Page 82 of Under One Roof

I’m legitimately shocked by his level of ire. I knew he was upset, but I didn’t expect this angry dismissal. “Logan.” When he doesn’t respond, I try again. “Logan, come on.”

He shakes his head and lowers his chin toward his chest.

My throat clogs with emotion, and I find it difficult to be a mature adult about it. The kid I’ve come to love ignoring me.

“I’m sorry,” I say quietly. “It’s my job.”

He snorts a dubious sound, and the only bright spot in this conversation is that I know this kind of thing is a rite of passage for a parent. I’ll have to learn to roll with the punches I guess.

“I love you, Logan.” I chance a touch, running my hand over the back of his head. He doesn’t move, so I do it one more time, sifting a few of the short brown strands through my fingers. “I hope we’ll talk later.”

He doesn’t answer, and I don’t push it, shutting the door behind me on my way out. I swipe my fingers under my eyes and take a deep breath, but it’s no use.

As soon as I walk into Grace’s room, she starts crying. I do too.

Pulling her into a hug, I attempt to calm her with supportive words. “You can call me anytime, and I’ll answer. I’m here for you, no matter what.”

She looks up at me, her tears spilling over her cheeks, fogging up her glasses. “But you won’t behere.”

I shake my head, and she lets go of me to take off her glasses and dry her eyes. She straightens herself out, wiping the lenses and fixing her ponytail, before looking at me again. “I’m sad you won’t be at my talent show.”

I wipe my own tears away. “I know, honey, and I’m so sorry. But your dad promised to send me the video. I’ll be cheering you on, even if I’m not there in person.”

I open my arms to her again, and she meets me for another hug. “I’m going to miss you so much.”

“I’m going to miss you too,” I say, kissing her head and cheek. “I love you.” Eventually, we pull apart, and I point my finger at her. “No more tricks.”

“No more tricks,” she promises, and when I eye her, she laughs. “I swear!”

We hold hands as we make our way downstairs and outside, to where Griffin is waiting by my car parked at the curb. As if she knows we need time, Grace lets go of my hand so I can speak to her father in private.

He stands with his hands in his pockets, shoulders hunched, and I recall how he stood in the same way when we met. But that day, he was curled over from the rain. Today, I know it’s for wholly different reasons.

“So, you all ready?”

“Mm-hmm.”

With his brows furrowed and eyes squinted, he studies me. As if to see if I’m lying.

“Logan’s really mad at me,” I tell him, and he shrugs.

“I’ll talk to him.”

“Please remind Gracie to call me anytime. I’m worried about her.”

“She’ll be okay.”

I rest my hands on his chest, scrunching the material of his shirt in my fingers. “What about you?”

“I’ll be okay too.”

Really? Because I’m not sure I will be. I’m not feeling very confident at all, faced with the reality of returning to the place of the highest highs and lowest lows. LA was not particularly good to me, but I would not be the person I am without the lessons I learned about friendship, love, and my worth.

“You’re going to be okay, Andi,” Griffin says, like it’s an order. Like I have no other choice. And it’s sort of easier to think of it that way.

I’ll be okay because I have to be.

“You have your cell phone?” he asks, and I take it out of my pocket to show him.

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