Page 93 of When You Left Me Speechless

“What do you mean?”

“Like, you may lose your job because of her. Maybe she cares about you enough to walk away, so that doesn’t happen.”

“And if that’s true, what should I do? How do I convince her to give me a second chance even if it all goes to hell?”

“Logan, when things get hard, you have two options. You can run, or you can fight.” She pauses, and I can almost see her thoughts drift to my dad pulling out of the driveway all those years ago. Her eyes meet mine. “I didn’t raise you to run when life gets hard. I raised you to fight. If you really are falling in love with this girl, then you should fight for her. Don’t let her go. The job stuff will work itself out. It always does. You’re not him, honey.”

I let her words settle in me like a warm meal on a cold day. I know she is right. I’m not like my dad. I don’t run when things get hard. I don’t put my job before the people I care about. I fight for what I want, and I want Poppy Collins. I stand and kiss my mom on the cheek. “Thanks, I think I know what I need to do.”

“Win her back and when you do, I can’t wait to meet her,” she yells as I make my way towards the door.

I close my truck door after walking out of my mom’s studio, feeling hopeful for the first time since Sunday. I can find another job, but I know I will never find another woman like Poppy. I feel my phone buzz in my back pocket.

“Poppy?”

“Who’s Poppy?”

I freeze. My dad’s voice comes through the phone. I wasn’t planning on having this conversation today, butfuck it. I hit the speaker button.

“What do you want?”

“I want to talk about my birthday dinner.” His voice is low, and if I didn’t know him better I would think he almost sounds remorseful. “I have big things coming up. I’d like to put it behind us so we can move forward.”

“Really?” I scoff because I hardly believe what I’m hearing.

“You owe Jacob an apology.”

A familiar feeling of disappointment floods me and any sliver of hope I had for our relationship disappears faster than it came. “I oweJacoban apology? You’re kidding me, right?”

“Logan, you walked out on us.”

“I didn’t walk out on you. You walked out when I was five. I left an overpriced meal because I was done with you and Jacob treating me like shit.” My voice is surprisingly calm, but I can feel twenty-four years of resentment and anger start to bubble to the surface.

“You're being sensitive. It was embarrassing. Emma ended things with me after the dinner. Do you know the last time a woman ended things with me?”

“Emily.”

“What?”

“Her name was Emily,” I snap. “Is that why you have been calling me incessantly? Because your ego is bruised because she dumped you? Because if that is the case, shedidn’t dump you because of me. She dumped you because you’re a selfish prick who couldn’t remember her name.”

“No, I need you and Jacob on good terms. So, if you could call him and apologize, then we could all move on from this.”

“We haven’t been on good terms for twenty-four years. Why now?”

“I am in the beginning stages of running for mayor. It is why I invited both of you to dinner that night. Before your little stunt, I was planning on telling you. I need your support, and I need to put the dinner behind us so we can move forward as a unified family. I would like you both by my side during my campaign. That starts with you apologizing to your brother.”

There it is. The big reveal. He needs me to get along with my half-brother so he can convince people he is a family man with two sons who look up to him. For twenty-four years, I hoped he would change, that he would care about having an actual relationship with me, and now he is demanding I apologize.Not Jacob. Not him. Me.

“I need you to stop calling,” I demand. My tone is harsher now. “I’m done. I’m not apologizing. I’m not helping you. I’m not going to sit through any more dinners. Don’t include me in your little charade when you run for mayor. I don’t want any part of it.”

“This is absurd. You can’t be this sensitive all the?—”

“Fuck off, Dad.” I hang up the phone and block his number. Relief washes over me. I’m finally done with his bullshit. I’m still sitting outside my mom’s studio, but instead of wanting to run in and tell her, all I can think about is calling Poppy. I know she would be proud of me. Considering it, I hover over her contact, but I know I can’t. First, I need to win her back.

I am runningthrough possible scenarios of how to get my girl back when the elevator doors open, revealing Abby Grace Wilson sitting by the door to the apartment across from mine. Her forehead is on her knees, and her little body seems to tremble when I hear her choke back a cry. She looks up when she hears me walk off the elevator. Her face is red and streaked with tears. I look around and we are the only two people there.

“Abby?” I start to walk towards her. “Are you alright?”

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