He shrugs. “It’s okay—the story has a happy ending.” He smiles.
“Anyway, after I ran out of couches to surf, I ended up out on the street for a few weeks. That was my rock bottom. But I was really lucky. For some reason I’ll never understand, Case decided to come looking for me. We hadn’t talked for over a year, but he decided to look for me, and somehow, he found me.”
“Wow, how amazing,” I say.
“It really is. Anyway, Case got me off the street. His dad is a senator from California, and he has a lot of connections. With his help, I got into an amazing rehab program that they paid for.
“The Armstrong family saved my life, and I’ll never be able to repay them for that. Not only did they help me get sober, but I lived with them for several years while I finished high school and did my first couple of years at college before I transferred to UCLA.” Reed continues to stroke David’s head, and my dog looks like he’s in heaven.
“So that’s the short version—although it’s not exactly short, I guess.”
“Wow, Reed. That is an incredible story. Do you still talk to Case?”
He smiles again. “I do. He’s the closest thing I’ll ever have to a brother. He lives in San Diego these days.”
“So, the Armstrongs are like your family, but you don’t spend holidays with them?”
“I have before, but like I said, I don’t really associate holidays with good times. Sometimes it’s easier if I just do my own thing, although I promise I’m excited to have dinner with your family tomorrow night.”
I laugh. “Well, I promise no one is all that scary, but I also promise that we can leave whenever you want. They’re all used to me cutting out of things early.”
He grins.
“But seriously, Reed, thank you for sharing that with me. I feel like I know you even better now.” I smile at him.
He leans over to kiss me. “I think I want you to know all about me.”
I kiss him back. “I want that too.”
Chapter 21
DYAN
IknewReedwasa little nervous about having family Thanksgiving with my parents, but on the way over there, I realize he’s gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles are white, and he might be more nervous than I thought.
“Reed,” I say, putting a hand on his leg. “Is everything okay?”
Covering my hand with his, he takes a deep breath and shoots me a tight smile.
“I’ll be okay—I’m just a little nervous. This is the first time I’ve done a holiday thing in a really long time.” He squeezes my hand and looks back at the road.
I nod dumbly. “Okay,” I say. I don’t really know what to say to help him feel better, and I feel shitty about it. Not only am I making him do this, but now I can’t even help him feel better.
“I’ll be okay once we get there, I think,” he says. “It’s just the anticipation leading up to it that’s bugging me. I know your family is great. I’ll be fine.”
He’s talking to me, but I can tell his words are just as much for himself.
“You’re right. You’ll be fine, and we can always leave early if we want. My family is used to me being one of the first to cut out.”
Reed chuckles.
When we arrive at my parents’ house, the only other car there belongs to Sam’s parents, my uncle Greg and aunt Alanna. Good. Fewer people means less noise and fewer people for Reed to have to meet all at once.
Opening the front door, I step into the house where I grew up. I know I’m lucky—I have mostly good memories here, unlike what Reed experienced in his childhood home. My family is a long way from perfect, but cruelty and abuse were never part of my childhood.
“Hello?” I call.
“Hi, Dylan, come on in. Did you—oh, you did!” A big smile lights up my mom’s face when she steps out of the kitchen and sees that I brought Reed with me.