Hard Knox - Riley Hart Page 0,34
moved here a couple of years ago. My husband and I separated about a year back. It hasn’t been easy. We wanted to be closer to family, which is how we ended up in Havenwood.” Amanda smiled.
“It’s a great place to live,” I replied, and she smiled again.
The class filled up, and Kellan started. He was a great teacher, walking us through each step as we painted an ocean-and-sunset scene. I wasn’t gonna lie, mine wasn’t great, but that was more my ability than Kellan’s instruction.
Logan basically ignored me the whole time. He and Dale seemed to really hit it off. It felt so damn good to see him laugh with someone his age.
We were almost finished with the painting when Amanda leaned my way. “I have to admit, I’m really glad you guys are here tonight. Dale hasn’t befriended anyone yet. I was getting a little worried.”
“Logan hasn’t either. Dale goes to Havenwood Middle School?”
She nodded. They might not have had any classes together, or they just hadn’t noticed each other, but it was good to know they would be at the same school.
“I haven’t met many people yet either,” Amanda added, “so I get it. Sometimes those things are hard in a small town.”
I went to reply, but then Kellan was announcing class was over.
As we cleaned our supplies, Logan asked, “Dad, can I hang out with Dale sometime after school? Or on a weekend or something?”
“Yeah, please, Mom?” Dale asked Amanda.
This was all so new for me, I just sort of looked at Amanda, who chuckled. “It’s okay with me if it’s okay with Mr.…”
“Just Knox is fine.”
“Knox. We can switch phone numbers.”
“I can give Dale my phone number too!” Logan said excitedly.
Amanda and I swapped phone numbers, and the boys did the same. They left first. Logan and I spoke with Kellan for a few minutes, and then we went to the truck and headed home.
“Dale’s super cool, Dad. We have a class together. I didn’t even realize it.”
“That’s good. I’m glad. Maybe he can meet Frankie Blue sometime.”
“That would be awesome. He has three game systems. He said I could go over. Sorry I didn’t hang out with you much. I know Callum got it so we could spend time together. He said you were really excited to take the class with me.”
I wasn’t surprised that Callum had said something like that to Logan in confidence. It was so him, trying to make Logan feel good that way. “I was, but it’s okay. I still had fun, and it was nice to see you meet someone.”
“Dale is awesome! Can I text Callum from your phone and tell him?” They didn’t have each other’s numbers.
“Yep.” I unlocked it, pulled up the texts to Callum, and handed it over. Logan frantically moved his fingers over the screen, then laughed at something I assumed Callum said back to him. “He’s a good guy, isn’t he?” I found myself saying.
“Callum?” When I nodded, Logan said, “Yeah, the best. I’m glad we met him. He…he’s easy to talk to. Not that you’re not, but he just, gets it…gets me. That doesn’t hurt your feelings, right? I don’t want to.”
“It doesn’t.” The truth was, it did slightly. I could both wish Logan wanted to talk to me that way and be grateful he had Callum at the same time. I knew they had in common the fact that they’d both had childhood health problems, but again, I wondered if there was more to it. I didn’t know how to do this or if I should bring it up at all, but I wanted Logan to know he could come to me with anything. That I would love him no matter what. This was maybe the perfect opportunity to say it. “He’s a good person for you to talk to. It’s okay if you choose to talk to him, if you guys have stuff in common, ya know? But I also want you to know you can always come to me with anything too. That nothing will ever change how much I love you or anything like that.”
“Okay…” Logan replied, confusion making him draw the word out. “I mean, I know that. Why would you not love me ’cuz I’m littler or a dork?”
“You’re not a dork, and I wouldn’t. I was just saying, if there was ever anything else.”
Logan was a smart kid, so I wasn’t really surprised when he said, “Oh my God, Dad. Do you think I’m gay?”
Well, shit.