Chapter 27 #2
“No, you were not. Listen, I knew what I was doing. Who in the hell gets engaged when they’re in love with someone else? Me. Hardy should’ve stayed and faced it. I didn’t care who loved me as long as someone did, you were the best choice.” Her face turns red at her confession.
“It went too far. I wanted full control. To save you, since you couldn’t… wouldn’t save yourself. I was wrong, so wrong.”
“When did you figure that out?” Her head tilts.
“As the door slammed on your truck. I knew I was in deep and needed to get help.” I’m making myself sick thinking about it. The disdain I feel for myself tastes bad.
“We weren’t in love. My heart belonged to someone else. I’m sorry for leading you on.” Her eyes dart to the floor.
My stomach continues to roll. “Thayer, I had no clue what love was until Reese. She loves me the way I am. My demons. My deep seeded issues threaten us and everything we hold dear, but she stands with me, helping me fight them. And yes, I do know I never loved you. Sorry.” I shrug with my half-assed apology.
“She’s good for you. I like her. Besides, anyone that can walk in and handle Ava the way she did is badass.” Thayer smiles.
“Reese is exceptional. I live to rise to her occasion.”
“I have no doubt. I’m happy for you, my friend.” She raises her brows. “And I expect to be invited to the wedding.”
“The day she agrees, the whole damn town will be invited.”
She laughs. “We’ll be there. Thank you for listening and being my friend.”
“We’ve always been friends, Thayer. Now, if Hardy would stop looking at me like he wants to kill me.” We glance over at the loves of our lives.
“Off the record, I’ll deny every word, but I once told Ava you could handle your own. Again, I’d deny that shit in front of Hardy.” She smirks, making me laugh.
“Thank you, Thayer. You gave me a part of myself back I thought I’d lost forever.”
“No, Walker. You just misplaced it. I reminded you of where it was. Heart, Walker. Remember it because you have a damn fine one.” She hugs me before reaching for Hardy. “There’s my man. Reese, take care of him. He’s one of the good ones.” She winks and takes Hardy’s hand.
“Walker, she’s incredible.” Hardy nods at Reese.
“Yes, they are.” I take Reese in my arms, and they dance away. “That was interesting.”
“Are you all right?” Reese narrows her eyes at Thayer. “Do I need to curb stomp her?”
“Wow, redheads do have a temper.” I jostle her to make her look at me. “Are you… jealous?”
“Jealous? No. Yes.” She averts her eyes.
“I think I like it.” I smirk.
“You would.” She shakes her head. “Shall we dance the night away?”
“Sounds like a damn good plan.”
Later that night, we help my parents with Riley and Ava’s gifts. Cleaning up a few, small areas and putting the cake in their car. Riley took Ava to Charleston for the rest of the week, just a short getaway. Mom carried her roses home. They were used to represent Sallie’s absence.
The car’s silent on the way home. I’m not sure if it’s from exhaustion or bliss. It’s been a long time since I’ve smiled as much as I did tonight. “What’cha thinkin about?”
“Tonight, was amazing. Thank you for inviting me.” She relaxes her elbow on the middle console.
“I’m thrilled for Riley and Ava. By the way, what was going on before the wedding?”
“Ava’s pregnant. Her hormones alone make her a mess. She was worried she would hurt Riley in some way.” I glance as she twists a lock of her hair.
“Ava had the same doubts while Riley was deployed. She loves him. They’ll be fine as long as they listen to their hearts.”
“Exactly.” She bobs her head. “I told her as much and explained they have each other.” She runs her hand over mine. “Can I ask you something?”
“You can ask me anything, anytime.”
“What did she want?” She turns to look out the window.
I run my hand over my face, shifting in my seat as every scenario of why she wants to know runs through my head.
I swallow repeatedly before answering. “Thayer wanted to tell me to forgive myself. She said it was time to move forward. She also told me I was a good man. That I deserved you and to be happy.”
“Yeah, sounds like what Hardy was saying to me.” She holds our hands up, kissing mine. “It was time she freed you.”
“How did you respond?”
“I told him I already knew it. We have something that goes beyond understanding.” She pauses. “And that I have your back.”
“Yes, you do. I can’t explain what it means to me. I appreciate your belief in me. Thank you, Reese.” I raise her hand to my lips, kissing it.
“I loved the flower ceremony for Sallie. It was beautiful. And did you notice? Cynthia wore her butterfly necklace.”
“I did notice. She loves it and to have it represent Sallie, I know it’s special to her.” I move my hand from hers, rubbing the back of my neck. My lips tremble, and I stutter in forcing my words out. “I’ve never talked about her before to anyone, but I want to tell you about Sallie.”
“You don’t have to, Walker.” She rotates in her seat, so she can see me better. “I could never imagine what y’all have been through. The agony and heartbreak alone must be soul-crushing.”
I pull up at my building and park. She has no clue how desolate I am.
My heart thunders in my ears. I bite back the disdain I have for myself.
“I know. But I need to.” I draw in a deep breath and jump from my truck.
The cold air fills my lungs, helping clear my head as I open her door. “Let’s get inside.”
Once upstairs, we settle in and I ready myself. “I was a freshman in high school when I visited Sallie for the first time at college. By the time I was a junior, I spent every other weekend with her. It was our thing. I’d drive up on Friday night and home Sunday evening.