Page 27 of The Sin of True Love

Casey looks back at me and simply shrugs.

I feel the tears welling up in my eyes. The last thing I need right now is to break down in front of him.

“You shouldn’t have done this, Casey. You went behind my back. You betrayed me!”

Then I’m out the door and rushing back to my car, tears pouring down my cheeks.

What did I do? Did I really just screw everything up because I thought I was in love?

Do I even know what love is?

13

CASEY

It’s your standard night at Maggie’s bar. The regulars are all here, along with a sprinkling of guys from Big Charlie’s crew and some EMTs and firemen that showed up in matching work T-shirts to try and “rizz up some chicks.”

Charlie said he didn’t have any room for me on his landscaping crew, but he’d let me know when he did. So for now, it looks like I’m shit out of luck as far as work goes.

“Maybe you can start mowing lawns,” Chris suggests, tipping his beer. “Shirt off, chest oiled. I bet plenty of suburban ladies I know would hire you.”

“Ooh, and he could advertise with photos on Instagram,” Rodney laughs. “Call it Casey’s Big Cut Muscles Lawn Care.”

The guys all laugh. Everyone except Dave, who’s looking at me the way an older brother looks at you when he wants to say he told you so.

I thought going out tonight would maybe distract me from the fact that my entire life is collapsing down around me, but the way he’s glaring at me now is just pissing me off.

“What?” I finally ask him. “You got something to say?”

“Me? Nah, why? You got something to admit?”

He either wants me to say he was right, or he wants me to cop to leaking the story about Reverend Tuttle. Neither of which I’ll be doing.

“Go fuck yourself, Dave.”

“Whoa, take it easy,” Chris says, playing peacekeeper. “We’re supposed to be having a good time tonight. Maybe finding Casey a job?”

“You guys finish up without me,” I say, tossing a five on the table. “I’m out.”

This time Dave doesn’t even try to chase after me. I guess he’s given up. And right now, that’s fine with me. I don’t need him coming with me. Not where I’m going right now.

I climb into the truck and head out. It’s only a twenty-minute drive to The Low Rider where Michelle and I first met. I know it’s a long shot, but after the story leaked, I can only imagine what things are like at home for her. Maybe she’s decided to bail for a few hours and come out with her friends. Like I did.

The sour scent of stale booze hits my nostrils as I step inside. I glance around and don’t see her. I sigh and am just about to turn and leave when I hear a laugh, a laugh I recognize. It belongs to Taylor.

I glance in its direction and realize there’s a door in the back I hadn’t noticed the last time we were here. I thread my way through the tables and into a game room where Michelle and Taylor and a few other girls are throwing darts and attempting to play pool.

Michelle shoots her shot and completely misses a game winner. She groans and looks up from the table, and our eyes meet.

I feel it, and I know she feels it. That magic we both experienced every time we were together.

I can’t stand it. I rush straight over to her but am instantly boxed out by Taylor and two other girls who form a wall of perfume and cheap dresses as they stare me down like I’m the Holebeck serial killer or something.

“Easy there, cowboy,” she says. “This here is a no-asshole zone. So just turn around and walk away.”

“Just let me through, Taylor. I need to speak to Michelle.” I glance over her shoulder and between the girls. Michelle is half-hidden behind a pillar, averting her eyes. “Michelle! Can I talk to you? Look, I’m sorry, okay?”

“What did I say?” Taylor asks, shoving me in the chest. One of the other girls hits me in the shoulder. They obviously know I’m not going to get into it with a woman, so I just let them back me up to the door. “Get lost, dirt bag!”

---