.

Aaron picks up the phone and tilts it so Dad can see us approaching Aaron’s bed.

“And who’s with you, Jake?” The way Dad says it leaves me with no doubt that someone in my family has already updated him on my relationship status. I really have no problem with that fact.

“This is my boyfriend, Logan,” I say.

“So nice to meet you, Logan,” Dad says.

“You too,” Logan says.

“So, the Castlepoint camping trip, eh?” I ask as I settle onto the edge of Aaron’s bed. “Have you covered that epic fail you had with the campfire?”

“Hey, I really rocked the singed eyebrows look,” Dad says.

Aaron laughs, and it’s a sound that’s so familiar to me from the past.

And it’s hopefully a sound that belongs in the future too.

Epilogue - Logan

“What do you want to drink?” The bartender asks Jake.

“Just two handles of your cheapest beer, thanks,” he replies.

“Coming right up.”

I watch as the bartender pours frothy beer from the tap. He puts the glasses on the counter and slides the credit card machine over to Jake to pay.

“I’ve got this,” I say, grabbing the machine from him so I can pay.

Although Jake’s got an academic scholarship, it doesn’t cover everything, so his budget is tight. Luckily, Dunedin is set up to cater to poor students, and the pubs understand it’s the price of the beer rather than the quality that their customers are after.

I enter my payment details into the machine, then push one of the glasses over to Jake.

“You don’t have to pay for me,” he says as he accepts the glass.

“You can pay me back later.” I give him a lewd grin that left subtle behind a long time ago.

“Are you implying I can be bought by a glass of the cheapest beer?” he asks, giving me a sexy smirk in return. Despite his words, the heat in his eyes definitely promises fun times later.

“Maybe not just one glass,” I tease. Then I make sure all my love for him is in my voice when I say my next words. “I’m happy to start calculating your dowry though, if you want.”