Page 17 of Love You Madly

- Mandee Holloway, Owner’s Wife

The note on the jukebox makes me laugh—who doesn’t hate Creed?—but it reminds me how much I’ve missed the little things, like hearing "Wagon Wheel" on repeat. Barrett’s been obsessed with that song and the thought of seeing him tomorrow tugs at my chest. The past few months have been brutal, not just because of work but because of all the time I’ve missed with him. Now, I finally have a whole week with just the two of us, and I’m counting down the hours.

I smirk at the sign, but a gnawing feeling stays at the edge of my mind. The loud, carefree atmosphere should distract me, but instead, it amplifies the unease lurking in the back of my head. I feel it tightening, that unresolved tension pulling at me. Luke and Will joke around, already talking about shots, but my mind drifts back to the woman with green eyes.

Her image feels too close, too real, even now.

"Come on, man, you’re too quiet tonight!" Luke nudges me, pulling me back to the present. “This is a night to celebrate, not stand there like you’re about to bury a body.”

I laugh, forcing myself to join in, but that nagging feeling won’t let go. Something’s off.

I push thoughts of her aside for now and follow Luke and Will toward the back patio. The bar’s warm and familiar, walls covered in old photographs and sports memorabilia—mostly for the Hawkeyes, of course. Comfortable booths line the edges, and high-top tables fill the center. The bar itself gleams, polished wood and rows of craft beers on tap. It should feel like a place to relax, but there's this underlying tension in me, something pulling at the edges of my thoughts.

As we approach the patio doors, I start to notice familiar faces. People from my apprenticeship class, coworkers from the hospital job, and then, to my surprise, family—Dad, Beverly, even Mom. My heart skips a beat when I spot Sabrina and Barrett. They’re here. They’re really here.

My heart swells with gratitude and something else—something I can’t quite name. I had no idea they were planning this. But if Barrett’s here, I silently pray Luke and Will didn’t get any ideas about strippers.

“Surprise!” The shout hits me as soon as we reach the table. The room explodes with cheers and applause, and I’m caught off guard, grinning despite myself. The feeling is overwhelming—like the ground underneath me is shifting in the best way possible.

Sabrina comes up with Barrett by her side. Her auburn hair falls softly over her shoulders, and her kind smile—the one I fell for years ago—still lights up her face. “Owen, we just wanted to show our support. We can’t stay long, but Barrett’s really proud of you. So am I. I know how hard you’ve worked for this.”

I crouch down and scoop Barrett into a hug. “Thanks for coming, buddy. It means everything to me that you’re here.”

Barrett’s eyes shine up at me, big and brown, full of that innocent admiration only kids have. “Mommy says you’re a real big deal now, Daddy. And I’m supposed to say, ‘Comgratuwations.’”

“Thanks, kiddo,” I say, laughing as I ruffle his hair. We do our secret handshake, but before I know it, he’s bolting toward my mom, calling for Nana like he always does. The joy in his voice echoes through me, grounding me, but at the same time, the tension in my chest tightens.

I stand up, watching him disappear into my mom’s arms, and a strange feeling washes over me. Gratitude, pride... but also something darker, something lurking in the corners of my mind that I can’t quite shake. Even with everyone here, celebrating my success, there’s still a part of me that feels... unsettled.

Sabrina smiles warmly. “You’ve earned this, Owen. Enjoyyour night. I’ll stick around for a bit, but just so you know, Barrett is spending the night at your mom’s. That way you won’t have to drive all the way back to Cedar Bluff in the morning.”

I nod, feeling an unexpected swell of emotion. “You can stay as long as you want, Sab. I appreciate you being here. And for everything while I finished out the apprenticeship—changing schedules, being flexible... I can’t even begin to tell you how grateful I am. And thank you for letting Barrett stay with Mom tonight. I know you didn’t have to.”

She smiles again, but there’s something else in her expression, something hesitant, as if she’s weighing her next words carefully. “I’ll always be here for you, Owen. You know that. And after everything your mom’s been through, I’ll never stand in the way of her spending time with Barrett.”

We share a friendly hug, but as she pulls back, she lowers her voice to a whisper so soft I have to strain to hear her in the noise of the crowded bar. “I’ll have to leave soon, though. I have a date with Alex tonight,” she says, her smile beaming.

Her words hit me harder than I expect. I’m genuinely happy for her—Sabrina deserves to find someone who makes her smile like that. But there’s also a sharp twist of something else, something I wasn’t prepared for. A kind of wistful nostalgia as I realize that the giddy side of her, the one I used to bring out, is now shining for someone else. "I’m glad you’ve found someone, Sab. I really hope he treats you well."

She nods, relief flooding her features. “Thanks, Owen. It means a lot, hearing that from you. Alex is going to be great with Barrett too. I’ve been thinking... maybe I could introduce him to Barrett soon? But I wanted to run it by you first. Maybe you should meet him before that happens?”

Her words settle uncomfortably, a reminder that things are moving forward, that the parts of our lives that used to overlapare separating more and more. I push past the unease and nod. “Yeah, I’d like that. I’d like to meet him first.”

Sabrina smiles a mix of gratitude and understanding in her eyes. And while I know this is the right thing, a part of me can’t quite shake the strange sense of loss creeping in, like I’m watching a door slowly close on a chapter I wasn’t fully ready to end.

But it has ended.

So, I fake it.

"Actually, you know what? If you think he’ll be great with Barrett, I trust your judgment. After all, your track record with men shows you have impeccable taste.” I let out a laugh. “Well, except for that Owen guy. Yeesh! What a tool. Although, he was pretty hot.”

Sabrina shakes her head, laughing despite herself. “Modesty was never your strong suit, Owen. Good to see some things haven’t changed.”

I give an exaggerated stage bow. “Why, thank you. I aim to please.”

“You’re impossible,” she says, still fighting off laughter. “No wonder there’s a line of suitors out the door for you tonight.”

I roll my eyes and look toward the door in mock astonishment and let out a gasp as if I’m appalled.. “Listen, I got married once and it turns out, I wasn’t very good at it. I don’t see that ever happening again. I have Barrett, and I work all the time. Marriage just isn’t in the cards for me again. You have at it though. Now that you got that Practice Marriage out of the way, you should be good to go for the next round.”

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