Page 89 of Welcome Home, Cowboy
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Since joining the Corps he’d moved three times. That’s why he was a man of few belongings. Belongings that he was ready to start boxing up.
Lawson circled the grocery store parking lot, landing a spot close to the entrance. In a military community, boxes were a hot commodity. No need to put them in a recycling bin here. They were recycled by giving them to the Marines with orders, something he didn’t have yet, but he was sure were coming when he met with his commander tomorrow morning.
“Got any boxes?” he asked the young cashier up front.
She popped a bubble in her gum. “Check in the back,” she said without even looking up.
“Thanks.” He walked in that direction, avoiding the condom aisle. That had gotten him in trouble last time.
“Boxes?” he asked the young man beyond the swinging metal doors. The kid’s head was shaved, which made Lawson suspect this was a second job along with the Corps.
“Take as many as you need, man. Where’re you going?” he asked.
Lawson shrugged. “All I know is I’m going.” He gathered up several boxes that were already broken down and nodded at the guy. “Thanks.”
He carried them to his truck, thankful that he hadn’t run into anyone he knew. He hadn’t grown up in a small town, but one thing he’d learned since living in Seaside was that you should always be prepared to see a familiar face. He hoped he wouldn’t see anyone today, though. Hope dissipated as he approached his driveway.
Julie’s car was parked there.Great.As if he hadn’t hurt her enough.
She stepped out as he parked and leaned against her closed door. She was dressed in fitted yoga pants, just like she’d worn when he’d run into her at the Veterans’ Center a couple of months back. She had her hair swept up in a ponytail, revealing a long kissable neck. “What’s going on?” she asked, crossing her arms in front of her.
Lawson mirrored her posture, crossing his own arms. Hers was to guard herself from being hurt by him again. His was to guard himself from pulling her into his arms and carrying her inside. “Hey, Julie. What are you doing here?”
“I spoke to Beth this afternoon.” Her chin lifted just slightly.
Oh, shit.Beth had promised him, and he was going to let his sister have a huge piece of his mind once he sent Julie on her way. Then he was going to pin her to the ground like he’d done when they were kids and muss that don’t-touch-me hair of hers. Payback was a bitch. “She shouldn’t have told you.”
Julie’s eyes narrowed. “I would have preferred to hear it from you.”
He shook his head, then opened his passenger door and pulled out the boxes from the grocery store. “I didn’t want to discuss it. I still don’t. I knew that being ordered to move at the drop of a hat was part of the deal when I joined the military. I’m a Marine. This is my job.” Turning back to her, he paused.
Her eyes were wide, shimmering with what he feared were tears. “You broke up with me because you’re moving?” she asked quietly.
“Beth didn’t tell you that?” he asked, cursing under his breath. “You tricked me.”
“And you were planning on moving without even telling me.”
He sighed. “I thought it’d be easier that way.”
“Easier for who? You? Because I’ve been tormented wondering what’s wrong with me, that you love me one day and decide I’m unlovable the next.” Her voice was rising along with the flush color of her cheeks.
“I never meant to hurt you, Julie,” he said. “I only wanted to—”Love you. I only wanted to love you. Protect you.And instead he’d done the opposite of those things.
She was watching him intently. She took a step toward him. “You said you love me the other night. Why are you pushing me away now? Was I just fun while you were here? And now that you’re leaving, I’m baggage? Is that it?”
He shook his head. “No.”
“Uh-huh.” Her eyes were brimming with tears, but she was doing her best not to cry. She was strong. “You made me fall in love with you. How could you…?” She swallowed. “I told myself that I was going to wait before I fell in love again.IfI ever fell in love again. And then you came along and swept me off my feet. Did I ever really mean anything to you?”
She’d never know how much. “Look, we moved too fast,” he said. “I never should’ve said I loved you. That was a mistake, and I’m sorry.”
The tears started sliding over her cheeks now. He resisted lifting his finger to wipe them away. She shook her head. “A mistake. I agree. Good luck and goodbye, Lawson.” Opening her car door, she got in and backed out as quickly as she could. He felt like punching something as hard as he could. Felt like jumping in front of her car, pulling her out of her driver’s seat, and kissing her stupid.
Instead, he carried his boxes inside and started packing. The quicker he got his orders tomorrow morning and moved to Camp Neally, the sooner everyone could move on with their lives.
Chapter 26
