Page 69 of Another Love, Another Time
“Yeah. To be honest, he’s one of the biggest reasons I moved to Hannibal. He thought I had run away long enough, and I needed to finally face you. I mean, my contract was up, and if we are being honest, my mom doesn’t really need me. I could have moved anywhere. But if I’m being honest with myself…” She looks my way again, the look she used to give me when we were younger, the look that made me feel like I was the only one in her world. Maybe that’s wishful thinking. Surely, she can’t be looking at me like that. She continues, “I kind of missed you and figured it was time to—”
I interrupt her, “— ‘stop being a chicken shit’?”
She laughs. “You heard that?”
“How could I not?” I start to laugh with her. It feels like old times.
She returns to the topic quietly, “I don’t want to run from things. Not anymore.”
“If it means anything, I missed you, too.”
“It does,” she whispers.
The conversation is heavy with tension and relief, and we’re almost to our destination.
“Well, I’d love to meet him too,” I say, giving her an out. “Let me know when he’ll be here, and maybe we can get Mackey to have a get-together. I’m sure the team would love to meet him, too.”
I’m trying not to let my feelings get in the way. I can’t imagine seeing River with another man, but it’s my fault. There is no one else to blame. I’ve never been so grateful and jealous of someone at the same time.
“Really? He’d love that. Thanks, Auggie.” She places her hand over mine on the gearshift. As soon as we make contact, I feel a shock. She pulls back immediately. She must have felt it too.
We’ve arrived. I pull up to the curb and shut off the car. Then, we both get out of the vehicle to do our jobs.
Chapter 20
River
I’m so nervous about tonight. Mackey has good intentions, but I’m not sure. Everyone seems cool, but work conversations are one thing. Conversations outside of work are another. We did stuff like this when I was in the Army, but Auggie will be here tonight.
We haven’t hung out in a while like this. A lot of the guys will have their significant others with them. I wonder if Auggie will bring his girlfriend. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make it through that. I’m married, but I think it will always be hard to see him with a partner. I’m sure it will be hard for him to see me with Baxter.
At least if he cares about me. Or maybe he doesn’t. I’ve been avoiding the subject. It took a lot for me to move here. Out of sight, out of mind— Well, at least when I was busy. If I don’t see him with anyone else, I can continue to pretend he’s single.
I’ve changed my outfit several times. I’ve settled on a trucker t-shirt, cut-off jean shorts, my red Chucks, and a hat I’ve thrown over hair I spent thirty minutes curling. Very light makeup accentuates my features. I don’t need any of the women to think I’m trying to lure their man in.
It might get a little chilly tonight, so I have a flannel tied around my waist for later. If I remember correctly, it’s one of Auggie’s old ones. I hope he doesn’t notice. It’s one of the few things I took with me when I joined the Army that used to bring me comfort. I hope it can do the same for me tonight.
I hear my phone chime.
Auggie: Don’t you dare chicken out.
He still knows me so well, even after all this time. We exchanged numbers earlier this week. Most of our exchanges have been work-related, but after today, I could feel some of my walls coming down.
We need to talk. We didn’t talk after my attack, and there has to be more to the story. I just don’t know how I will take his reaction, and that’s what is causing my resistance. I might just have to bite the bullet.
I’m running a little late, but I don’t want to be the first one there.
River: Don’t worry. This chicken will be there in about fifteen minutes.
Auggie: Just making sure. See ya when you get here.
I guess it’s time to pull up my big girl pants and get on with tonight.
~~
When I pull up about thirty minutes late, almost everyone is already here. There are a lot more people than I expected. I brought my own beer and made some pasta salad. I get out of the vehicle, grab my stuff, and walk up to the front porch. I have to adjust everything in my arms so that I can knock, but then the door swings open to reveal Mackey’s smiling face. It’s contagious. I’m smiling back.
“I told you not to bring anything,” he says while grabbing the pasta salad. “Come on in. Everyone is out back. I’ll add this to the table. We waited to eat. Hunt said that you would be about fifteen minutes late.”
