Page 200 of Finding Delaware

“I know.” I really do. “I never got a chance to thank you for allowing me into your home when you married Maisie. Living with my dad was...not great, but you did me a kindness by taking me in, and you didn’t deserve how I treated you. What you did for me, choosing not to press charges when it would have served me right, is something I’ll never forget—”

“No, no,” he holds a hand up to stop me. “I should be the one apologizing for that night. You were lost, in pain, and I let my anger get the better of me. I want you to know that my words were never how I truly felt. As the adult and your stepfather, I was appalled at myself for acting that way.”

I lift a shoulder, offering him a sad smile. “We both were in pain. Almost losing Huck affected us all.”

“Yes, it did,” he sighs, tapping a finger on his knee before setting his glasses back on the bridge of his nose. “I can’t say I understand or completely agree with the relationship between you two, but... I’m willing to try. I never wanted Huckslee to feel like he couldn’t come to me when he struggled. Or you, either.”

“I can appreciate that. Thank you.”

Another silence fills the space between us, and he flicks his gaze absently to the photo of Huck's team holding the championship trophy from his win in January. “It seems I have some more apologies to make.”

“Yeah, about that.” Straightening up, I scoot to the edge of my seat. “I have a plan. Something I want to do for him before he leaves, but I need your help to do it.”

“Whatever you need, son. What can I do?”

Every ounce of unease leaves my body, anticipation taking its place as I relay my idea to Aaron. From the look on his face when I’m finished, it seems that he’s excited about it as well. We part on better terms. He goes to make a few calls, and I pull everyone besides my boyfriend into a group chat to let them know what’s happening. Once everyone is on board, I begin to set it all in motion.

One last move to mend everything that was broken between Huck and me for good.

Huckslee

Four days. Four fucking days Taylor’s been gone, and I’m losing my mind.

Me: Today is Tuesday.

Tay: Yes, I know how a calendar works.

Me: Oh, good, I was worried. Since, you know, I haven’t seen you since Friday.

Tay: You missing me, baby?

Me: What the hell kind of question is that, Taylor?

Obviously, I miss you. And I leave in three days, you know that, right? Am I going to see you before then?

My text goes unanswered, and the rest of the day is met with complete radio silence from him. Theamount of anguish I feel is unhealthy and downright toxic, but I couldn’t care less. We’ve spent so much time together over the last few months that I feel his absence like a missing limb, the cold sheets on his side of the bed every morning instantly bringing moisture to my eyes. I hate this. Maybe Christian was right—cutting things off would be easier than feeling this way. Only, I don’t want to. I just want Taylor.

But as much as I want to mope around the apartment and fall apart, my dad reached out today, inviting me over for dinner. So reluctantly, I drag myself out of bed, throw on some clothes after putting Baby Bones in her cage, and drive down to see him. I’m not a hundred percent in the mood to talk, but I know I need to smooth things over between us before I leave, or it’ll eat at me every day that I’m gone. I wish I could do the same with Logan, but he hasn’t responded to my texts or calls. I just feel like a lumpy sack of shit.

The house is dark when I pull up, and my gaze snags on a shiny black limousine parked on the curb next to the drive, which has my head tilting. Maybe it belongs to one of the neighbors? As I park and exit the Audi, the driver of the limo exits as well, moving to open the back door, and my jaw drops when I see Logan step out onto the sidewalk, dressed like fucking James Bond.

“What are you doing out here in a limo?”

He only smirks. “Get in, Huck.”

I shake my head, feet stepping toward him of their own accord. “But I have to meet my dad for dinner.”

“He’s not here,” Logan’s grin grows wider. “Now get in, we’re already late.”

What the fuck?

“Late for what?”

Huffing in frustration, he grabs my arm and yanks me toward the limo, forcefully shoving me into the backseat while the driver just stands there and watches what is essentially a kidnapping in progress. Logan climbs in after me, slamming the door shut, and the next thing I know, a garment bag is being tossed over my lap.

“You’re going to want to put this on.”

“Whoa, hold up a damn minute.” The limo lurches forward, causing the bag to slide off my lap. “What is going on here, Logan? What do you mean my dad isn’t home? He invited me over just an hour ago.”

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