“Josh, we’re meant to be together. You don’t love Heather. She’s a fucking elementary school teacher. You want someone who’s fun. You want me, Josh. You need me. ”
I shook my head to clear my thoughts. An image of another girl standing in front of me, saying the same damn thing, popped into my head. Fuck!
“You need me, Josh. You don’t love Heather. You need me. ”
Just then, the night of the accident came back to me. Lynda had shown up at my mother’s Christmas party. She had begged me to come back to her. She’d kept repeating how I needed her and how I couldn’t possibly love Heather. I’d turned and left the party to head out to Mason to ask Heather to marry me.
Heather is the only one I need. She’s the only one I want.
Then, it all came flooding back—every memory, every tear, every laughter, every fight, and every time Heather and I had ever made love.
“I remember everything. ”
Victoria stood up, looking confused. “What?”
I walked over, picked up her clothes, and grabbed her by the arm.
“Let go of me, Josh!”
“If you just caused me to lose the only girl I’ve ever loved, I’ll make sure Ari gives you a matching black eye. ”
I opened the door and pushed her out before I slammed the door in her face. I locked the door and pulled my cell out of my back pocket. I called Jeff and Ari’s home number.
“Hello?”
“Ari!”
“Hey! What’s up, asswipe?”
“I need your help,” I said.
“What’s wrong? Is Heather okay?”
“I remember you saying that Heather has a special spot that was just her and her dad’s. You said she would go there whenever she was upset. I need to know where that is, Ari. ”
“What did you do to her? I’ll fucking kill you if you hurt her. Wait…how do you remember me telling you that?”
I shook my head, not wanting to waste any more time. “I remember everything, Ari. Victoria said something that triggered a memory from the night of my accident, and then it all came back to me. ”
“Oh my god, Josh! That’s great! But why is Heather upset? Victoria…what did the douche twat do?”
I quickly told Ari everything that had happened. “Then, Victoria started talking shit about how we belonged together and how I needed her. That sparked the memory of Lynda. ”
“Oh holy hell. Have you tried calling Heather?”
“No! I called you ’cause I figured that spot might be where she’s going. She doesn’t know I remember everything, so she won’t think of me asking you. Please, Ari…please tell me where she could have gone. ”
“Um…okay, you know the gazebo down at Zilker Park? The one that looks out to the river?”
“Yep, I know it. ”
“That’s probably where she went. ”
Yes! “I knew I could count on you, Ari. ”
“What happened with the bitch?”
I ran and grabbed my wallet and truck keys. “I threw her ass out, dressed in nothing but my white shirt. ”