Dad’s gaze zeroed in on her. “I’m not saying he’s a bad person. But I won’t forget the way he took off the second he graduated high school. Left you without a backward glance. He’ll do it again.”
“You need to send him packing,” Caleb said. “Before you end up heartbroken again.”
Liddy gave an awkward laugh. “Come on, you guys. Let’s give her some credit here. She’s not a teenager anymore. Anyway, she already has a boyfriend, remember?”
Shelby eyed the food on her plate as if it might tell her what to say next. Because she didn’t have a boyfriend anymore. It wasn’t really relevant except now that Liddy had brought it up, she kind of had to come clean. They were bound to find out soon through the grapevine anyway.
When she glanced up they were all staring at her. “Actually... I broke up with Logan.”
“What?” Dad said. “When did this happen?”
Caleb tossed his napkin on his plate. “I knew it.”
Liddy stared at her with confusion in her eyes. “You didn’t tell me.”
Shelby sent Liddy an apologetic look. “It just happened Tuesday. I didn’t have a chance to tell you.” But the real hurt probably stemmed from the fact that Shelby hadn’t even given Liddy a clue that the relationship wasn’t working out.
“Are you okay?” Liddy asked.
“I’m fine.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” Liddy’s expression was stoic as she pushed her chair back and stood. “I’ll start clearing the table. The Giants game will be starting soon.”
Chapter 35
Shelby handed Ollie to Caleb, glowering as she did so. Then she grabbed their empty plates and followed Liddy into the kitchen.
Her friend was rinsing dishes and loading them into the dishwasher.
Shelby set the plates in the sink. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you what was happening.”
Liddy’s gaze roamed over her face. “Are you really okay?”
“Yes. It just hit me kind of suddenly that the relationship wasn’t going anywhere, and prolonging it would’ve only been cruel to Logan. I don’t know why I didn’t talk it over with you. I guess I just felt bad about it. He didn’t do anything wrong. And I was afraid everyone would think it was because of Gray.”
“I’m not ‘everyone.’”
Shelby winced. “No, you’re not. I should’ve told you how I was feeling.”
“Hard to develop feelings for someone you’re holding at arm’s length.”
Liddy dried her hands on a towel and faced Shelby, her eyes full of empathy. “How are you feeling?”
“Confused. Logan accused me of holding him at arm’s length. Like I held back a part of myself or something.”
“Did you?”
“I didn’t think so. But now I wonder if he’s right. He said I had high walls.”
Liddy seemed to consider this. “Well, your first experience with love ended in disaster. Most people would be a little guarded after a heartbreak like that.”
Was that what she’d been doing? Guarding her heart?
“What was the defining moment? What made you realize you wanted to break up with him?”
“Honestly? When I was out on that boat with Gray last week, I remembered a lot of things. I remembered the way I felt back when we were together. I remembered the way his touch made me feel. Like I’d just die without it, you know? I loved him so much. I thought about him all the time. I wanted to be with him constantly. And he...sawme. He saw who I was and he didn’t just love me—he adored me.”
Liddy brushed Shelby’s hair back, her blue eyes soft and warm.
