Page 76 of Logan

The frustrated groan that Clay let out was very familiar. It was the same sound he made whenever he was studying, and he couldn’t figure out the answer to a problem.

“Ugh. I don’t know. Baton Rouge is so far away. What would I even do there?”

“The same things you do here. I was the only person you knew when you came here, and you managed to carve out a decent life here. You can do the same thing over there.”

“But…” Clay’s voice started off strong, but in the course of only three letters, it died to a barely audible whisper. “I was only able to do that because you gave me a place to stay.”

“And I’m sure Logan would happily let you live with him as well. In fact, I’ll personally knock his teeth out if he doesn’t.”

Clay laughed, and the music of such a joyous sound distracted me from the topic of the conversation.

“Jason. Stop acting like you’re some dangerous street fighter. You’ve never thrown a punch in your life.”

“Never said I’d use my fist. A baseball bat would also work.”

Clay laughed again, quieter this time. The rollercoaster that my emotions had been subjected to over the last few minutes finally calmed down, and I realized I was still clutching the crumpled cup. The dregs of my coffee were dripping over my fingers and making a sticky mess, so I threw it in the trashcan and pulled out some tissues from my pocket to try and clean myself up.

All the while, I kept one ear attuned to the conversation happening inside the room.

“I’ve been saving everything I can from my paychecks,” Clay admitted. “You’re paying me more than I deserve, so I might be able to afford a few months of rent, but what if I’m not able to find a job there?”

“Is that what you’re concerned about?” Jason asked, sounding just as incredulous as I felt. “Clay, maybe I’m wrong, but I getthe feeling Logan would gladly let you live without him without asking for rent.”

I couldn’t stay out of the conversation any longer and poked my head around the door.

“You’re absolutely right.”

Both men jumped in surprise. Jason just rolled his eyes when he realized I’d been listening in, but Clay’s face grew crimson from embarrassment.

“Logan. How long have you been there?”

“Long enough.” I reclaimed the same seat I’d been sitting in yesterday and grabbed Clay’s hand. “Your brother is right. If you came to Baton Rouge, I absolutely would not demand rent payment from you. Or any other expense, for that matter. You should only focus on figuring out what it is you want to do. Let me worry about the money.”

Clay shoved my shoulder but didn’t actually put any distance between us. “No. I am not taking advantage of you like that. I’ll pay my own way.” He seemed to realize that he was already talking about moving to Baton Rouge like it was a done decision, and immediately clammed up. “I, uh, I mean. If I do move in with you. Maybe. I don’t know what I’m doing yet.”

Jason and I shared a look over Clay’s head. We were both thinking the same thing. If Clay was already imagining what life in Baton Rouge would be like, then it was inevitable. We may as well start packing now.

“Okay,” I relented and pressed a kiss to his temple. “Once you know what you want to do in the future, let me know. My door is always open for you.”

The conversation turned toward other, less emotional topics, but in the back of my mind I was already making plans. There wasn’t enough space in my apartment for two people. I’d chosen the apartment because of its proximity to my work, but I wouldn’t mind a slightly longer commute if it meant Clay could be more comfortable.

Would Clay want to be near the University?

He was trying to get his GED, so maybe he’d want to continue his education.

Or maybe he’d want to be closer to places he could volunteer, like halfway houses and children’s shelters. He enjoyed his volunteer work here in Maryland and would probably want to continue with it.

While Clay was distracted talking with his brother about something, I discreetly pulled up apartment listings on my phone. It was too early to actually move anywhere, but there was no harm in making plans for the future.

Our future.

I couldn’t keep the smile off my face just thinking about it.

CHAPTER 31

Clay

Two years after we met,I stepped into Logan’s apartment for the first time.

---