Page 74 of Another Love, Another Time
“River and Ashley are inside helping her with the sides. You know how your mom is with her sides.”
“Yeah.” I chuckle with him.
“So, River may have told us that she’s your new partner. How’s that going?”
“Surprisingly well. It’s only been a few weeks, though.”
“Have you talked?”
“Uh, yes, Dad. You kind of have to do that when you’re partners with someone.”
“I don’t mean about the easy stuff. I’m talking about the hard stuff. About the attack?” he challenges.
“Not yet. She said she wasn’t ready.” I pause for a minute before I ask my next question. “Did you know she was married?”
My dad chokes on the beer he just sipped. “What?”
“Yeah. Her last name is ‘Baxter.’ Why keep it a secret?” I ask, thinking out loud. After talking to Mackey last night, I started thinking. My dad glances around. “He doesn’t live here. He was in the Army with her. I guess they’ve never lived together,” I explain, answering his unspoken question.
“Well, when you both do talk, you’re going to have a lot to talk about. Does she know Melissa’s coming today, and vice versa?”
“No. I tried to tell her last night, but any time Melissa comes up, she quickly changes the subject.”
“Well, I wouldn’t waste any more time. You better get in there and warn her before Melissa gets here—”
He’s cut off by someone screeching, “What the fuck!” I can’t hear the rest.
“Oh, shit, son. You'd better get in there for damage control.”
I run up the deck stairs and slide the door open.
“Hey, Auggie!” Melissa runs to me and jumps into my arms. I try to stay calm. She attempts a kiss, but I’m already trying to disengage myself from her. I can tell she’s pissed; I don’t care.
I finally disentangle myself. “What the fuck, Melissa?” She’s still trying to wrap herself around me like a goddamn python.
“This is because of her, isn’t it?” I’m so dumbfounded, I can’t put words together. I have let her get away with a lot over the years, but she knows how I feel about River.
River is going to run again. I’m such a fucking idiot. I close my eyes to brace myself, and then I hear giggling erupt. I open my eyes and see it’s coming from River. She’s got to be in shock.
She turns to me, laughing, but I can see the hurt in her eyes. “Psycho.” She shakes her head. “I should have fucking known.” She storms toward the door.
My mom and her mom yell for her. Melissa says something. All I can see is River walking out the door. What if she doesn’t come back?
I run after her. “Stop, River. Let me explain. Please don’t leave.” I whisper to myself, “Please don’t leave me again.”
She stops beside my dad. “Uncle Eddie,” she starts, “we need to make a beer run. We don’t have enough fucking beer here for me to deal with that.” She points inside the house and turns back to me. “I’m not running, I just need to be drunk to get through this. I need a timeout; I need to leave before I say something I’ll regret. I told you I wanted to wait to talk, and that’s on me, but this…” She shakes her head. Her eyes start watering. “You should have told me she was going to be here. Take over for your dad. We’ll be back later.”
Chapter 22
River
“Are we going after the hard stuff, or are we sticking with beer?” My uncle chuckles and taps the steering wheel.
I lean my forehead against the window and respond, “What would you drink if you were me?” I wipe my eyes, and he laughs again.
“Girl, I don’t think there is anything strong enough.”
“You’re right; There isn’t anything strong enough.”
