Girls You Marry

by Tina Gallagher

  “How did you get here?” I asked.

  “I took a cab.”

  “A cab,” Dan said. “You took a cab a hundred miles?” Lexi nodded. Dan looked like he was going to lose it at that point, but he stood up and raked his fingers through his hair instead.

  “I’m sorry, Daddy. I really am, but I couldn’t let Sabrina leave again. I need her.” Lexi studied her shoes. “I love her.”

  My eyes clashed with Dan’s at her words. I had no doubt he blamed me for this whole situation, and I can’t say I disagree. I shouldn’t have disappeared like I did. I knew how attached Lexi was, I should have explained things to her.

  “Let’s go back to my place and talk this over.”

  After thanking Jodi again, we piled into the car and drove, in silence, to my house.

  ****

  After hearing the details of Lexi’s adventure, Dan was forced to address the big issue. “Lex, Sabrina isn’t your mom,” Dan explained.

  “But she has to be,” Lexi said.

  “I wish she was honey, but she isn’t,” Dan said. “Your mother and I went out for a short time after I got drafted by the Waves. When she had you, she wasn’t ready to be a mom, so I decided to raise you myself.”

  I watched Dan try to explain the situation to his daughter, and my heart went out to him. It’s not a position I’d want to be in.

  “But I love Sabrina,” Lexi said.

  “I love you too, honey, but I’m not your mother,” I said, my heart breaking for the little girl who would never be mine.

  “Will you be my mom?” she asked.

  What could I say? I didn’t want to mislead her, but I didn’t want to break her heart either.

  Before I could do either, Dan cut in. “Honey, why don’t you go to sleep? Sabrina and I have a few things to discuss,” he said. “We’ll talk again in the morning.”

  Reluctantly, Lexi followed Dan to the guest bedroom. I’d offered Dan and Lexi lodging for the night so they didn’t have to endure the ride home after such a stressful day.

  Lexi wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed my cheek. “I love you, Sabrina.”

  “I love you too, Lex.”

  Their images blurred as they left the room. Once they were out of sight, I allowed the tears to fall down my face.

  Chapter Thirty-six

  When Dan returned to the living room, I still wasn’t sure what to say. He saved me from worrying. “What the hell is your problem?” His green eyes glowed with anger.

  “What’s my problem?” His attitude infuriated me.

  “That’s what I asked.” He stood directly in front of me, arms folded across his chest looking like he was about to explode.

  “I can’t believe you asked that as though I’m the one with the problem,” I said.

  “If the shoe fits,” Dan started, but cut himself off. After thrusting his fingers through his hair, his eyes met mine again. “I called you here and on your cell. I even tried the clinic, hoping someone knew where you’d disappeared to. I was worried sick, and Lexi has been inconsolable since you left. I finally got hold of Kevin, who told me you were holed up here.”

  “I left a note,” I said, knowing I sounded overly defensive.

  “Yeah, a note that said you didn’t know if you could deal and that you had to think.”

  “Where did you think I’d go?”

  “I figured you’d come here, but when you didn’t answer the phone, I was ready to put out an A.P.B.”

  “I’m sorry you were worried.”

  He nodded and ran his hands through his hair again. Tears glistened in his eyes when they met mine. “So I guess we’re back where we started.”

  The tone of his voice made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end.

  “Not necessarily.”

  “Bri, how can we have any kind of relationship if you don’t trust me?”

  “But…”

  “If you really trusted me, this wouldn’t even be an issue.” The pain I saw in his eyes matched what I was feeling in my heart. “I’ve got a little girl in there who loves you so much, she left home alone to come and find you. I can’t take the chance that you’re gonna run every time a pretty woman looks my way. I have to know you love and trust me enough to stick around no matter what.” He stepped closer and placed his hand on my cheek. “I love you, Sabrina, and I want to be with you more than anything, but I don’t know if you’re really ready for it. Maybe I rushed you into this.”

  “No, you didn’t.” I felt my whole life being pulled out from under me, and I was powerless to stop it. Dan was speaking nothing but the truth. I’m embarrassed by my actions.

