Page 42 of Love in Pieces

His name slips out of my mouth before I can stop myself. “Logan?” I ask, almost too quiet to hear, and I secretly hope he doesn’t respond. But he does.

“Yeah?” He stops just before his bedroom door.

“Do you ... uh ... do you not like me? I just ... I feel like you’ve been, I don’t know, avoiding me a little since I moved in.” I look at the floor, avoiding eye contact in case he takes this the wrong way. “Sorry, I don’t mean to start anything.”

He takes a deep breath before I hear his footsteps approaching me. The spot next to me on the couch sinks. “Abby, I don’t hate you. I do like you. All of this just happened so fast, and Dallas really seems to like you. Don’t get me wrong, I’m really glad he’s helping you, and I have no issue with that. I don’t want to see you hurt. But I don’t want to see him get hurt either. He’s going through a lot of family stuff right now, so he’s been having a tough time. And he’s been burned in the past by other relationships.”

When I look up, his gaze is focused on the floor. He’s fidgeting with the strings of his sweatpants. “I know you’re trying to look out for him. I’m sorry I kind of upended your last week or so. I never intended for my life to take such a turn. But Dallas really has been my saving grace. And I don’t mean that in the ‘Oh he’s my knight in shining armor’ kind of way. I mean he stepped up to the plate when no one else would. I don’t know what I would have done if he wasn’t at that party that night. I’d probably still be in that relationship sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss.”

He smiles but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Dallas is hands down the best man I know. And I mean that seriously. He’s got his issues, but he’s a good friend. I trust him with my life.” He stops talking, but I sense he’s not finished. He lets his head flop back and stares at the ceiling. “Promise me you’ll be careful with him. He’s delicate. Like a little flower.” A smirk strikes his face and he lets out a deep laugh.

The joke makes me laugh, too. “Oh, come on, you’ve got to give him a little more credit. He’s at least a bouquet of delicate flowers.” I lay my head against the back of the couch, mimicking Logan’s position.

He tilts his head to look at me with a wide smile. “Okay, you’ve made the team.”

I turn to face him and smile back. “I promise.” I start to sit up but slink back again, and in a serious tone I ask, “Can I ask you a question?”

He sits up, ready for whatever I’m about to ask. “Of course.”

“What family stuff? I realize I haven’t exactly been very open to learning about him with everything going on in my life, but what do you mean he’s got a lot going on?”

“Well,” he pauses, rubbing his palms together, “I’m not sure it’s my business to share, but his dad—he’s a professor here at Oxly—cheated on his mom. It’s a whole thing.”

“Damn. That’s awful. Who’s his dad?”

“Dr. Charles Kraus. I think he’s some sort of English or literature professor. Something like that.”

“Shit,” I say, more so under my breath, but Logan heard me.

“Shit is right.”

The second the name spills from his mouth, my heart sinks. What the hell am I supposed to do now? I need this job. Iwantthis job. But I sure as hell can’t tell Dallas I work for his cheater of a father. If he found out, he’d surely kick me out. Not to mention, this newfound friendship we have would be over.

“I uh ... Thanks, Logan. I’m going to get ready for the graduation ceremony. You probably should, too.” I leave him sitting on the couch as I practically run to my room and frantically shut the door. I sit down on the almost flat air mattress, trying to control the oncoming panic. Of course, this would happen. Things start to turn around and then another bomb gets dropped in my lap. I know I should tell him, but not today. Not on his graduation day. He’s had enough shit going on with me coming into his life already. He needs to have a day or two that makes him happy.

Only a minute or two pass before I hear the front door open again. Dallas and Logan talk in the living room, but I can’t make out what they’re saying. I should get dressed into something nicer. Pajamas don’t exactly pass the graduation dress code. I run a brush through my hair after changing and head to the bathroom to put on some makeup.

“You know you don’t have to do that?” Dallas says, peering in from the hallway. “You look good without it, too.”

Butterflies. My stomach erupts so quickly I have to hold in my shock. “Makeup? Yeah, well I like it, so I’m going to keep doing it.” I smile before running the black liner across my lid again. Is he flirting with me?

“Fair enough. Logan and I are heading out in fifteen. That work for you?”

“Yeah, I’ll be done in a minute,” I reply, adding the mascara to finish the look.

“Cool. Meredith graduates today, too, right?”

Shoot, I haven’t checked on her today. “Yeah, I should text her.”

“Afraid she’s going to get cold feet?” Dallas asks with a chuckle.

“Honestly, she’s not exactly a center-stage kind of person so it wouldn’t surprise me if she wanted to get her diploma mailed to her,” I laugh.

“That doesn’t sound so bad. Maybe I’ll do that, too.” He raises his eyebrows and looks around as if he’s contemplating.

“Nope. You’re in it now.” I zip my makeup bag and toss it on my bed. “Ready?”

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