I slip out of his hold, pick up the Olivier salad, and wander to the dining table. The Russian potato salad is a holiday staple in my family. I’m thousands of miles away, but making the familiar side dish makes me feel like I’m carrying a piece of home with me.
I can’t stop myself from smiling when I return to the kitchen and find Logan popping a spoonful of the sauce Camden made into his mouth.
“That’s good,” he says. “I didn’t know you could cook like that.”
“I can’t.” Camden shoots me a look, eyes burning into mine. “It’s only good because of Yana’s guidance.”
“Ah. Makes sense.” Logan sighs. “She makes everything perfect.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere.” I waggle my brows at him, then meet Camden’s gaze. “Both of you actually.”
The man with the dark, messy hair gives me a smoldering look. “I think I speak for us both when I say your bed is the only place we want to be.”
Snorting, I pick up the plate of roasted chicken. “I never would have guessed you’d be so cheesy.”
“Me neither, dude.” Logan claps Camden on the shoulder as he picks up a stack of plates.
“If you prefer my default version, when I’m a total asshole, just let me know,” Camden taunts as he adds the sauce to the mashed potatoes.
“Don’t you fucking dare.” Logan barks out a laugh, following me out of the room.
Candles flicker,causing shadows to dance on the walls around us. Our plates are clean, and the second bottle of red wine is half empty. Jokes and conversations are flowing, and my mood is lighter than it’s been in months. Maybe a year. All thanks to these two men and the atmosphere they create.
“Remember how my mom always bakes cookies on Christmas Eve?” Logan asks Camden. “And how she always ends up burning at least a dozen of them?”
“She may ruin the first batch, but the rest are delicious.” Shrugging, Camden lifts his glass to his lips. “They never last more than a day or two.”
Logan laughs. “That’s the truth. Lucy loves them the most. She’s literally bribed Dad and me to share our cookies all her life.”
“She suckered me into it a few times too,” Camden adds, giving my knee a gentle squeeze. “I never say no to your little sister. Hell, she’s practically my little sister too.”
“Yeah, she loves you, and so do my parents. You should come with me the next time I fly home.” Logan drapes his arm over the back of my chair and traces his finger over my shoulder. “Don’t shut us out, Cam, please.”
“I won’t.” He nods, his lips pressed into a straight line. “That’s actually what my granny told me, not long before she…” He sighs and swallows thickly. “She reminded me that even though I might not have any blood relatives left, the Reid family will always welcome me like one of their own.”
“We will. You’re like a brother to me.”
Tears prick at the backs of my eyes, and a wave of warmth spreads through my body, filling me with happiness. It’s so good to see them bond like this, to witness the way they’re opening up to each other.
“Hey, Queen?” Logan leans closer, wiping a tear that escaped without my permission. “Is everything okay?”
“More than okay. I’m happy for you. It’s like this was meant to be. You two were meant to be stuck together like this so you could really talk to each other. Without secrets.”
“You’re right. This snowed-in situation really brought us closer.” Logan sighs, then looks at Camden. “You know what I miss about your granny?”
A loud snort springs out of Camden’s mouth. “Her pierogies?”
“Damn right.” Logan crosses an ankle over his knee. “They were delicious.”
I peer over at Camden, my elbows on the table. “Pierogies? Was your granny Polish?”
“She was. She moved to the US from Kraków when she was eighteen. Her name was Katarzyna, but my grandpa always called her Kasia. He was American, and he loved her more than anything.”
“Have you ever been to Poland?”
“No.” He shakes his head, ducking a little. “But I always wanted to.”
I grin at Camden, then at Logan. “We should go. I’ve been to Poland so many times. I’ve seen almost everything there is to see, and I love it. I’d be happy to go with you.”
