“So handsome,” I added, asmile spreading over my face, the shock of the last ten minutes starting tofade.
“Can’t believe you’re allmine.”
Logan raised an eyebrow. “All yours?”
“Well, I’m not sharing.” Igrinned at him. “Don’t worry, honey. I’ll wear you out.”
“Don’t need you to,” Logansaid softly, reaching toward me and stroking his fingers through my hair. “Longas you’re happy.”
My heart squeezed so hard ithurtwhen he said that.
As long as I was happy.
“You make me happy,” I said,surprised by myself. Before I met Logan, I couldn’t have imagined feeling likethis. Uncomplicated happiness, the warmth of knowing he wasn’t ashamed of meand didn’t care what anyone else thought.
Despite everything that had happened,everything he’dseen.
He was all mine.
“Let’s go,” he smiled,taking my hand and tugging me toward the stairs.
***
“Ashley, wait,” my fathercalled from the porch, jogging toward Logan’s car. Beside me, Logan tensed up,shoulders set and ready for a fight.
I put a soothing hand on hisarm, silently begging him to stand down.
My father was on the distantside, but he wasn’t cruel, and he wasn’t dangerous. He’d let Mom run overeveryone, himself included, and heshouldn’thave, but…
It was hard to be as mad athim as I was at Maisie and Mom.
“Ashley,” he said, fightingto catch his breath as he straightened up in front of the two of us.
Logan’s hand landed onmy shoulder, heavy and grounding, a reassurance that everything was going to beokay. That I didn’t need to be afraid.
“I’m leaving,” I said, settingmy jaw to stop my lower lip from trembling.
I’d been angry the first timeI said it, but now I was thinking about everything I was leaving behind.
It was the right choice, andIknewit was the right choice. I even felt good about it.
But this was a big step.Being unsure seemed like a normal reaction.
“I know, and I’m not here tostop you,” he said. “The first time you left I was silently cheering you on,and that… that shouldn’t have been silent. I should’ve helped. I assumed my momwas helping you, too. You were always so close.”
“She helped me looking forapartments,” I said. “Figuring out how to pack all the things I needed to take.The help Ineeded. She was theonly one who could have done that for me.”
“I know,” Dad said. “And I’msorry. I’m sorry it went like this, I’m sorry I didn’t stop it.”
My shoulders tensed up,Logan squeezing the one his hand was on in response.
I was so glad to have him Icould havewept.
But not now. Not in front ofmy father.
Not because I felt like Ihad to be strong in front of him, or because boys didn’t cry, or any of that crap.
Because I wasn’t going to givehim the satisfaction of seeing how deeply I was hurting. How much pain all ofthis had caused me, how close to completely breaking my spirit my sister hadcome.
