Page 20 of The Art of Dying

“Now I really don’t want to go,” she said with a laugh.

I helped her climb down and then held her while she looked up at me.

“I’ll be right here, three o’clock sharp.”

“You sure?”

“Never looked forward to anything more in my life,” I said.

Her shoulders relaxed, and I bent down to peck her lips. It was like we’d done it a thousand times. She walked up the steps and stopped to wave at me before going in. The moment the door closed, I cranked up George Strait until the music was shaking my speakers and grabbed my steering wheel.

“FUCK! YES!” I yelled, pulling away. “Fuck! Yes!”

I couldn’t get home fast enough, and the second I was inside, I grabbed the cordless phone and dialed Sully, eagerly waiting for his voice.

“Hello?” Sully said, surprise in his voice. I never called him this early.

“She’s the one,” I said immediately.

“Mack? How did the rest of the night go?”

“Well… I just took her to breakfast, and I just dropped her off at work. Picking her up at three when she gets off.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. What? You went from sipping beers and trading insults to a domestic partnership?”

“I took her to Remington’s last night.”

“That explains it.”

“It wasn’t the dancing. She’s as good as I am. I don’t know how it happened and I don’t give a rat’s ass. I’m telling you, Sully. I knew the second I saw her at the pub. The second she opened that adorable smart mouth of hers, I had to have her. Mark my words, brother, I’m marrying this girl.”

“I… I’ve never heard you talk like this. Just… be careful. Take it slow.”

“I’m not an idiot. I know what Mason put her through. I’m just telling you, man. She’s it.”

“Wicked awesome, bro! I’m happy for ya.”

“Gotta go. Painting the house this morning and I saw a couple places on her porch that need repaired.”

“That’s not slow, Kitsch, that’s—”

“Gotta go! Bye!” I hung up, cutting him off before he could talk any sense into me.

Being around Mack just felt right. Dad had always said when you know, you know, and whatever I was feeling, it was instantaneous. Mack was either going to make me the happiest man alive or break my heart into a million fucking pieces. Either way, I was going to enjoy every second of it.

chapter six.

Mack

Alecia was standing over the developing images we’d just taken, her face and hair glowing in the film room’s dim red light. She was focused, but still fully invested as I finished detailing the last ten hours. She popped the last one on the light to check it and then turned to me. “Tell me again.”

“No!” I giggled, leaning away from her.

“ThenI’lltell you again. I told you so!”

“Shh!” I said, looking at the closed door.

“I honestly don’t know why I didn’t think to introduce you to him before. I mean, probably because he was a little off after Kurt died, then his parents. And you’ve been healing after Mason. But this… everything you’ve told me? He’s obviously got it bad. I guess it makes sense. He joined the Marines late. Who joins at twenty-six?”

---