Page 165 of Finding Delaware

My chest tightens as it warms at how far he’s come. At first, he was awkward about being on the phone, but not a day has passed that we haven’t called or video chatted, and if I forget, he makes sure I know.

Reluctantly, I let him go, checking out his ass when he climbs into his truck with Arya and Christian. Shooting them a casual wave and shaking my head when Taylor makes a heart at me with his fingers, I make my way into the building toward the elevator.

Logan’s already in the bathroom showering when I step into the apartment, so I flop into my desk chair, not wanting to crawl into bed before I shower myself. He takes his sweet time, so I work on some sketches forT.O.Twhile I wait. Christian and Taylor finally agreed—albeit begrudgingly on Taylor’s part—to let Royce print some samples with his machines.

The shower finally turns off, and I exhale deeply before standing to knock on the door softly.

“Logan, we need to talk.”

Silence meets me on the other end.

“Come on, don’t ignore me. You haven’t spoken to me in like three days.”

“Go away, Huck.”

My head thumps against the door as I lean back with an exasperated sigh. “I don’t even know why you’re mad. You hid an entire relationship from me for two whole years.”

He yanks open the door, and I huff as I nearly fall backwards into the bathroom.

“Two years? Really?” He eyes me incredulously, brown hair still damp, pajamas clinging to his lanky frame. “As opposed to eight?”

“None of that really counts. We only officially started this thing a month ago.”

His lips tighten. “But you had history, and you didn’t tell me. I wondered why it bothered you so much when he crashed your car.”

“You really wanna talk about things we didn’t tell each other?” I cross my arms with a glare. “Taylor talked to Salem during the hike, and she told him that your dad threatened to cut off college funding unless you married her. And you said nothing.”

“Why would I? You disappeared for four years!”

“You know why I had to do that, but I still kept in touch, asshole. You were the first to know about every relationship I ever had.”

He plants his hands on his narrow hips. “And now you’re with the person who made you run away in the first place? How does that make sense?”

“You literally told me to give him another chance when I came back in January,” I nearly shout, jabbing a finger in his direction. “Remember?”

“Yeah, another chance at being abrother, not…whatever you guys are doing.”

His lip curls as he spits the words, and I immediately go on the defensive, my back snapping straight as my chest constricts.

“I’m sorry, does the fact that our parents are married to each other bother you? Is that what this is?”

“I don’t know,” he states after hesitantly pausing, leaning against the doorframe. “I don’t know how I feel about it, Huck. I just wish you’d told me.”

A sigh gunshots from my lungs as I run a hand through my greasy curls. “Look, Loge, Taylor had a pretty shitty upbringing. His dad wasn’t a good person. It doesn’t excuse what he did to me, but it explains a lot. I don’t...I don’t blame him anymore. Like you said, he’s not the same person he was in high school. We’re working through things.”

Logan is silent for a long moment, his eyes narrowed, jaw tight.

“You didn’t tell me when your father left the priesthood either,” he says quietly, dropping his gaze to the floor. “I had to hear about that from my parents. Or that you used to bartend. Or that you’ve apparently done shrooms before this weekend. We’ve been friends for over fifteen years, and I feel like I hardly know you.”

“Yeah, well, the feeling is mutual.” My reply comes out slowly, almost guttural, as I swallow around the emotions clogging my throat. This is the exact reason why I wanted to wait to tell him. But, like my entire life, things never go as planned. “I knew you’d react this way.”

His honey-colored eyes flash as they snap up to mine. “My reactions are valid. You never tell me anything about your life. Even before you left. In high school, I didn’t know that you were–”

He cuts himself off, face blanching.

“That I was what?” I raise my brows when he doesn’t respond. “Gay? Suicidal? Go on, Logan, you can say them. They’re not dirty words.”

“I was going to say having issues.”

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