Chapter 32: Chapter Thirty-Two

LOGAN

I bullshit my way through client calls and respond to emails I’ve ignored since last week until the office is empty. I can’t bear to face a single fucking colleague today.

I drive home with the windows down, hoping the chilly air will clear my mind, but all it does is numb half my face.

I send Court’s first call to voicemail. The second follows immediately after. Groaning, I answer on Bluetooth.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” she states accusingly.

“I’ve had a lot going on.” I’m not in the mood to apologize. My fucking dad is dying. I don’t have to say sorry for missing a couple of texts.

“Like what?”

“Court, I really—”

“No. I love you, Logan, but I’m about to give you some tough fucking love, you hear me?”

My grip on the wheel tightens. “Later, Court.”

“No. Now. What the ~fuck~ is this I hear about you dumping Rae over text? You know how we met. I hooked up with her boyfriend. Right in front of her.

“She ~just~ got her heart broken. If it didn’t work out between you guys, fine, you should end it, but you have to do that shit in person, Logan.”

“You don’t know the full—”

“Unless she cheated on you or, I don’t know, tried to stab you or something, there’s no excuse for a breakup text.”

“I didn’t write that fucking text, Courtney.”

For once, there’s silence on Court’s line. Of course, it only lasts a second, but for her, that’s major. “What do you mean? I literally saw a screenshot.”

~There are screenshots circulating? Fucking great~. “Yeah, I sent it. I didn’t write it.”

“That doesn’t make… Wait, did someone force you to break up with Rae?”

“I’m not getting into this right now.”

“Is that a yes? Did someone actually… Was it Taylor? I swear to God, I will—”

“No, Court. Stop.”

“Tell me or I’ll show up at Taylor’s house. Don’t try me, Logan. I’ve done it before. I’ll do it again.”

She’s not lying. A year into my relationship with Taylor, Court and her brother Brady nearly broke down her door after they saw a photo of her cheating on me.

“It’s not Taylor.” I wouldn’t be surprised if she were involved—she’s been spending an abnormal amount of time with Michael recently—but if she’s not, I don’t want Court to give her any ideas.

I have no doubt she’d love to insert herself into any plan that involves keeping Rae and me apart.

“Michael? I know where he lives too.”

“I don’t think you can take Michael in a fight,” I point out.

“I have pepper spray,” she replies nonchalantly, as if that’s enough to defeat a guy twice her size. “So, does that mean Michael made you break up with her?”

“I told you I’m not getting into this.”

“Why? Rae deserves an explanation. If you won’t give one to her, I will.”

“Court, stop. For fuck’s sake, this is none of—”

“She—”

“No, Courtney.” I shift the car into park and rest my head in my hands. “Court, you can’t talk to Rae about this. There’s a reason I’m not giving either of you details.”

“What, is Michael blackmailing you or some shit?” she scoffs.

“Yep. Something like that.”

“What could he possibly have over you that would make you dump ~Rae~? The last time we talked you were whipped as fuck.”

“It’s obviously something pretty big, then,” I mutter.

She huffs. “Fine. Can I tell Rae, at least?”

“No, Court—”

“I’m not an idiot. I’m not going to say you’re getting blackmailed. Can I just tell her that you were forced to or something like that? I just got back from her apartment. She’s a wreck.

“She thinks you’re with Taylor. She was literally crying about you guys flirting in your office this morning.”

I groan. “You know I wasn’t—”

“Yeah, no shit you weren’t flirting with that bitch. Not that Rae believed me when I told her.” She huffs again.

“You really, really hurt her, Logan. You owe her an explanation, even if it’s as vague as the one you’re giving me.”

“I just got home. I’ll talk to you—”

“Don’t you dare hang up on me, Logan Quincy. I don’t think you un—”

“Enough, Courtney,” I snap. “You think I don’t know how fucked up this situation is? Really?” I’m seeing red. Why the fuck does no one respect the fucking pressure I’m under right now?

Serena’s disappointed face flashes through my mind as Courtney continues lecturing me about shit she doesn’t understand.

I’m about to end the call when a shaky, “Hello?” freezes every cell in my body.

~You’ve got to be fucking kidding me~.

“Hi, Rae,” Courtney says loudly. “I have Logan on. He needs to tell you something.”

“Court, this—” I start.

“Fine. I’ll say it. You can correct me if I’m wrong, okay? Okay. Great. Here we go. Rae, Logan didn’t want to break up with you. Someone forced him. He won’t say why, but it doesn’t have anything to do with you.

“He’s not with Taylor. He hates Taylor more than I hate her, and that’s really saying something. Am I missing anything, Logan?”

I’m going to kill Court, but if the cat’s out of the fucking bag… “I’m sorry, Rae,” I murmur.

“It… I wouldn’t have done that if it wasn’t… I can’t tell you what it is, because I don’t want to implicate you, but I need you to understand that it’s not because I don’t lo—care about you.”

“Oh,” she whispers. Then, her voice is a touch louder, more assured. “It’s Michael or Taylor, isn’t it? You can tell me.”

“I really can’t. Listen, Rae… Court, can you—”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll leave the call going so it doesn’t hang up. I’m going to take a bubble bath. Bye, Rae. Love you. Logan, I’m still mad, but—”

“Bye, Court,” I interrupt, and I hear that small giggle I love.

The line is silent as I try to piece together a sufficiently vague explanation that won’t leave Rae believing I chose Taylor over her and, at the same time, won’t drag her into this mess.

“You can tell me if you want,” she repeats, her tone wavering again.

“You don’t want to know,” I sigh. “Trust me.”

“Is it illegal?”

I actually don’t know the answer to that, so probably. “I don’t want to implicate you.”

“Logan, I’ve sat in at least a dozen of your company’s meetings, and I still don’t know what you do.

“In order for me to be implicated, I have to understand what you’re talking about, and trust me, I won’t.”

I let out a soft chuckle as she continues, “If you don’t want to tell me, okay, but I need to know if I should wait or if I should try to move on.” She sniffles. “As in, is there hope for us?”

“I… I don’t know, Rae. I’m not going to ask you to wait for me. It’s not fair to you.”

“I only want you,” she whispers.

I feel every bone in my body crushing beneath the weight of the sadness emanating from her voice. Before I can stop myself, I’m telling her more than I should.

“On Friday, Michael confronted me and demanded I stop seeing you. He’s holding something over my head, something related to my dad. It could put his treatment in jeopardy.

“My dad leaves… After Monday, I don’t think there’s much Michael can do.”

“Oh! Next week isn’t long. If this is about… If it’s about your dad, I don’t… I would never want you to prioritize my feelings or our relationship over his health.”

“How about I call you next week? Tuesday? Would that be okay?”

“Yes,” she breathes. “Yes, of course.”

This woman is the most selfless, caring person in the world, and I’m a selfish prick. Clearly, opposites attract.