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Logan was barely an adult. Just like that, he became the sole carer to his dad, while still grieving the loss of his mom.
And I was gone.
Now I wish I’d been more persistent. I could have come home, looked him up, insisted on seeing him face-to-face.
But his silence hurt me.
I thought he was pushing me away. I thought he’d moved on… I thought he maybe didn’t want to know me or anyone from Snowdrop Valley.
In my pride, I cut him off too.
I went as far as making my grandparents promise not to mention his name, and when I started to see him on the news as this big-shot NFL player, I thought it proved my suspicions had been confirmed; he simply moved on.
In reality, he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
He’s never been the best at opening up about hard things, and what he’s been through is so intense I don’t blame him for not wanting to talk about it.
Where do you even start?
My phone lights up with a text message. I look at it and hitch a breath. It’s him.
I don’t want to wake your grandparents, but I’m outside. Can we talk? - L
My heart starts to race. I sit bolt upright and smooth out my frizzing hair.
He’s here.
I tiptoe out of my room, careful to avoid the creaky floorboards, and sneak out of the front door. There he is, standing under the single streetlight, a small bunch of roses in his hands.
“I’m sorry,” we say in unison as I reach him.
Then we laugh. Logan holds out the flowers and I take them. “Where did you get these?” I ask. Snowdrop Valley has one general store, which closed hours ago. Logan gives me his wicked grin and shrugs.
“I have my ways.”
He rolls in his lips and his jaw juts out as he casts his eyes at the ground. “I didn’t mean what I said.”
“I know,” I say, softening my voice.
“I went back to the care facility.” I hold up my phone. “I left this behind.”
Our eyes lock and I can see a stream of different emotions wash over Logan’s face. Then it settles and he nods, resolved.
“So, you know.”
I nod, my eyes prickling again. “I’m so sorry.” I reach for his arm, and he lets me squeeze it. “If I’d known, I would have come back. I would have…”
“That’s why I couldn’t tell you,” Logan said, shaking his head. “It was my burden to carry. I didn’t want you to leave college and throw away your future.”
“And look where it’s got me! Working for less than minimum wage on a dead-beat internship with no future prospects.”
Logan glares at the ground. “I thought you were going to start a business.”
I snort. “Well, yeah. But do you know of any investors who would take me on? Who’s going to take a chance on me?”
Logan’s eyes lift to mine, and he grasps my arms. “I would.”
I shake my head. “I can’t take money from you. You already do so much.”
