Page 77 of The Opposite of Romance
“I thought … I thought it would be this big, monumental thing.”
“It is a big, monumental thing. There’s one less person youneed to hide from. There’s a person in your corner for every family birthday, or reunion, or Christmas party. You’re not alone.”
I notice his eyes getting teary as moisture pools in my own. “I don’t know what to say. Thanks, man.”
I pull him into a hug. “Please, don’t ever thank me for this. I’ve known you since I was born. There’s pretty much nothing you could say to me to make me feel different about you.”
A sniffle escapes him. “I’m sorry for making you think Sadie was with me.” His lips turn up. “It seemed easier to have a fake girlfriend shield than to answer millions of questions again. But for what it’s worth, you have a real one there.”
“Yeah…” I know she’s a real one. I’m just not sure if I have her.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
SADIE
After an awkward ride,I’m finally home. I’ve apologized to Dean a hundred times, but he assured me it’s ok. Hopefully, I haven’t created a mess for him. Though, I don’t see Logan as a person who would out someone.
Logan. Fuck.
In two clicks, I dial Sandy’s number, still standing in my entryway. I’m too keyed up to sit down. Eventually, she answers.
“Did you know Dean and Logan are cousins? Cousins. As in they share a grandma, and both attend her birthdays?” I spill out before she has a chance to say anything.
“What?”
“Dean, the fake date, and Logan, my contractor slash…,” I wrack my brain for an appropriate word. “… fuck-buddy, I guess. They’re cousins?”
She gasps. “Liam!” she yells, luckily turning the phone away. “Where did you hear about Logan’s company?”
I hear steps approaching, before the chill voice of my brother-in-law fills the phone. “Oh, Dean recommended him. They’re cousins.” I can practically hear the shrug of his shoulders, making me pinch the bridge of my nose.
“You didn’t think to mention it earlier?” Sandy uses her fakepolite voice. The one that sounds nice but is actually lethal. “Maybe before Sadie was on a fake date with Dean while secretly fucking Logan?”
“Well, shit. I didn’t know all that.”
“You’re dismissed.” She sighs. “He really didn’t know all that, but he should have told me, anyway. You know men—communicating only the bare essentials, if that.” Another sigh. “I’m sorry, Sadie. What happened?”
“I’ll need a drink for that.”
I get to the kitchen, grabbing a glass and a bottle of tequila. Finally, I slump onto my couch, placing a hand over my head.
“Whatdidn’thappen?” I force myself to pour a glass.
“Start from the beginning.”
I down a shot of tequila before taking a deep breath. “Well, Dean was very nice, and we had a great time until I saw Logan at the same party. He acted strange; it was probably awkward I was there. The tension during dinner was unbearable, so I left for the bathroom to get my shit under control.” Another shot and another deep breath. “Logan followed me.”
Sandy gasps. “He didn’t?”
I can almost picture her snacking on popcorn, entertained by the soap opera that is my current life. “He did. He started talking about how I’m enjoying sex with him more than I do with Dean. And I guess he wanted to prove his point. So he made me come. And just as we finished, Dean walked in.”
“No…”
“Yes.” Tequila finds its way down my throat again. “To make matters worse, Dean thought I met Logan during the party and outed him to hook up with Logan. By the end, both the fact that I was his fake date and the fact that Dean was gay were out in the open. I feel terrible.” I release an anxious breath.
“Shit, what happened after that?”
“They talked it out, I guess. I left them alone. But Dean told me Logan promised not to tell anyone.”
