Page 40 of My Song for You
I sent Callie a text:What’s Alexis’s #? I need to talk to her.
She finally responded an hour later, confirming my worst fears.She was in the same car accident that killed my parents. She also died.
When I was fifteen and playing football, I’d been about to hurl the ball to my teammate when one of the guys from the opposite team forgot what the “touch” in touch football meant. His shoulder made contact with my stomach, hard, causing me to land on my ass and knocking the air out of me.
That was the best way to describe how I felt after reading Callie’s text. I sat down on her bed, struggling to get the air back into my lungs.
Callie’s text was followed up a moment later with:Why did you need to talk to her?
“Because I want to know if I’m Logan’s goddamn father,” I muttered. “The only biological parent he has left.” But instead of telling her that, I typed:I’m sorry, Callie. I didn’t realize. Don’t worry.It’s nothing important.
I waited a minute, hoping she would text me right back and admit that Logan was my son…but she didn’t. And why would she? She had no idea that I knew Alexis was his biological mother.
My thumb hovered over the keyboard as I deliberated if I should ask her if Logan was my son.No, not yet. Before I could confront her with what I knew, there was one other person I needed to consult with first.
I skimmed through my list of contacts.
Chapter 16
Callie
“You’re on break now,” Alice said, walking past me on her way out of the diner kitchen.
“Okay.” I returned to my locker and checked my phone to make sure everything was all right at home. Not that I expected there to be a problem. Logan was still at school.
Jared had sent me a text.What’s Alexis’s #? I need to talk to her.
My heart slammed to a standstill at his words and my mind spun with all kinds of reasons as to why he wanted to know—including the one involving last night’s kiss. He’d kissed me and realized how much he wanted Alexis back in his life. He’d never wanted me. It was always my sister.
I deliberated all the possible answers I could give him, which included that I had no idea what her number was or where she lived. But then he would want to know what had happened to cause this apparent rift between her and me. Despite the six-year age difference between Alexis and me, I had loved my sister. I couldn’t lie and pretend otherwise.
With an ache in my chest at what I had to tell him and at how he wanted her back—and how our kiss had made him realize that—I responded with the truth.She was in the same car accident that killed my parents. She also died.
And because I obviously felt the need to torture myself some more, I added,Why did you need to talk to her?
A moment later he replied,I’m sorry, Callie. I didn’t realize. Don’t worry.It’s nothing important.
Don’t worry, it’s not you I want, his real meaning shouted in my head.It’s your sister. It’s always been your sister.
I swept the pieces of my heart into the dusty corner, then headed outside for my break.
Chapter 17
Jared
Fortunately, that afternoon during band practice Mason didn’t give me a hard time about the similarities between Logan and me. I might have exploded if he had. We threw ourselves into what we had to do for the next few weeks. Yes, Callie had lied to me—making her no better than her sister, if my suspicions were correct. But I couldn’t let her betrayal and the news about Alexis sidetrack me from what was important to me and the band.
Hailey wasn’t here this time, but Logan kept himself busy. When he wasn’t watching us, he sat on the couch and played a game on my iPhone.
I tapped him on the shoulder and signed, “Time to go home.”
Back at his apartment, I opened the door and the delicious smell of dinner greeted us. Callie entered the hallway and smiled at her nephew. Her yoga pants and plain green T-shirt skimmed her curves, reminding me how amazing she had felt in my hands last night.
I kicked that thought hard in the ass.
She hugged him tight. “Did you have fun with Jared?”
“Yes. I meet the puppy.” He wiggled out of her arms.
