Page 72 of Justus
“You’reon.”
“So,I assume you’re betting on Justus?” Jeremy says.
“Fuckno. He’s a madman. Tucker’s got this. He was a marine.”
Jeremygroans. “I forgot about that. I’ll take Zoe.”
Weall laugh as Dare, Ayda, and Landon approach, all streaked with purple and pinkpaint. “Tucker took you all out?” Jeremy asks.
“Tuckergot Landon and Ayda. Justus got me,” Dare says, taking a seat.
Grinning,I point at Jeremy. “If Tucker wins, Jeremy has to buy us all dinner.”
“Andif Zoe wins, dinner is on Sadie.”
Aydasnorts. “Zoe doesn’t have a chance. Tucker is a soldier.”
Wesit around laughing and talking until Justus approaches, purple paint splasheddown his chest. “Tucker?” I ask.
“Fuckercame out of nowhere. He was hiding up in a damn tree!”
Zoefollows soon after and I cheer while Jeremy groans. “Dinner is on Jeremytonight!”
Leahand Tucker emerge from the woods, a rare smile on Tucker’s face. He’s such abroody guy, but he obviously had fun today.
“Whodecided to bring the Special Forces guy?” Justus says as they join us.
“I’mnot Special Forces,” Tucker replies, grabbing Justus’s drink and draining it.
“Ispit in that,” Justus says.
Tuckershakes his head and gazes at the cup. “Hmm…I always took you for a swallower.”
Everyonelaughs, and Justus grins up at him. “Rematch?”
“You’reon.”
Epilogue
Justus
“Ican’t believe my bridesmaid dress is covered in blood,” Sadie giggles.
Hannahsits up and flips down the sun visor in my car, checking her makeup in themirror. “I’m the one with an eyeball stuck to my cheek,” she points out.
It’sDare and Ayda’s wedding day, or rather, wedding night. Only those two wouldchoose to get married in a graveyard at dusk, with all their guests dressed aszombies. It’s fucking awesome. Now, I’m going to have to step up my game whenit comes to my wedding. If she says yes.
Thering I put on her finger months ago waits in my pocket. I want it back on herfinger, marking her as mine, only this time for real. I’ve been trying to findthe right moment to propose for days.
Hannahand Sadie laugh together, and I take a moment to just listen to them. The twowomen I love, acting happy and carefree. After the year we’ve had, I have tokeep reminding myself how lucky I am that things have ended up this way. It’sbeen six months since I found Hannah, and though we’ve had some really lowpoints, she has rebounded amazingly well. She and Sadie have become goodfriends, and she has become friendly with Zoe, Ayda, and Leah as well.
Afew months ago, Hannah took her High School Equivalency Exam and she’s gettingready to start classes at a nearby college to become a teacher. She still hasnightmares and days she can’t pull herself out of bed, but the good days areoutweighing the bad, and she’s strong-willed enough to struggle through andkeep going.
“Youboth look beautiful,” I tell them as we park at the cemetery. I swear theyfound the oldest one in our area. No one has been buried here in over fortyyears, and most of the tombstones are crumbling, the names and dates of thelong dead inhabitants faded and illegible.
Hannahhops out and rushes over to where the women are gathered, but Sadie glancesaround like something is going to jump out and grab her. Oh, is my fearlessgirl afraid of a cemetery?
Ican’t resist. Laying my hand on the small of her back, I put my lips to her earand drop my voice. “They’re coming to get you, Sadist.”
