Read Online Forever My Girl by Heidi McLaughlin - Free Book Online

see Katelyn walking toward me. I stand and offer her my hand until she sits down in what would’ve been Mason’s spot, on my left.
    “I should be asking you the same thing. Why aren’t you home with those beautiful babies?”
    “They are with Mason’s dad tonight. He wanted to have them and I can’t say no. He’s lost so much in the past year.”
    I look at her questioningly. She smiles sadly. “Mrs. Powell died last year.”
    And the knife just keeps twisting.
    “I’m sorry,” I say simply because I have nothing else to say. There is no excuse for what I’ve done.
    “Where ya been, Liam?”        
    Well now that’s the million dollar question because if you watch TV or read the magazines while waiting to check out at the local mart, everyone knows where I’ve been.
    “You gotta be a little more specific than that,” I reply as I throw my first empty into the bed of the truck. Katelyn reaches into my bag, grabs a beer and pops the top.
    “What happened to you? Because when you went off to Texas everything was fine and then you show up one night and everything isn’t?”
    I throw my second empty into the truck. My third follows and I open my fourth and chug it down to throw it.
    “I got to school and hated it. I hated practice, the team, everything about it. And one night I went to this on campus hang-out and there was an open mic night so I gave it a try and I liked it and I don’t know.”
    “Did you tell Josie?”
    “Nah, our meeting didn’t go so well the other night. I was pissed and antagonized her a bit.”      
    We sit in silence, drinking and throwing our bottles into the truck. Katelyn’s throws get harder and harder the more she drinks and I imagine she’s taking out some type of anger.
    “For the first time in twelve years I don’t have Mason by my side.”
    I know she’s sad and I could hold her and let her cry or I can share in her misery.
    “I have a kid.”
    Apparently that was the wrong thing to say because if looks could kill I’d be dead right now.
    “Does Josie know?”
    I can’t help but laugh. I shake my head. “I hope so, unless Noah isn’t hers. Then I’m screwed because that boy is definitely mine and definitely hers.”
    “You’re such an ass,” she says pushing my shoulder. I fall back so she thinks she’s strong. “No other kids, huh? How many wives and girlfriends do you have?”
    I toss my empty down to the truck and smile when it shatters. I’m going to have to go over and clean out her truck tomorrow.
    “No other kids, no wives and no girlfriends.”
    “Right now?”       
    I look at her and give her the stink eye. “Ever. Never. Not since Josie.”
    “I’ve seen those rags with your picture on them and you have some blond with you all the time.”
    I lean against the tower and sip on my next beer. Katelyn is keeping up with me and we’ll be out soon. This sort of pisses me off. I should’ve bought two cases.
    “That’s Sam, my manager. She wants to be my girlfriend and tells me that I owe her since she’s been with me since I started. I don’t know. Lately I’ve been thinking about firing her.”
    Katelyn doesn’t say anything; she just stares out into the darkness. Every now and again I see her wipe her eyes. I want to help her but don’t know how. I could wrap my arms around her, pull her into a hug, but that might be awkward for her so I opt to rub her back.
    “I’ll never forgive myself. I should’ve called or at least come back. I could’ve kept in touch but leaving here and leaving everything behind – I needed a clean break. I had to try and make a name for myself and when I did, people just kept pushing and pulling and the next thing I know I’m in my hotel room and I’m reading the paper. I kept saying to myself there is no fucking way he’s gone because I didn’t get to say good-bye.
    “He’s gone and I never got a chance to tell him how fucking sorry I am for being a total dick and leaving.