Page 68 of Finding Delaware

“How is the show coming, Taylor?” Dad asks almost haltingly like he’s trying his best to make small talk, but it pains him. When Taylor shrugs, I glance between them with a frown.

“What show?”

Dad waves a hand through the air. “That monster truck show that happens every year in the city. What’s it called again?”

Taylor pauses. “Big BIC Energy Monster Rally.”

I choke on the water I’d just taken a sip of, wondering if I’d heard what I thought I did, and Dad slaps a hand across my back while I cough. Glancing up, I barely catch an amused grin stretching across Taylor’s face before he covers it with a hand.

“It's sponsored by the lighter. Christian and I do a joint performance every night during the run of the rally,” he says, clearing his throat before bringing his eyes back to mine. “You should come. Tonight and tomorrow are the final two shows until next year.”

I don’t engage, though my tongue is burning with questions as I look away. What kind of performance? It’s a monster truck rally. Does that mean he drives those now? Is that what he does for a living?

Why do you care?

Good question. I don’t.

“That’s good to hear, son,” Dad answers mechanically as if he’s going through the motions and not really listening.

“How is Salem?” Maisie asks, speaking to her son for the first time since he walked in the door. “She seems like a nice girl.”

My throat burns, and I take another sip of water to ease my resentment. Over the last four years, they’ve never asked about anyone I’ve dated. Not once. I’d mention a boyfriend over the phone or when they’d fly out to visit, but they’d usually either ignore it or change the subject. Ever since coming out, it’s like they pretend it’s not real. Not that I actually got to come out...more like I wasforcedout.

Taylor rolls his eyes at his mother, though only I notice because no one else is actually paying attention to him. “She’s good.”

“That’s great to hear. You’ve both been together a long time. Do you have any plans for marriage soon?”

Jesus.

I really do not need to hear about his love life. Not a conversation I want to be a part of.

So I begin to rise from my seat, wanting to be anywhere else but here, when Taylor’s following words make me pause.

“We aren’t together anymore.”

I glance up at him to find his gaze on me intently.

“We aren’t together,” he repeats firmly, and I sink back down with a soft scoff. Why do I care who he does or doesn’t date? Not my business. Don’t fucking care. I tell him all of this with my eyes, glaring at him.

It only seems to amuse him, though, and he raises his brows.

“That’s too bad,” Maisie responds. “You both were very cute together.”

My scowl deepens at that, and the corners of Taylor’s mouth twitch like he’s fighting a smile. His teeth sink into his bottom lip, snagging my attention as I watch the way he pulls it in for a suck before releasing it, now red and plump. A memory plays in the back of my mind, my own teeth nibbling on that lip a lifetime ago, how soft it was.

Snapping my eyes back up to his, I find him looking at me with a knowing smirk, and I mentally kick myself.

Get it together, Huck. Damn.

“Actually,” he says slowly, holding my gaze, “Salem has been dating Logan.”

Wait...what?

My lungs go still like I’ve stopped breathing. Like the earth momentarily stopped spinning.

“That’s a lie,” I state flatly, blinking rapidly. Because it has to be. There’s no way. Logan would have told me something like that.

Even Dad looks up with a frown. “His father didn’t mention anything like that to me.”

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