Page 191 of Come Back to Me

Parker: Wow

Parker: You think I expect you to go to jail?

Tee: Nah

Parker: You think I don’t want you to be happy?

Tee: Umm, no

Parker: So what’s the issue?

Tee: I rolled over really fast, Parker. Like, embarrassingly quick. But he’s

*Two minutes later*

Parker: What is he?

Tee: Dreamy

Tee: I love him

Tee: And he loves me

Parker: I’m still failing to see the problem. If anything, I’m happy for you!

Tee: I wailed at you for a couple hours, made you listen to his letter over and over again.

Parker: Yes, and I know how much you cared about him.

Parker: Sweetheart, I would never judge you for grasping at happiness

Parker: His reasons for the ‘Dear John’ were sound?

Tee: They were pretty shit, tbh.

Tee: But they’re something we can work on.

Tee: He believes them, at least, lol

Parker: Okay, so if you believe that, I believe that. HOWEVER, if he hurts you one more time and/or sends you another ‘Dear John,’ I will send Sweet Lips to castrate him. Do we have a deal?

Tee: 100%

Tee:

Tee

Later that day

Somehow, for a woman accustomed to performing in public, it feels like I’m exposing more of myself when I hit play on one of my mp3s than it did when he spread my legs out on the range.

I stare woodenly at the floor, not wanting to see his reaction as he pops the tab on a beer and takes a deep sip before settling back on the couch with me.

When he sighs, I bite my lip. He kicks up his feet next, crossing them at the ankle on the coffee table in front.

In barely no time at all, he’s relaxed. His eyes drift, but his fingers tap along the can in time to the chords.

I know I shouldn’t need his validation, but I crave it, nonetheless.

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