Free Savor by Xavier Neal Page A

inside.
    That’s not healthy. He shouldn’t hold that kinda shit in. He might explode. Huh? We’re not talking about me. We’re talking about Tony…
    “He was last time I checked.” His churlish comment irks me so much I stand up and plant my hands on the table.
    “Really? Because if he was just your fucking kid, you’d have taken him with you on the road. If he was just your fucking kid, I wouldn’t be the one helping with him homework. If he was just your fucking kid, Tony wouldn’t be the one running drills with him, and Erin wouldn’t be the one taking him to get his goddamn hair cut! He’s not just your fucking kid!”
    Logan stomps over and drops his hands on the table so he is directly across from me. “And you’re not just my fucking girl anymore are you?”
    Without thinking about it, my hand slaps Logan across the face immediately shaking with rage.
    I don’t know what shocks me more. The fact that I just slapped him or just how much that shit actually hurts! In the movies no one ever makes it look like it actually hurts!
    “Enough,” Tony’s voice booms unexpectedly before dropping down to a lower volume. “This. This bullshit right here is why I’m taking the Kid to the movies. So you can deal with whatever this is. So the Kid doesn’t have to see the two people he’s just learning to call parents split apart in front of his face. So the Kid doesn’t have the only fucking stability he’s ever known in his entire life ripped out from underneath him. You don’t wanna be together? Fine. Whatever. But you do have to figure out a way to co-exist for the Kid and the one growing inside of Maxx.”
    I hate when Tony plays the logical card. Oh! And Luke too! He does that shit, too.
    “And, Kellar,” he says as Logan stands up straight, the red mark on his face pulsing from the looks of it. “I shouldn’t have to fucking justify myself to you. I meant what I said when I claimed Maxx and I were just friends. I’ve been helping your kid with shit you can’t do. Instead of fucking attacking, try fucking thanking me.”
    “Ready, Uncle Tony!” Dean travels down the stairs and hustles back over to us.
    Logan does his best to hide the red mark on his face as the kid plants a kiss on my cheek. “Love you, Mom.”
    “Love you, too.” I flop back in the chair.
    Tony gives my shoulder a squeeze at the same time Dean asks Logan, “You wanna come?”
    “I would, Kid, but your mom and I we…well we have some stuff to discuss.” Logan retreats his body so his back is against the edge of the counter. “But maybe we can catch a different one tomorrow.”
    “After my game? You’re coming right?”
    “Of course, Kid. Why do you think I came home?” Dean’s eyes light up and Logan says, “Now get out of here with your Uncle Tony before you miss the damn thing.”
    “Right.” Dean turns his attention to Tony who’s fishing his keys out of his pocket.
    I watch Logan give Tony an apologetic nod, and Tony accepts by making the same gesture.
    “Hey, Uncle Tony, can we get some popcorn? Oh and a pickle. Can I get a big pickle?”
    The last thing I hear Tony say before they’re gone is, “Kid, you just ate enough food to cure hunger in a starving third world nation, and you’re still hungry?”
    Once the door shuts, I stand, prepared to make an exit to my room.
    Technically, it’s our room, but I’ve already started gathering my stuff to move to the downstairs office, which will be a little tight when I get a bed to put in there, but I’ll live. I’d much rather live cramped than with someone who thinks I trapped him into spending his life with me.
    “We’re not gonna talk?” Logan nervously asks.
    “About what?” My body freezes itself.
    “About us.”
    “There is no us, Logan.”
    “Don’t say that.” He shakes his head slowly. “ Please don’t say that…”
    The words stop my actions and I stare at him, my eyes stuck on his. “Logan, most of my life has revolved around you.