Lover Boy: All American Boy

n continue to stew, wallowing in his own anger. Ten minutes later, after shedding a few tears of his own, Logan steps out of his bedroom and walks down the hall. He finds Austin relaxed on his sofa, beer in one hand, remote in the other. Austin makes no move to stand from the couch, only grunting at Logan’s arrival.

“You can leave now,” Logan growls, the hatred still burning deep inside.

“No thanks, I think I’ll stay to see the good doctor realize he was wrong,” he says. “You need to go see the dining table.”

“Why?”

“Don’t ask, just do it.”

Logan mutters a few expletives under his breath as he walks to the table. Spread out before him is a blueprint of the old school and a rendering from Austin’s construction company.

“What’s this?” Logan asks finding Austin next to him.

“This, my friend, is why I was here.” He looks at Logan and continues, “Did you know your girlfriend had money? Like a lot of money? Twenty million, I think she said, and the lawyer in town said her grandmother left her quite a bit as well, but she mentioned she didn’t want any of it. Anywho; she called me and asked about a pediatric hospital because she had spoken with the boss of her asshole boyfriend – aka, you - about extending their services in the growing town. Now, I can’t begin to say that I understand why she would want to spend that much money and continue to work, but she seemed happy about it. I believe she had planned to unveil it at your staff meeting on Monday.”

Logan looks down at the drawing, a three-story building of glass and stone meant to house a pediatric office on the first level, as well as the option to lease offices to others. He can feel his chest constrict, the pressure overwhelming him. He grips his hand in a fist and pounds his chest.

“So she wasn’t cheating on me?” he murmurs, turning to face Austin’s accusatory stare.

Instead, Austin pats his back and smiles. “No way, that chick is only hot for you, nor am I attracted to her. Go apologize, she’ll forgive you. She knows what you’ve been through.”

Rushing toward his kitchen, Logan grabs his car keys before shouting on his way out the door, “Thanks, Austin... Now get the fuck out my house and stop drinking my beer.”

He takes the path that leads him to Avery’s apartment, not paying attention to much of the surroundings, but when he stops at an intersection, he’s surprised to find her SUV parked on the road in front of an old school. Logan parks behind her, gets out and looks in her car window, but doesn’t find her in the vehicle. There are a few restaurants close by, but he has an inkling deep in his heart and follows his instincts.

Following the overgrown sidewalk, Logan walks on the laid concrete and stops where it ends at the school playground. He finds Avery perched on one of the plastic swings that barely hang on the rusted chains. She rocks the swing back and forth with the toe of her boot, and his heart aches at the despair infiltrating the air, wrapping its coldness around him, squeezing his chest tight.

Logan can’t believe for a moment that he didn’t trust her. Avery is the most pure-hearted person he has ever met. And he loves her - a profound emotion twisting and turning through his veins, seeping through his bones to the marrow, pumping life through his heart. She barricaded herself in Logan’s core, deep within his soul, and nothing will ever pull her free.

“How long are you going to stand there watching me?” she asks, never ceasing her movements.

“You looked so beautiful. I couldn’t help myself.”

She simply nods but offers no more means of conversation. Logan walks over to the swing set and wearily sits on the plastic board next to hers, afraid the rusted chains won’t hold his weight and also that she’ll push him away. Anxiety and nervousness aren’t two emotions he’s very familiar with.

Logan doesn’t rock his swing, he sits there contemplating the best way to explain himself, but he comes up short. Instead, he finds himself needing to wipe away the wetness forming in his eyes at the thought that this may be the end for him and Avery. The concept alone fills him with more sorrow than he could have ever anticipated.

And it’s all my fault.

“I’m not mad or upset, Logan. I love you.” He looks over at her and he sees the shine reflected in her eyes as well. “I’m just hurt. But I understand what you’ve been through and I know that you weren’t expecting what you saw when you came home.”

“I’m so sorry, Avery. I jumped to conclusions. I’ll do whatever I can to make it up to you. I don’t want to lose you.”

She looks out toward the play yard in front of her and starts swinging again by the toe of her boot.

“When I left your house I couldn’t catch my breath. It was like someone was squeezing my lungs from the inside. I could feel every capillary exploding in my chest; it was terrifying.” She pauses as she struggles to take a deep gulp of air. “I knew when you found me because I could finally breathe again. The noose in my chest unraveled and I could feel the cool air fill my lungs. I knew then that I couldn’t be mad at you for your reaction. I can honestly say I probably would have reacted the same way. I know you trust me. You couldn’t love me if you didn’t. Just don’t push me away, please.”

“I knew the minute I turned around that I made a mistake, but I was too prideful, I needed to calm down. Avery, I love you far too much. I was prepared to grovel for your forgiveness.”

“No need for that,” she says with a chuckle, bringing her attention back to him.

The love exuding from her eyes induces a smile on Logan’s lips. He tugs the chain of her swing and brings her face close to his, sealing his mouth over hers. Fireworks, explosions, detonations, whatever they’re called, Logan feels them. He feels the electricity race from the tips of his boot-clad feet to the ends of his overgrown hair. This kiss is more powerful and potent – though no less lustful - than their first kiss.

“Can you feel that?” she whispers against his mouth, eyes still shut tight.

“Every burn,” he replies, placing a kiss at the corner of her mouth, then repeats the motion on each eye as he says, “Every sizzle. Every spark.” Pulling back slightly, he cups her soft face in his hands. “I feel everything with you so deep that it becomes a part of me. There is no part of me that exists without you.”

“Who are you?” She giggles.