Page 38 of Sweatpants & Sweet Tea

“Austin was a Marine whose squadron was ambushed during a mission that they had bad intel on. He ended up saving forty Iraqi civilians and ten other Marines before he died tragically.”

That story sounded familiar to me, like I’d read the script. Then I remembered Kale asking me to read lines with him before an audition about a year ago.

“Do you know if the movie is calledFallen Hero?”

“I think so, actually.” Nadia glanced over at me. “Did Zoe tell you about it?”

“No, um, I think a friend of mine auditioned for it.”

“Oh, who?”

“Kale Butler.”

She gasped and hit the steering wheel. “You know Kale Butler?!”

Biblically.

I nodded.

“Maybe if Zoe knowshe’sup for it, she’ll change her mind.”

“Change her mind?” I questioned.

“Zoe has been trying to stop it from being made. It’s painful for her; I don’t think she wants it all dredged up. She and Austin were together from the time they were twelve. He died when AJ was two.”

“Wow, that’s…awful.”

The rest of the ride, Nadia filled me in on Zoe and Austin’s love story.

According to her, they were the definition of soul mates, twin flames, once-in-a-lifetime loves.

I couldn’t imagine what losing someone like that would feel like.

“Oh, I wonder if her ears were burning!” Nadia exclaimed as we pulled into the parking lot and next to a truck where Zoe was seated typing on her phone.

We all got out at the same time and greeted each other with hugs and compliments on how gorgeous the other looked.

Thankfully, I’ve always been an overpacker, so when my luggage showed up today, I had enough basics to last me through my stay in Firefly Island and I knew that with the wardrobe Davina was bringing, I should be fine for a few weeks.

Tonight, my hair was in beach waves, and I was wearing jeans and a red halter top that showed just enough cleavage without looking like I was trying too hard. I had to admit, when I got ready, I’d hoped that I might see Harlan on the walk from the porch to Nadia’s car, but he hadn’t been out front.

This morning while we were lying in each other’s arms talking, he’d mentioned that he tried to go to bed by nine because he got up at four. I couldn’t believe how much I’d thought about him today. I honestly didn’t think five minutes had gone by that he hadn’t popped into my head. It was borderline obsessive.

“Is Ashley coming?” Nadia asked as we all headed toward the entrance of the bar.

“Yep. She just texted. She’s on her way,” Zoe explained.

Nadia reached for the handle on the ornate wooden door, when it opened, I was sure that I was seeing things. Harlan Mitchell appeared in the doorway. Scruff peppered his strong jaw, and the gray T-shirt he wore clung in all the right places, highlighting his chiseled chest and muscled biceps. He looked…yummy.

My mouth watered at the sight.

“Hey!” Zoe hugged the man who had just caused Niagara Falls to spring up in my mouth. “What are you doing out past your bedtime?”

“Wing-manning for Weston.” Harlan was answering Zoe’s question, but his eyes were on me. It looked like he had seen a ghost. “I was just heading home.”

My heart sank at his statement, but at the same time, I was relieved. I’d lived in enough small towns to know that if anyone sniffed out that something had happened between me and Harlan, the news would spread like wildfire. And there was no way I could keep what I was feeling for Harlan from being broadcast on my face for an entire evening.

“Thanks again for going to AJ’s game.” Zoe patted his chest.

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