Page 22 of A Constant Love
“Well, what did you do with the money she was giving you when this first started?”
“It’s in the safe in my office. I haven’t touched any of it.”
He shrugged. “So, why not just keep it there? What is it hurting anything when she gives it to you except making her feel better? Let her give you the money and one day, use it to do something nice for her. Take her on vacation or some shit. She’ll love it even more because it’ll feel like she paid for it, not you.”
“Shit, that’s actually a really good idea. When did you get to be so smart? Did the army make you smart?” I quipped.
“Nah, I’ve always been this smart.”
Shaking my head, I replied, “I distinctly remember you used to be dumb. Remember that time you bedded Lacy Greenfield in her dad’s bed, and he came home and found you…and chased your ass down the street with a shotgun?”
A goofy smile crossed his face. “Oh yeah, that was pretty dumb…but fun as hell while we were doing it.”
It was strange that it seemed like just yesterday that Andrew and I were running the streets together looking for all the tail we could possibly get, and now, I was in a serious relationship and he was a military man.
“You decided if you’re going to go back for another round?” I asked.
Knowing I was talking about the army, he replied, “Man, I don’t know. If I could do the army without the long tours, maybe. But they wanted me to sign up for more stints in the Middle East, and I just don’t know if I can do it anymore. The shit I saw was brutal, and I don’t know that I could take much more. Then again, if I stay here, I don’t know what the fuck I’ll do either…not like I have ever been good at anything else.”
“I’m sure you could find something, Drew. I mean it’s better to have a shitty job here than to go back over there and risk your physical and mental health.”
“We’ll see,” he replied, and I got the feeling he didn’t want to talk about it anymore. “So, what else is going on with you and that girl of yours? She tired of your bullshit yet?”
“Oh, I’m sure she is,” I said, laughing. “But we are good…I think.”
“You think?” His eyebrows shot up.
I was going to try my hardest to tip toe around the actual issue. “She’s gone through some pretty dark shit in her life…stuff that’s resurfacing. She’s told me about it in the past, but now I feel like she isn’t telling me the whole story.”
“I mean is it directly affecting your relationship with her?”
I shrugged again. “I don’t think so. Yeah, it hurts my feelings that she won’t tell me certain things, but it’s not like she is really acting differently…towards me anyway. We still spend a ton of time together…still are fucking constantly.”
“Take it from someone who knows what it’s like to not want to tell a single soul what’s in their head…don’t push her. She will tell you when she’s ready. In the meantime, just be there for her and try to be her safe place.”
“Okay, Andrew, seriously…when did you get so good with the advice?”
He chuckled, “I’m telling you that therapy was an absolute life changer for me. It made me see life in a different way than I ever had before. Maybe therapy could help Sam out too.”
I had no doubt in my mind that therapy could be a great thing for Sam, but I also knew that it would be hell on earth trying to get her to go.
Chapter 15 – Sam
After Emily left, I immediately went and found my phone to text Tyler.
I’m sorry. I don’t want to fight.
After listening to Emily drone on about Kevin and how much of a loser he was, it made me all the more grateful for my wonderful partner.
My stomach began to twist in knots when I hadn’t heard back in a few minutes. He usually was always quick on his replies to me.
Excitement welled up inside me as my phone finally chimed, but all that joy quickly depleted when I saw a message from the same blocked number James always used.
Hope you had fun tonight with your little friend, Samantha. And hope you aren’t running your mouth to people you shouldn’t. That’s a quick way to get someone killed.
Without so much as a second thought, I walked to the cabinet and pulled out the new bottle of whiskey I had just bought. When I opened it, I didn’t even bother with a glass. The amber liquid that was usually so smooth going down burned as I chugged it this time.
It didn’t take long at all for me to start feeling the effects, especially since I hadn’t been eating much lately. My body was used to a constant stream of food to keep up with my high metabolism, so it took next to nothing to get me drunk.