Page 67 of Into the Shadows

Subject: Are You Happy? [unsent draft]

Why the fuck did you have to be my guardian angel? Why couldn’t you have saved the rest of my unit like you did all the other times?

I shouldn’t have survived. Anyone but me. Those men were ten times better than me. I’m a poor, barely educated jarhead. I never should’ve been the only survivor. What kind of life can I live now?

All I have waiting for me out of this hospital is a lonely, sad existence as a broken man who couldn’t protect his own unit.

This is who you saved. Are you happy?

Chapter 38

Lottie

I’ve never been happier.

That’s the thought that has been repeating in my head since Teddy kissed me at the top of the Ferris wheel.

Now he’s holding my hand as we meet Mom and Dad in the fireworks field. This has always been my favorite part of the spring celebration. There’s something magical about the explosion of colors in the sky. It’s as if they’re marking the beginning of something brand-new.

My entire family has gathered together tonight. Ryan and his family are sitting on one blanket. Carson is entertaining Noah and Lilly’s girls while Carson and Noah’s parents laugh at his antics. Gia and her parents are sitting next to Mom and Dad’s blanket, and Caroline is sitting next to Michael and his parents on what has to be a queen-sized comforter.

“Hey, you two! The show is going to start soon,” Caro shouts.

“There are drinks in the coolers over there.” Dad points to the other side of them.

“You vet this guy?” Michael’s dad, Todd, asks my dad.Todd is the deputy police chief. He can come across as very scary if you don’t know him.

“For the most part. We kind of like him,” Dad teases.

Todd grunts in response.

“Oh, drop the tough-guy act, Dad. You’re not that scary.” Michael laughs. Todd throws a napkin at him.

“Don’t listen to any of them,” I tell Teddy. “They’re a bunch of crazy people.”

Teddy smirks. His eyes scan the field, assessing the crowd and whatever else he deems necessary. Dad does the same thing when we go to new places, and I’ve always wondered what they look for. Obviously, some form of threat, but what type of threat, I have no clue.

“You going to introduce us, Lottie?” Todd asks as I grab a couple of drinks from the cooler.

“Nope.” I grin.

He slaps his chest as if he’s wounded. “Do you hear the insolence? Who raised you?”

“I did, and I’m damn proud of her.” Dad raises his hand.

“Yeah, I am too.” Todd winks at me.

A little sparkly feeling of acceptance bubbles in my chest. I swear I’m the luckiest girl in the world. I look up at Teddy to see if he’s hanging in there, but he’s still looking around the field. It puts me on edge, and I start to scan our surroundings.

Did he see someone? Could the person threatening me be here right now?

The first firework shoots up into the air with a bang, red sparks exploding into the night sky.

Then something knocks into me, and I black out.

“Lottie? Are you okay?”

“Huh?” I suck in a pained breath. “Ouch.” My head is killing me. “What happened?”

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