Page 14 of The Sin of True Love

Everyone laughs. Even I chuckle at the image of Reverend Tuttle scrambling to get Rodney’s runaway smoker out of his barricaded bathroom.

“This sucks, man,” Chris sighs. “The Power Four has been disbanded. What are you gonna do?”

“I dunno,” I admit. “Maybe go talk to Big Charlie. I heard he was looking for some landscaping help.”

“Landscaping?” Rodney sneers. “That’s a big pay cut.”

I shrug, taking a swig of my beer. “What am I supposed to do? Play the stock market?”

“You know, man, I told you this would happen,” Dave finally chimes in, slapping his palm on the table. “The other night at the bar. You acting the total fool in front of one of the goddamn Williams family kids. I mean, what were you thinking? You’ve never had an issue getting girls before. Now you’re throwing away your job over some girl you don’t even have a chance with?”

“Hey, take it easy, Dave,” Rodney says.

“Cool it,” I warn him. “I just lost my job. I don’t wanna get into it, all right?”

I can see he’s pissed. In all fairness, he does have a point. But this isn’t what I want to be talking about right now.

We all came to Rodney’s to relax. I thought being around the boys would help me get what happened today off my mind, but so far not so much.

So far, all I’ve been thinking about is her. Michelle.

What’s she doing? Where is she now? Does she still feel the same way as she did when she slipped away from me back at the house? I know that if I can see her again, I can change things.

I have to change things. And I will.

“I’ll see ya, boys.” I grab my keys head out front to the car, thanking Rodney for the food on the way out. I hear Dave’s boots following after me as I step out the front door. He grabs me just as I’m getting into my truck.

“Hey! What’s up with you, man? Are you good?”

“I barely even had a quarter of a beer, man. I’m good.”

“That’s not what I mean and you know it,” he replies.

“No, I’m not good!” I snap. “I just lost my fucking job over a fight I didn’t even get to have! Maybe it would have meant something if I’d managed to knock Jerry’s teeth down his throat, but I wasn’t even able to do that! And if I don’t do something soon, I’m gonna lose Michelle too!”

Dave is looking at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Lose Michelle? Casey, you never had that girl to begin with.”

That’s it. Something inside me just snaps. No more holding back. I can’t.

“Have you ever been in love, Dave?”

Dave looks at me like I’ve just hit him in the gut. He takes a step back and frowns like he can’t believe what I’ve just said.

“What the hell?” We both already know the answer. Dave’s frequented the strip clubs many a time and even pulled a few of the girls, but he’s never had a long-term relationship. “What the hell are you asking me that for, Casey?”

“Because I know you haven’t. And until a few days ago, I hadn’t either.”

“Oh, and now you are? Now you’re in love with this chick you just met?” He looks back at me, eyes bugging out with disbelief.

I must sound completely nuts to him. A far cry from the shit-talking, beer-chugging crew worker he’s been used to hanging out with for the last few years.

I shrug. It’s all I can do as I climb into the truck. “What can I say, pal? This girl’s the one.”

Dave scoffs and shouts as me as I pull out of the drive. I can see the anger in his eyes, but I can also see the concern, hiding just behind it.

“She’s gonna ruin you!”

My mom is sitting outside the door to my apartment when I get home. That’s something I haven’t seen in the three years since I got this place. She always calls, and I always go over to her house to visit when it’s time.

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