Life was fucking perfect. Dad handed me a beer on the back porch on Scarlette’s side. “I like her, son.”
I tapped his bottle with mine. “Me, too.”
“I think it’s probably a little more than like for you.”
I took a pull from my beer, staring out into the yard. “Yeah, it is. But I’ve got to take my time with her. I don’t want to fuck it all up again.”
“You’ll know when it’s right, son.”
My phone vibrated with another text from Angie. Shit. That’s the second one this morning. Yesterday, she texted me four times and called twice. It was becoming more frequent—too frequent. I still hadn’t told Scarlette about her. Not intentionally, of course; it just never came up.
Angie: Hey, I wanted to know if you had time to talk. I’m having a rough day.
I blew out a breath, frustrated.
Dad asked, “What is it, Austin?”
“Angie. She’s having a hard time. We’re coming up on the anniversary of Kevin’s death, and for the last few days, she’s been calling and texting a lot.”
“Your mom mentioned something about it. How often is she reaching out?” Dad took a seat in one of the chairs around the table.
I followed suit and leaned back. “Before a few days ago, it was a few times a month. Lately, it’s been every day, usually at night. This is the second time today. I told her about Scarlette the first night she called, and she seemed happy for me.”
“Doesn’t she have parents? A sister?”
I leaned my head back, rubbing at my temples. “Yeah. I feel like an asshole. I want to do what I can for Kevin’s girl, but… I don’t know. Shit, it’s tough.”
I felt guilty for having thoughts like this. Angie was a sweet girl, and her fiancé had been killed in combat. That affected people. I got it, but I hated the fact that the past clung to me through her. I wanted to move forward and be free.
Dad took another drink. “You told Scarlette about her?”
“No. Not yet. I keep meaning to. I know I need to.”
“Word to the wise: No matter how innocent it is, don’t let it be a surprise to Scarlette. She walks by and sees Angie’s name pop up… Not good. You don’t want to plant that seed of doubt in her mind.”
Shit. I hadn’t thought about that.
“Good point. I’ll make sure to tell her as soon as you guys leave.” My parents were only in town for two days before they headed out.
At that moment, my phone rang. It was Angie. That’s three. I glanced at my dad, “Let me take this. Just to make sure everything is okay.”
Dad nodded as I pressed Accept. “Hey, Angie.”
“Hey, sorry to bother you. I hope I’m not interrupting anything with Scarlette.”
“No, she’s with my mom. They’re grabbing a bite to eat in town. What’s going on?”
She sighed. “It’s just tough. I miss him. My parents and sister are tired of hearing about it. But you get it. I feel like you’re the only one I can talk to.”
Well, shit. What am I supposed to say to that? I rolled my neck. “It’s tough. I get it. Have you thought about seeing anyone? It might help.”
For a minute, all I heard was sniffles. “Yes, it’s just… I don’t know. Thanks for listening. I just needed a friendly voice.”
“Take care of yourself, Angie.”
“I will.”
We hung up, and I took a deep breath. I turned to Dad, who shook his head.