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“You’ve been fine, a little full-on, but fine. I’ve got some stuff going on in my personal life that just hit a climax, and I need some time alone.”
“I'll behave, for you. But what about the big guy? What will he say?” Dwayne points to our Athletic Director, and I cringe.What will he say?Nothing good, I suspect.
“Okay, I can do this. How long to go?”
“Speeches and the bachelor auction are next and then I’d say an hour. Tops.”
An hour, plus speeches…easy.I hope.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Logan
Afterbeingforcedtowatch Dani and Dwayne whispering throughout the auction, I asked to leave as soon as they were done. I didn’t even wait to see who claimed the douchebag. I wasn’t joking when I told Dani I couldn’t handle it. Myheartcouldn’t handle it. And she didn’t seem to care. Call it the straw that broke the camel’s back in this fucked-up situation.
When I push out the double doors into the cool night air, Thomas is leaning against the brick wall, his eyes on the door. “Fuck!” he exclaims. “We were supposed to catch up.”
I huff out a laugh because he’s not the only one that forgot. “All good, man. Something came up, and I have to go.”
I cup him on the shoulder as I walk past and run down the steps toward my car.
“Does it have anything to do with the girl I saw chasing after you earlier tonight?” Thomas calls out, and I cringe. “I only ask because I’m counting down the days to Vegas, and I could use a partner in crime.”
An idea that would have once excited me now makes me feel numb, but who the fuck knows what my life will be like in another month, so I offer a noncommittal answer.
“I could be up for that. I’ll let you know how my life pans out.” I laugh as though it’s one big joke, when deep down, I feel like I’m being crushed. I can’t wait for Vegas. To see one of my closest friends get married. But I haven’t given much thought to anything past that, and right now, I couldn’t even imagine being with someone else.
Over the next two weeks, I try to get my life back on track, forget about Dani, and go back to my once-blissful existence, to be the guy who fucks around in Vegas, but of course, it doesn’t work.
Because I fucking love her.
How I let that happen, I’ll never know. I’ve managed to go years without forming a deep connection like that, and then Dani walks into my life…actually no, she appears in my life, over and over, and I’m fucked. Absolutely fucked. And I can’t do a thing to stop it.
When I’m not busy with college—or trying to portray that the always chill, never takes life serious version of me still exists—I’m helping my mom prepare for the custody hearing, despite her telling me she can do it on her own. I know she means well, but she’s already emotionally drained, and this isn’t at all helping her get out of that hole.
“As a courtesy, I’m letting you know that I’m meeting with my lawyer on Monday morning,” Mom says when I’m about to head home after my weekly dinner with her and Liam, something I’ve been doing since Dad died.
I can’t help but laugh at her choice of words. “As a courtesy? Really? I feel like those lawyers are rubbing off on you.”
“I just don’t want to give you any added stress. You’ve got a lot on your plate and—”
“What have I got? College, that’s it.”
Mom frowns. “That’s a pretty big thing, Logan. Your finals are coming up, and you’re still finalizing your internship portfolio. Not to mention, you’ve been d—”Down, she was going to say down.
“Nope, we’re not talking about me. I’m okay, I promise. If it gets to be too much, I’ll tell you.”
I wrap her in a side hug and pull her in close before giving her a squeeze. “I’m coming on Monday. I need details. What time? And what did they say?”
Mom smiles, but she’s not entirely convinced I’m being honest, and I get that. Half the time I’m not even sure I’m honest with myself. But in this case, I’m good. I’ll be stressing more if I’m not involved at this point.
“They think they’ve found something that might help us, but they couldn’t say what. As long as it’s aboveboard, I’ll do anything. I hate that it’s Dani on the other end of this.”
Me too, Mom, me too.
“That’s good, maybe we can end all this before it begins,” I rush out, trying to avoid talking about Dani. But as the words leave my mouth, I know that’s not going to be the case. I can feel it. This is going to be a long, uncomfortable road.
Lucy calls Saturday afternoon, demanding I come over to celebrate her birthday, not taking no for an answer.
