I cup his cheek so he will meet my eyes. “You don’t know that. He could have just as easily been going to see a client.”
“But Jackson...” he argues.
“No, Logan,” I interrupt, “we aren’t going to pin my father’s accident on Jackson. We can be angry at him for many things but not my father’s death. My mother’s mental illness is her own, and she had it long before my dad died; there is no need to take responsibility for it either.”
“How are you being so reasonable about this?” He squeezes his fingers into my hips.
“Oh honey, I don’t think I’m being reasonable at all.” I thread my fingers through the back of his hair and pull slightly as I tilt his head to directly meet my eyes. “I am angry, and I’m hurt. I hate that our parents covered up such a big secret and didn’t trust us with the truth. I hate that I had to make decisions without all the information. I hate that choices were taken or made for me. I hate that Jackson played a starring role in all that deception. Most of all, I hate that you chose to leave instead of talking to me and that we missed so much time together.” I feel Logan’s hand leave my hip and gently wipe away the tears trailing down my face. Leaning in, I place a light kiss on his lips before sliding further down his lap.
“No more secrets and no more lies. I’m so sorry. I promise I will spend every day for the rest of my life making it up to you,” he assures me.
Holding his face in my hands I look deep into his eyes. “Good. Now take me back to bed and apologize to me properly.”
He doesn’t need to be told twice as he slides forward and stands up quickly with me in his arms. My legs wrap around his hips as he carries me through the house, into the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind us.
Chapter Forty-Five
“Hey, you’re off work early.” I smile up from my seat in front of the easel as Logan kisses me on the forehead.
I have been working on a commissioned mixed media piece for an anonymous buyer for the past couple of days. Beyond colour palette I have free rein to do as I wish with it.
“Yeah, I thought I’d see if you have time to go for a ride this afternoon.”
“A ride, like, on your motorcycle?” Standing to face him, I scrunch up my nose. I have never been on a bike before. I know people who ride, but I’ve never been tempted to ask to go along.
“Yes, on my bike, but I’m totally open to suggestions on anything else you may want to ride.” He smirks, reaching to pull me closer. “We won’t have many nice days left before I have to put it away for the winter. I wish I had asked you sooner.”
Smacking him on his stomach with the back of my hand, I snort. “You’re ridiculous.” Biting the side of my lip, I say, “I don’t know, they kinda make me nervous.”
“I promise you will be safe with me. Besides, I love the idea of claiming another one of your firsts.” He wiggles his eyebrows.
“Bike virginity? Sounds fake to me.”
“Totally real, look it up.”
I reach for my phone on the work bench to see if he’s telling the truth but before I can he snatches it up and puts it in his pocket, shaking his head.
“No pressure, but I’d love for you to come.” He winks suggestively. I swear he has regressed to a fifteen-year-old boy before my eyes.
“I’ll go, I just need to tidy up here first.”
We work together to put away open tubes of paint and other supplies. It’s good timing because I have reached a point where I can confidently walk away from the project for the rest of the day.
“Did you talk to your mom?” I ask as I put a jar of buttons on the shelf. She has been trying to get in touch with him all week, but he has been ignoring her calls.
“I texted her earlier.” Walking to the sink in the corner, he begins to wash the acrylic paint out of the brushes.
“Okay, and what’s going on?” I ask encouragingly as I continue my task.
“Jackson stuff as usual. She wants me to go see him.”
“What do you think? Is that something you want to do?”
“Not yet.” He shakes his head as he dries them off with paper towel.
We are both trying to make peace with our families after all the secrets, lies, and half-truths we have faced. Ironically it has come easier for me. Mom is the only biological family I have left, and we agreed to go to therapy together to talk about the past. I don’t want to waste any more time being angry than I already have.
Logan is struggling. He has been estranged from his family for so long he’s reluctant to reconnect. It doesn’t help that his parents continue to force Jackson on him.
