Page 76 of On the Plus Side
“The cameraman from the show.”
“The one who looks like he belongs on a roll of paper towels?”
Everly and Becca exchanged a look, both of them failing to fight off their laughter. It was such an accurate description. Logan would probably spontaneously combust without plaid somewhere on his body.
“Yes. Him.” Honing her attention on her dinner, Everly awaited her mother’s inevitable disapproval. Something about his line of work being too menial or how he looked too old for her or wasn’t tall enough or any number of other petty criticisms that Penny Winters always had stored in her arsenal.
Lowering herself into the armchair, her mother raised an egg roll to her face and inspected it. “Good for you. He’s handsome. And he seems kind.”
“What?” Everly choked on a grain of rice.
Her mom glared at her like she was being childish. “He was early to the barbeque, and he helped me set up. He didn’t say much, but he was very polite. He wouldn’t let me lift anything.”
“That sounds like him.”
“Wait. Are you two a thing now?” Becca asked.
Everly feigned deep interest in a piece of broccoli on her plate. “We’re seeing how it goes.”
It had only been a week. Far too early to define anything. Even ifEverly already knew she was all in. James never crossed her mind anymore, and every love interest in the novels she read had Logan’s face. Indisputable proof that she was falling hard.
“Oh my god. We should double-date,” Becca said.
“First, you have to invite this man over for a proper dinner so I can meet him under the right circumstances,” Everly’s mother piped in.
Clearly neither of them understood what “seeing how it goes” meant. It was not the time for meeting the family or the best friend. Even if Logan already had, in a different capacity. Sady was putting enough pressure on them by including Logan in the show. Everly didn’t want to add to that until she knew they were solid.
Or at least had a clearer sense of where Logan stood.
For all she knew, this was a fling to him. A way to pass some time while he was stuck hanging out in Monmouth Cove.
Thankfully, eight o’clock rolled around, shutting down their questions as Becca pressed Play and the theme music fromOn the Plus Sidesang out from the television speakers.
Saved by the internet.
The episode began at her mother’s house, and after a second of enthusiasm for seeing herself on TV, her mom launched into a diatribe on the many ways Logan could have better captured the interior of every room.
“Why would he film from that doorway? You can see all the dust balls on the top of the armoire.”
“Why wouldn’t they get a southern view of the kitchen? My granite island is the best part and you can’t even see it.”
From the way she was talking, you’d thinkOTPSwas a home design show.
“Me and this Logan of yours will need to have a chat about whatrooms in the house are best to shoot in— Oh.” Her hands flew to her mouth, cutting off her sentence.
The scene had segued into Everly’s mom and Stanton poring over the photo albums.
“I didn’t think they’d air this,” she said quietly.
“Of course they would. It’s ‘good TV.’” Everly threw in some air quotes, the gesture sharp and swift. Her muscles had already snapped taut, every move she made robotic.
Her mother’s face paled. “You heard us?”
“Parts of it.”
Snatching up the remote from the couch, Everly’s mom paused the show with a shaking hand. “What parts?”
“The ones where you talked about fat-shaming me to protect me.”