  Ten years may have passed since I was in this situation with Dan, but obviously my maturity level hasn’t grown. I handled things the same way I did back then. It’s amazing how hindsight puts things into focus.

  “I don’t know what to say.” My voice was barely a whisper. I’m actually surprised I got the words past the lump in my throat.

  “There’s not much to say.” Dan sounded as choked up as I felt.

  That said, he went to join Lexi in the guest room.

  Chapter Thirty-seven

  The weeks that followed were a blur of tears, sleep, and pints of Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food. Once again, I was holed up in my apartment, but this time I had only myself to blame for that fact.

  Before Dan and Lexi left for home, the three of us sat down and had a long talk. Mostly Dan and I explained the situation to Lexi, but Dan’s words left no doubt in my mind about the state of our relationship. I couldn’t ignore the irony that he’s the one who wanted into this relationship, and I’m the one who fought it with all my strength…now I’m the one wishing he were here.

  I was throwing a one-woman pity party when the ringing house phone interrupted the festivities. “Hello,” I said.

  “What are you doing there?” Kevin asked.

  “Uh, I live here.” I loaded my spoon again and shoved it in my mouth.

  “I just called Dan’s place looking for you.”

  “Why’d you call there?”

  “Because, when I didn’t hear from you, I figured you two worked things out.”

  “Well, obviously we didn’t.” My words were forced out through a mouthful of ice cream.

  “Sabrina,” Kevin sighed, “put down the Phish Food and call the man.”

  I looked at the half-empty pint in my hand. My brother knows me way too well.

  “That sounds wonderful, Kev, but he’s not speaking to me.” I punctuated my words with a heaping spoonful of ice cream. Granted, Kevin couldn’t see my defiant gesture, but it made me feel better just the same.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  For the next fifteen minutes, I detailed the events that led to the demise of my relationship with Dan. Aside from an occasional “uh huh” or “right,” Kevin remained silent. When I finished my sad tale, I waited for him to comment, yet he didn’t.

  “So?” I prodded.

  “So what?” he said.

  “What do you think?”

  “You really want to know?”

  I blew out frustrated breath. “Would I have asked if I didn’t?”

  “Okay, but remember you asked,” Kevin pointed out. “I think the ball is in your court. I think you need to go win him back the same way he did you. You need to convince him that you love and trust him,” he said, putting a distinct emphasis on the “and”.

  “I don’t know how to do that,” I said.

  “I’d say begging would be a good start,” he said around a chuckle. “Seriously Sabrina, you have to be willing to eat a little crow. Maybe a lot of crow.”

  “I could eat five courses of crow, but how do I convince him that I trust him?”

  “Dan’s a pretty smart guy. I’m sure he’ll be able to figure it out.”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Look, if you want to sit there drowning in Ben & Jerry’s for the rest of your life, that’s your business.” My eyes
slid to the now empty pint and I flushed. “But I love you and want you to be happy, and I know Dan makes you happy.”

  “I’m not denying it,” I said.

  “Then go after him.” Kevin paused for, what I’m sure was, dramatic effect. “Call me when you get things straightened out.”

  That said, he hung up.

  Kevin’s words flowed through my head all night long. I knew he was right, but still thought he was oversimplifying things. I can’t imagine Dan falling at my feet just because I show up pledging my undying love and trust. After all, look at the hard time I gave him when he did it to me. The fact that Lexi is involved just complicates things.

  I tossed and turned searching for a solution in my sleep-deprived, sugar-saturated brain. Somewhere around dawn, I made up my mind and finally fell into a sound, untroubled sleep.

  Chapter Thirty-eight

  I stared at Dan’s front door willing my hand to raise and ring the bell. My inner battle was halted when the door swung open and Dan bounded through it, crashing right into me. His hands gripped my shoulders, holding me steady.

  “Sabrina.” If his tone was anything to go by, he was both surprised and happy to see me. At least we’re off to a good start.

  “Hi.”

  During the drive, I rehearsed what to say, but nothing was coming to mind at the moment. When I realized we were standing in the doorway and I asked, “I’m sorry, are you going somewhere?”

