No Man Left Behind: A Veteran Inspired Charity Anthology by Elizabeth Knox (black authors fiction TXT) 📕

It’d be the easiest thing in the world to do and I doubt the clerk she’s been belittling would mind at all.

My pal lets out a whine to remind me to breathe or not murder anyone, I’m not sure exactly what he’s trying to say but I think it’s in that ballpark.

“Jesus Christ, lady, we don’t got all day!”

My eyes pop open at the toned-down version of what I was thinking, and I turn to nod my appreciation to the man behind me.

“Seriously,” he snorts when we make eye contact before he looks over my shoulder. “Yeah, you just finish up then run home to your precious ‘Live, Laugh, Love’ throw pillows.”

I can’t help but grin at the image and figure he’s probably right. It isn’t until she walks away that I realize how tightly I’m holding onto the cart. Tonight is my last dinner with Lucy, and I’ve been planning it all week.

“You’re sure?” I ask, feeling like I was kicked in the nuts. “Can I bring you something?”

“No, Owen.” Lucy’s voice sounds like I suddenly feel. “I just feel awful and I can’t keep anything down anyway.”

“Fuck,” I say for lack of anything better.

“Will you call me when you get settled in? I want tons of pictures of Duckie.” Lucy sounds miserable and I know she’s been tired the last few days but she’s obviously set on being alone right now. “And maybe a few more of you.”

“Just to be clear, me or my dick?” I ask, trying to sound upbeat.

“Tough question, can’t I have both?”

“I’m glad we met, Luce. Shitty, fucking, timing, but you’ll stay in touch, won’t you?” I ask, wondering if I’ll ever get my head together enough to be with her—or someone half as amazing as she is.

“Promise me you’ll continue your therapy, Owen. And I will, plus, Keith has been reaching out since Anthony was released.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t . . .”

“Don’t finish that, Owen. After what you went through, don’t ever apologize to anyone,” she says and I can hear her voice tremble.

I lie down on the couch and just hold the phone, listening to her breathing. Until I hear her gagging and she calls out a goodbye.

What a fucking way to leave, I think to myself. Playing around on my phone, I look up a local florist and arrange for a bouquet to be delivered the next morning.

“You’re the first person I ever sent flowers to but I always want you to know how much Duckie and I care about you. Feel better, O.”

The next morning, Keith and Carlos are sitting in their SUV when I open my door at the crack of dawn to let Duckie out and get on my way.

“You sure you want to drive?” Keith asks me. “We can have you wheels up within the hour and someone can get your truck out there in a couple days.”

“Naw, I’d like to see the country a bit.”

“Good, because by ‘someone’, he meant me,” Carlos says with a grin on his face. “This way, I get to fly out there. In style. With a flight attendant.”

Looking around, Keith nods to himself. “Just as well Lucy didn’t stay over, hate to see you two crying and kissing each other.”

“Fuck off,” I grunt, reaching inside the door for my duffle bag and I throw it his way without warning.

In a typical Keith move, he simply steps to the side and lets it fall in the dirt; getting a laugh from Carlos.

“Hey, there’s that saying, what is it? Something about how some people are only meant to be in your life for a short period of time, to get you through something; then you’re supposed to move on,” Carlos says and I nod my head, understanding what he means even if he’s not saying it right.

“What the fuck are you yammering on about?” Keith looks between us like we’re nuts.

“Nothing. I’ll talk to you soon,” I say, tossing my bag into the back of my truck while I secure Duckie in a harness in the back seat.

And like that, I’m on the road. Looking forward to this opportunity Duncan has for me and to see if it’s really possible to feel normal ever again.

Epilogue

Lucy

“Oh, no. Oh, shit,” I sigh, looking at the identical boxes and their contents laid out on the table in front of me.

This wasn’t the plan.

My phone rings and I frown at the number but remember Owen telling me that he’d call me when he got his new number. I pinch the bridge of my nose and answer it.

“Owen, how was your trip?”

“My trip was fucking awful, Lucy.” Anthony’s voice is calm which is never good and I start shaking immediately. “Now, are you going to tell me who Owen is, the easy way or the hard way?”

Without thinking, I throw my phone against the wall, immediately following it to see the damage. Not smart.

I hurriedly get dressed and grab my keys, deciding the office will be the safest place for me. Plus, I have Keith’s number in my file there.

Sparing a last glance at my phone, I run out and hope I’m not making a bigger mistake.

Lucy and Owen, plus other stories based on my book, His Touch, will be released starting in late 2021. Please follow me on Amazon for updates.

For fans of His Touch, please note that this book takes place before Duncan and Sadie’s story.

XO, Merin

Gunner’s Redemption

Death Hounds MC PrequelH.J. Marshall

Gunner’s Redemption- Death Hounds MC 0.5

© 2020 H.J. Marshall

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