CHAPTER 28
CHASE
From the moment I leave my studio with Logan, it’s like the sun is breaking out from behind the clouds.
He holds my hand in his as we walk out onto the street.
And he keeps it there, even when multiple paparazzi and people walking by whip out their cameras to take photos of us.
It makes my heart beat like a drum, and I’m so goddamn glad I have a pair of sunglasses to put over my eyes, which are still a little red.
But if the first half of the day felt like my life was shattering in front of me, the second half feels like hope.
Emily comes over to Logan’s suite, along with Logan’s PR manager, and we research ethical charity organizations to donate all of the photoshoot proceeds to. Sometime into the afternoon, Emily lets us know that the photo of me holding out pills was removed from Instagram, and the person who posted it got their account suspended.
I still have no clue who it was.
A handful of people bullied me in high school, but to be honest, I don’t even care which one it was.
Logan’s PR manager lets us know that the vast majority ofposts about Logan today are centered on the positive aspects of masculine sexuality, and that the general public sees the photoshoot as tasteful and empowering.
I even check my email to see that there was at least one photography studio in the city who apparently didn’t search my name online last night, because they responded to me saying that I could come in for a meeting.
It’s nothing fancy, and probably not something that would pay a bunch. They do architectural photography for a historical society, and one of their longtime employees just retired, leaving an open spot.
But it’s something.
Before Logan and I leave for the red-eye flight to LA, I stop by the Bellwood lounge to see Julian.
I pass David on the way in, but I just give him a polite wave.
Julian is behind the bar refilling a beer tap when I sit down across from him.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him simply.
He looks up at me and his eyes look tired. “I’m sorry, too, Chase. I heard what happened and I tried to call you so many times.”
I frown. “It wasn’t you?”
“What?”
“You didn’t try to get me fired?”
“Of course I didn’t, Chase. It had to be someone else in the kitchen. I would never fucking do that to you.”
Relief floods me.
I cross back behind the bar even though I know I’m not allowed to.
I wrap my arms around my brother in a hug, and I can’t even remember the last time I hugged him.
“Logan and I made it official,” I tell him. “I’m not going to fucking lie to you about my life, and I’m not going to run andhide. You can hate the choices I make all you want, but he’s my boyfriend now, so you can’t hate him.”
“I don’t hate anyone. I just worry about you like you’re my fucking child, Chase, and I have to learn to let you live.”
I puff out a laugh. “Yeah. You do.”
He laughs too, sighing as we finally pull apart. “Doesn’t mean I’m not going to call you on your shit sometimes. Also, your photoshoot turned out incredible, by the way.”
