Secrets & Lies

34| Set Free

"Where the hell have you been? And why do you have a black-eye? Look at me when I talk to you!"

I stood in front of my mother utterly and completely terrified. After Wyatt left my apartment a few hours ago, I figured it was only a matter of time before he ended up showing up again to bitch at me for not talking to our parents. I wanted to get this over with so I could go back to my apartment and just be by myself for a while.

I didn't even bring my cell phone with me. I got tired of looking at it just to see that Grant hasn't called or texted me. I didn't blame him, though. I'm the one who told him I wanted nothing more to do with him and not to reach out to me. But...fuck, I missed him.

I looked into my mother's blue eyes and exhaled a deep breath. "I'm sorry, mom. For everything. But that's why I'm here—I want to explain everything to you."

She arched a brow at me before pulling me into a firm hug. "I've been so worried about you." She pulled back and popped me on the shoulder.

"Ow!"

"Don't ever disappear on me again," she threatened.

"I won't." I had no idea if I could keep that promise. With the way everything was going right now, all I wanted to do was run away.

I just wanted to go somewhere—anywhere—where it didn't hurt. Where I didn't hurt. I wanted to get far enough away from this godforsaken city that my mind wouldn't be plagued by the cruel memories of what I've lost. But deep down I knew the truth—such a place didn't exist.

"So, what's been going that you had to worry us like this?"

I shifted my weight on my feet before I gestured to the couch. "Maybe you should sit down."

The corners of her mouth dropped to a frown, but she took a seat on the plush sofa anyway. "I'm sitting down now, Logan. What's this about?"

How could I put this? "Mom, Amelia and I are not getting married."

Her mouth dropped. "What do you mean you aren't getting married? I've been planning this wedding since the engagement!" Her eyes narrowed. "Explain everything to me right now, Logan Thorne."

"Okay, uh...yeah. Okay." I took a seat next to her and swallowed the lump in my throat repeatedly. "You remember Grant, right?"

"Yes. He's your friend from college. I invited him to the party we had, but he didn't show up."

"He did show up, but he and I argued and—"

"Don't you dare tell me that..." she rose to her feet. "Did Amelia have an affair with him? Is that why you called off the wedding?"

When I went to speak, she cut me off. "I cannot believe this! I'm going to call both of them right now and te—"

"It was me!" I blurted. Thankfully, that seemed to shut her up. "I was the one who had the affair, mom."

She sat back down next to me on the couch. "That doesn't make any sense, Logan. Who did you..."

I knew the instant she made the connection. Her eyes went wide, sending her brows nearly into her hair. Her mouth parted slightly as she covered it with her hand.

My heart was banging against my rib cage in the silence that hung between us. My mouth went dry and I tried to swallow multiple times.

When she finally spoke again, her voice was low and soft. "You're telling me..."

"I'm gay," I finished for her. I turned away from her and leaned back against the couch. "That's why Amelia and I called off the wedding. I tried to ignore how I felt and be normal, but I couldn't keep lying anymore, mom."