Page 23 of Make You Love Me
“Yeah.” I look down at the dark liquid in my glass and the taste no longer appeals to me. “That was the first time I saw him since his first proposal. He wanted to talk about it. I didn’t.”
“What if he asks again during all this? You will be spending a lot of time together, and he doesn’t remember either refusal.”
With a sigh, I push the drink aside. Getting drunk won’t fix any of my problems. “It’s my biggest fear. Strike that,” I say, waving a hand. “Secondbiggest fear. I’m terrified of the day he finally remembers and realizes we’ve been lying to him. That I’ve been pretending.”
“What if you develop feelings for him or accept the ones you already have before then? What will you do?”
“I don’t have feelings for him,” I say for the umpteenth time.
“You can keep telling yourself that, my friend. You’re the only one who believes it.”
“I hate you,” I say jokingly. “And by the way, Josie believes me. Keep this up, and I might revoke your best friend title and give it to her.”
She gasps and adds a dramatic slap of her hand to her chest. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Watch me,” I warn and stare her down until we both burst into laughter.
As we catch our breath, she reaches across the table for my hand. I take it, grateful to have a friend I can count on to always have my back, forgive me when I’m wrong, and laugh about it afterward.
“And I’m proud of you for what you’re doing. It will be hardest on you, but despite knowing that, you’re doing it anyway. Nomatter what’s happened in your life, no matter your reasons for your decisions, you are a beautiful, noble, and compassionate person. And you deserve to be happy, too.”
Annoying tears prickle my eyes, and I blink them away, shocked by their unwelcome appearance yet again.
“Thank you,” I say, recovering. “And thank you for dropping everything to come here tonight.”
“Isn’t that whatbestfriends are for?” She pats my hand and sits back, all smug in her title.
“Yeah, yeah.”
Chapter 7
Jordan
Idon’t think this is a good idea,” Josie says when Jackson catches us at VETS and announces that he and Sergeant Montgomery plan to save me from enduring a few hours in our blank and depressing apartment.
“Sounds perfect to me,” I say a little too enthusiastically, and Josie shoots me a stern shut-up glare.
She fears what might happen while I’m out of reach, but she’ll be busy preparing for her trip, her crazy friend will be here soon, and library books and watching movies on a phone are entertaining for only so long. I need a break.
“Josie, Sergeant has extensive combat medic training. He’ll know what to do if something happens, and I doubt Jackson has forgotten all his training.” I look up at my former unit commander, and he shakes his head. “I can’t drink while taking medication, and it will just be dinner out. Nothing too wild…this time,” I add, hoping to tickle a giggle out of her. It doesn’t work. She’s stressing about more than me these days and can’t see that having one less thing to worry about for a few hours would be a good thing.
“Alright,” she finally concedes. “Anyway, I know I can’t stop you. You’re a grown man. But promise me all three of you will act like it tonight.” She wags a finger at me and Jackson like she isn’t half of our size.
“Yes, ma’am,” Jackson and I say together, stifling a grin.
“I’ll be by to pick you up at six,” he says to me before hugging Josie and heading back to his office.
“How was your therapy session today?” she asks as we push through the exit.
“Good. Doc gave me a few exercises that may help prevent seizures but says my head is screwed on tight. No worries in that department.”
Josie’s quiet as we make our way through the parking lot toward the sidewalk. It’s odd for her not to ask follow-up questions, and I chalk it up to pre-show nerves.
“Are you excited about your trip?” I ask to get her talking.
“I am. I hate that you won’t be there.”
“I’ll catch the next one. And the one after that. And the one after that.” I glance back at her and she’s smiling. Good. “You know it will happen. You’re too good for it not to.”