  “I was just gonna grab dinner, but that can wait. Come on in.” He stepped aside and gestured toward the open door. “Would you like a drink?” he asked as we entered the kitchen.

  “Some water would be great,” I said.

  Anything to postpone the inevitable.

  Dan retrieved two bottles of water from the refrigerator and asked me to follow him into the family room. I settled onto the love seat. Dan seated himself directly across from me on the sofa. I took a sip of water and looked around.

  “It’s awfully quiet around here.”

  “Mrs. Evans is off today, and Lexi and Jeff are over Tori and Nancy’s house.”

  I flashed a knowing smile. “I guess things are still going well.”

  Dan nodded. “They told Tori and Lexi about their relationship a few days ago, so I guess it’s getting pretty serious.”

  I was about to ask another question about Jeff’s love life when Dan asked one about my own.. “Why are you here, Bri?”

  I placed my bottle on the coffee table and tried to remember my carefully orchestrated words, but none came to mind. So I decided to keep it short and to the point. “Because I love you.” You couldn’t get shorter and pointer than that.

  Dan’s smile was sad. “I know that, but it’s not really the issue.”

  “I know.” I stood and joined him on the sofa. I took his hand in mine and felt a surge of satisfaction when he didn’t pull away. “I’m sorry I freaked out.”

  “I can’t live the rest of my life worrying it’ll happen again.”

  “It won’t.” I shook my head emphatically.

  “How do I know that?” he asked.

  “Because I’m telling you it won’t,” I said.

  “How can I be sure?”

  He was determined to make this difficult. Time to pull out the heavy artillery.

  “You just have to trust me. The same way you’re asking me to trust you.” He started to speak, but I raised a halting hand, stopping the flow of words. “I know what happened ten years ago and I’m trusting it won’t happen again.” I stared him down. “Ever.” The edges of Dan’s mouth kicked up at my not so subtle warning. “I love you more than life, and I want you and Lexi and me to be a family. I want to wake up with you every morning and go to bed with you every night. In between I want to love and laugh and raise our children.” I paused, trying to think of something else to say.

  “Are you finished?” Dan’s words cut into my thoughts. I wasn’t, but I nodded anyway, figuring I should give him some floor time. “Good.” He put his hands on either side of my face and placed his mouth on mine. I moved in to deepen the kiss, but he pulled away.

  “I love you too,” he said. “And for the record, you had me convinced with your first sentence.”

  “I did?”

  “Uh huh, but the rest was nice.”

  “I meant every word.”

  “And don’t think I won’t hold you to each and every one of them.”

  That said, he took my mouth in a fierce, possessive kiss, leaving no doubt in my mind that he’d forgiven me.

  “Come on,” Dan gasped. “Let’s get upstairs before I bury myself inside you right here.” He stood and pulled me up the stairs. “And once we’ve had our fill of each other, we have a wedding to plan.”

  I settled into the middle of his bed and watched him pull his shirt off. “So you still want to marry me?”

  “More than anything,” he said, as he stripped off his jeans. “Why would you doubt it?”

  “Well, I know your theory of women,” I teased. “And with what we’re about to do, not to mention what we’ve been doing for the past few months, I didn’t think I’d still fall into the ‘girls you marry’ category.” My eyes danced with amusement as Dan’s darted up to meet them. His frown evaporated when he saw my teasing expression.

  “You’re definitely enough women to fall into both categories.”

  Then he proceeded to make love to me until I couldn’t help but agree with him.

  About the Author

  Tina Gallagher was raised in Northeast Pennsylvania and in-between softball, basketball, and music lessons, she and her best friend would create their own "happily ever afters" for their favorite soap opera couples. After a while, the soap operas lost their appeal, but the writing never did. She continues to use her imagination to weave stories about heroes and heroines who share deep, lasting relationships.

  Visit Tina’s website at www.Tina-Gallagher.com

  Connect with Tina on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/Tina.Gallagher.31

  Follow Tina on Twitter – ‘@TinaGWrites