Page 45 of Thick & Thin

I grinned.

Just hearing her voice soothed everything, but knowing I was going to have to take away her excitement made me angry and aggravated. I hated hurting Jenny. She had never realized it, but she always got her way when it came to me. This would be the second time I wasn’t going to be able to give her what she wanted.

Me.

“Hey. Listen … I’m not coming home,” I said, gripping my cell tightly.

She went silent, and I could hear her breathing.

“Why not?”

There was break in her voice. She was upset.

“I’m being stationed in Afghanistan.”

As soon as I said it, I knew she was going to flip.

“What! All the way to another fucking country? Can they do that this soon?”

I closed my eyes, hating that I was upsetting her. Hating that I was missing her so much I was seriously considering running away for the night just to drive home and see her.

“Yeah. It’s my job now, but once I get settled, I’ll call you. I wanted to be there to see you before you left for Texas, but we knew there was a possibility that might not happen.”

“I know.”

“You’re going to be great, smart girl. Try not to fall in love with any cowboys in Texas.”

She chuckled softly, but I could hear the sadness in her voice. “Yeah, like that’s going to happen.”

“Hey, you never know.”

“It’s not going to happen. I promise.”

I swallowed, knowing I had no right to ask her to wait for me, but the urge to say the words was there, pushing at the back of my throat.

It wasn’t fair to her. I had spent all of high school keeping guys away from her while I dated. She had been a virgin until that night with me. I couldn’t very well take away her college experiences, as well. No matter how badly the thought of another guy touching her killed me.

“Listen, Jen, have fun, okay? Do things. Date.”

“Are you saying we aren’t changing things between us?”

She didn’t say the words, but I knew what she meant.

No.

We weren’t going to start being a couple. Not like this.

“It’s just until we’re back in South Carolina. When that happens, we’ll talk about it more. That’s if you haven’t moved on by that point.”

“Not going to happen.”

I smiled, but I knew there was some truth and possibility to my words.

“Are you going to see other women while you’re in Afghanistan? I mean, you know? Are you going to be with other girls?”

I could hear the awkwardness in her words. She wanted to know if I would wait for her. While I didn’t have the balls to ask her to wait for me, mostly because I felt like I had already taken so many experiences away from her, Jenny wasn’t one to beat around the bush.

“No,” I answered. “I’m going to wait for you.”

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