Page 88 of His One True Wish

“Iamleaving Barry,” she said.

“Right,” I said.

“Look, this isn’t a play for you. In fact, I know it doesn’t matter to you what I do, but I like it here in Smoke River. You brought me out here for the weekend, and I don’t want to leave.”

“Ah, so it’s Smoke River you want to keep, not me.”

“I hope that doesn’t hurt your feelings,” she said.

“Not at all.”

“So,” Angel said.

“So.”

“Does this mean we’re friends?”

“I don’t know, Angel. I’m actually packing up soon. I’m going to head back to Lauderdale. I’ll be gone for a few months.”

“But what about Billie? You aren’t just leaving her high and dry are you?”

“No need to. She left after she talked to you.”

She bit her lip. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” I muttered. “You told her the truth. That’s on me.”

“I just blurt things out. I wasn’t trying to mess things up for you,” she said. “Well, maybe I was a little, but I’m becoming a better person.”

“Well, she thinks I’m a lying piece of shit.”

“I’m the lying piece of shit,” Angel said.

I laughed out loud, and she joined me.

“I like her for you,” Angel said. “I don’t know what’s going on with me, Axl. Maybe I’m looking at forty coming down the pike and asking myself, what do I want to be happy.”

“You’re taking stock. That’s a good thing to do.”

“Yeah,” she said, “and I’ve learned that love it here. I love this café, and I think I’m going to buy one of those places on the river.”

“I’m happy for you, Angel,” I said.

“Did you tell Billie anything about yourself that was real?” she asked.

“I can’t fix it,” I said. “She’s gone, and she’s better off without me.”

“You don’t know that,” she said.

I stood up and drained my coffee. Angel reached for my hand. “Hey, I know that meeting me fucked you up a bit, and I’m to blame for some of it.”

“Yeah.”

“Not all of it,” she said, squeezing my hand. “I can tell that you’re a different man. That woman changed you. You are not the same asshole who left me in the parking lot.”

“Oh, my God. You had a ride.”

“I did,” she said, rolling her eyes. “But still, that was a little mean.”

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