Page 151 of All I Have Left

“You can marry my sister,” he says, knowing exactly what I wanted to ask him.

“How did you know I was going to ask that?”

“You’re sweating. Get your shit together and ask her to marry you already.”

“It’s June in the south. It’s hot. That’s why I’m sweating,” I point out.

“That’s not why.”

He has me there. “I’m asking her tonight.”

The truth is, I’m nervous. I’m a fucking wreck over this.

For months I’ve been thinking about asking her, waiting for the right time, wondering if we were ready. My answer, after nine months of therapy and working on ourselves, and healing, it’s yes. We are finally ready for this step in our relationship, and I want to create a new memory for this day.

I always thought that a gentleman would ask permission before asking a woman to marry him, but since Evie’s father isn’t around, I decided to ask Ethan. I’ve already asked her mom and got a yes before I even finished the words. She even helped me with getting Evie’s ring sized.

“You aren’t even going to drill me on shit?” I finally ask.

“On what? I know you can take care of her. You know I could say the same thing here. I married your sister. It would be a little hypercritical of me if I said no to you.”

“I mean with everything we’ve been through.” Pausing, I run my hand over my head, the bumps from my scar still present. It’s a gnarly one, from my temple, around my ear to the base of my skull in a crescent shape. “Do you think we’re too damaged?”

Ethan looks over at me as he merges onto the highway. “Well, you’re both fucked up, but most people wouldn’t have survived what you two have been through. That right there tells me your love for my sister will last a lifetime. That’s all I care about.”

I nod, not knowing what to say. “Thanks, Ethan. I just want you to know that I love her more than anything and I know you don’t want to hear that sentimental shit any more than I do, but I’d do anything for that girl.”

He smiles. “Hey, as long as you don’t let her stop our love for music, I don’t have a problem with all this fucking love talk.”

“That won’t be a problem, I assure you. Which reminds me, I’m doing it tonight on stage.” We’re playing at The Point tonight. First time in a while, but now that we’ve gotten back into music again, it’s been a nice change of pace from doctor’s appointments.

“Tonight?” His eyes widen. “She’s gonna kill you. Does she realize the date?”

“I think so, but I don’t know for sure. I’m almost certain she does, actually.”

“And you want to do it tonight?”

I think about it for half a second. “I want new memories for this date. Not the reminder of something he took from us.”

He nods. “It makes sense.”

It does make sense and tonight, I’m asking her. We’re far too young to be so goddamn broken, and it stops now. With a question and a promise of forever. She deserves forever.

68

GRAYSON

I’m off around two this afternoon. Ethan drops me off at the house, and Evie and I head to Dr. Kane’s office in Dothan. Yep, finally got my license back and a new truck.

“Try not to burn this one down,” my dad told me the day he bought it for me. I argued with him for weeks, refusing to accept the gift, but he’d bought Frankie and Kelly’s first cars, I just beat him to the punch when I bought my Chevy back in high school.

So I accepted the gift because of the smile on his face when he told me, “It’s nice to be able to give you something, son. You’re a hard worker and deserve this.”

It still didn’t feel right, but driving did.

In the truck, Evie hands me the mail and laughs. “Jameson sent us tickets to the Talladega race.”

I already knew that. He called not long after I was released from the hospital and asked if we wanted them. “You wanna go?”

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