Page 48 of Grunt: A Marine Romance

She laughed and waved him out. “Just go. They’ll have to be happy with just you.”

She was so high maintenance. He was glad they broke up. He slipped on sandals and walked outside in a tee shirt and jeans. He didn’t care. The tabloids were still after him in Los Angeles, but there were no paparazzi in Mississippi. He hit the bathroom first before the mad rush. When he was done, he walked into the convenience store, where he bought a Men’s Fitness magazine, a Rocky Road candy bar, a Slim Jim, and a coke. Life was good.

Selena waited for Bret by the bus door. She didn’t look happy.

“Can I help you with something? Do you want me to buy you a mask so you can go into the convenience store?”

She was not amused. “Bret, can’t we just talk about it. You keep avoiding me. If you would just listen.”

Here we go again. “No, Selena. I already told you. I’m done. I’m going to finish this show and then you never have to see me again.”

She tried to touch him but he flinched.

“Dammit, Selena, don’t do this to me again. We would never work. This is for the best.” He crossed his arms and avoided her gaze.

The driver honked but Selena didn’t give up. “We can talk about it at lunch. I think we’re stopping at Cracker Barrel. I’m gonna get me some eggs, bacon, biscuits, and cheese grits. Yummy.” She ran back on the bus and left him standing outside.

He did not want to sit with Selena at lunch. He had to talk to her, now.

Booking it back on the bus he found Selena sitting at the table. She looked up at him and smiled. “I hate being on the road,” she said. “Remember the time we went on that road trip with Dima and Carrie to Mexico?”

At least she had changed the subject. “Yes. We went dancing at the club on that wrecked ship in Ensenada, and Dima was mad because they didn’t play ‘Be My Lover.’”

“We got so drunk—I fell down the stairs in the hotel, do you remember that? And then we had lobster in Puerto Nuevo.” She pulled up her pajama bottoms and showed Bret her calf. “I still have that scar on my leg from the fall. Sun Shimmer won’t even cover it up.”

Bret couldn’t believe what he was about to do. Get it over with, Devil Dawg. “So. Let’s talk.”

She started undoing one of her rollers. “I know I screwed up, but …”

Yeah, Bret knew at the time she felt like she had no other options. But it didn’t matter. He couldn’t forgive her.

“It’s just that,” she continued, “Bret, I love you. I know what I did was wrong. But who knows how it would’ve turned out. If I hadn’t miscarried, I’m sure I would’ve showed up at your graduation with a cute baby bump and I probably would’ve married you and moved on base. I was just so confused, and my mom was pressuring me. I’m so sorry. But we have another chance. We can move on.”

Bret unwrapped his Slim Jim and took a bite. Selena grimaced. He studied the Slim Jim for a second. Okay, it did look like what Banjo did on her shoes—but still, Selena probably couldn’t remember how good this treat tasted. “Selena, look—” He took a deep breath. Here goes. “Just forget about it, okay? It’s in the past. And I don’t regret getting back together with you. But we both know this will never work. We’re too different.”

The curler she was unrolling dropped into her coffee. She pushed the mug aside. “You’re wrong. We’re meant to be together.”

“I’m totally serious. I’m going back to the Marines. You still want to compete. You left me after three short months in boot camp. What’s going to happen when I’m deployed for nine months? You don’t think you will get lonely and leave me again? You’d never be happy being my wife.” I won’t give her another chance. “Please. Let’s just move on.”

Selena stood up and curlers went flying everywhere. “Bret, please. I love you. You’re wrong. I’ve changed. I just want to start a family with you. I’m older—I’d be fine by myself for nine months. Just give me another chance.” She touched the nape of his neck and he almost choked on the Slim Jim.

“No, Selena. I’m sorry.”

She paused and looked at him.

Bret knew the look. “What do you want?”

She spoke slowly. “The thing is … well, I need favor.”

“Spit it out.”

“Will you be my date to Xavier’s Zoot Suit Party?” She nodded her head, like she was plotting something. “I can’t show up alone.”

Bret looked her straight in the eye. “Well I’m not going to walk the red carpet with you or anything, but maybe I’ll show up. If you’re lucky, I’ll save you a dance. A dance between friends.”

She laughed. “Friends, okay. I can live with that.” She smiled, curtsied, poured herself a new cup of coffee and refilled his coffee mug with the grace of a waitress at Cracker Barrel and Bret realized just how much he missed his girl.