What Was Lost

Chapter 14

Logan's expression morphs into a deep frown, his brows furrowed as he scans the crates before him. His piercing gaze searches for something specific. "There's no peaches," he grumbles with a hint of dismay in his voice. "I'm craving peaches."

Grace can't help but giggle at his frustrated reaction. "It's not summer yet. Peaches won't be in season for a while."

As if to compensate for the lack of peaches, she reaches over and plucks a handful of vibrant arugula from one of the crates. "But this is in season," she teases.

Logan looks at her with confusion and mild disgust. "What is that?"

"Arugula," she replies, holding up a leaf for him to inspect. "It's really good in pasta or on pizza—"

He groans and shakes his head vehemently. "No way. That's a deal breaker. You can't put lettuce on pizza."

Amusement dances in Grace's eyes as she laughs at his sudden food-related outburst. "This isn't lettuce!" she exclaims, still grinning from ear to ear. "Oh my God, how are you in such great shape when you hate vegetables?" The scent of freshly picked greens lingers in the air around them, adding to the picturesque scene of Logan and Grace bantering playfully amidst an abundance of colorful produce.

He pats his flat stomach, a confident smirk playing on his lips. "I'm 28, baby," he boasts.

She rolls her eyes but can't help the fond smile that tugs at her lips. "I forget," she teases.

Using his index finger, he deftly hooks onto the belt loop of her coat and pulls her towards him. She stumbles slightly but allows herself to be pulled closer. "Don't pretend you're some cougar just because you're 5 years older," he whispers playfully, his breath hot against her ear.

Despite only a 5 year age gap, she couldn't help feeling older due to the toll of the past few years. He slides his hand under her coat, expertly navigating the fabric as it falls over her curves. His hand comes to rest on her ass and he gives it a gentle squeeze.

"I'll have to settle for this peach," he quips with a mischievous glint in his eye.

She can't help but laugh at his cheesy pickup line, pushing at him lightly as she tries to hide her blush.

"Grace?"

Anya and Will are standing behind her, their eyes wide with disbelief. Grace feels a flicker of shame at being caught in this moment. The only person who knows about her involvement with Logan is Tori. Trying to sound nonchalant, Grace greets them with a forced enthusiasm. But inside, she's wary and cautious. She doesn't want anyone else to know what she's doing.

Anya's gaze moves between Grace and Logan, who stands hesitantly beside her. He looks unsure of himself, not clear on
how he should act in this situation.

Anya speaks up again, her tone curious as she points out, "I haven't seen you here before."

As Grace stands in the bustling farmer's market, she realizes that it is also located in Will's neighborhood, not too far from Logan's place. Normally, Grace would visit the farmer's market in her own neighborhood, but after spending the night at Logan's and seeing the dismal state of his kitchen, she knew she had to come here to get him some good food. Ever since Ryan passed away, cooking has been a daunting task for Grace. She struggled to make even the simplest meals for herself and resorted to frozen dinners and takeout most days. But now, as she looks around at all the vibrant colors and smells of the market, she feels a spark of inspiration to cook for Logan - to show him the same care and love he's shown her.

Grace's voice faltered as she replied, "Yeah, I, uh...went to work earlier." It was a blatant lie and she knew it. She felt the heat of embarrassment rise in her cheeks as she tried to come up with a plausible excuse for being at the market. Logan, sensing her discomfort, quickly averted his gaze and busied himself with exploring another booth.