Page 30 of Broken: Taylor

“Do I?” Tori laughed. “You would flush and start sweating any time he came around. You and him never got together back then?”

“No,” Allison exclaimed. “I was too tongue-tied to do more than stare at him and try to breathe. And then I dated Jake for the last two years of high school.”

“So, it was amazing huh?” Tori sipped her wine. “I miss amazing sex.”

“No one in your life then either huh?”

“Nope. I haven’t dated in a couple of years. With the restaurant, I barely have time to breathe. Sometimes I think I should sell it. I want to do something else. I just wish I knew what.”

They sat in companionable silence. Both looked at the television screen, but not really watching the movie.

“What happened between you and Tobias? You never said why you broke off the engagement.” The wine gave Allison the boldness to ask. She’d already moved to Billings when she learned from Leah that Tori and Tobias had cancelled their wedding.

Tori looked down into her wine. “You know, it seems so childish now. Instead of supporting him, giving him encouragement while he fought overseas, I wrote him a Dear John letter.”

“Oh goodness. Why did you do that?”

“I was terrified for him. I didn’t want to continuously freak out every time I heard something in the news. I hated every minute of it. I broke it off because I didn’t want to be his girlfriend if he died over there. The stupid thing was, after we broke up, I hated not knowing. So I was always glued to the news sites even more.”

“You were eighteen Tori. Give yourself a break. War is a hard thing for a teenager to handle.”

Tori shook her head. “Maybe. But he was barely past his teens himself and was over there fighting. He put his life on the line and I was so horrible to him. If something had happened to him, I would have never forgiven myself.”

“Sounds to me like you haven’t forgiven yourself now.”

“Maybe.” Tori got up and got the wine bottle. After refilling Allison’s, she topped her own off. “You know all we do is fight now. Every time I see him. He knows exactly what to say or do to piss me off.”

“Where there’s smoke...” Allison wiggled her eyebrows. When Tori glared, she picked up her cell phone. “Does Chinese sound good?”

Chapter 13

It had beena long time since Taylor had driven down the familiar streets in Caspar, Wyoming. His truck ambled at a low speed as he scanned the neighborhood street where he and his family had lived.

The cool air that wafted through the cracked windows smelled of snow and he wondered how long before the first flake fell. Although it was probably too early for a snow flurry, for some reason he wished for it.

Immediately a picture of a young boy crouched down beside him formed. They’d hid behind a short wall waiting for his wife and daughter to come out.

Once they got to the car, they’d started throwing from the pile of white ammunition they’d made. It had been hilarious to watch Janice run in circles screaming while his daughter giggled.

There had been shrieks and promises of retaliation as both had dashed back inside.

Janice had rushed back to the house and screamed at them. “I’m locking the door. You’re both going to freeze to death.”

Their laughter seemed to echo through the air as the old family home came into view.

The pang in his chest became too real. He felt so raw, he pulled over unable to tear his gaze from the two-story white house.

Thank God he’d not have to go inside it. The real estate sign had a magnetic “Sold” sash across it.

Taylor pressed the gas pedal down and sped away from the house. It was better not to allow emotions to get the best of him. In a couple miles, he’d face Janice, his ex and who knew what that would bring.

Their marriage did not withstandthe double blow of the death of their two children and her parents.

His father-in-law had either had a heart attack or a brain embolism, which caused him to drive across the median and into oncoming traffic. They’d hit a gasoline tanker truck head on.

Along with everyone in their car, the accident also killed the truck driver and two other people in nearby cars when the truck’s contents exploded, burning up everything and everyone.

The coroner had done her best to waylay their fears, explaining it was probable everyone had died instantly. But they knew there was no way to know for sure. Nightmares had tortured them nightly. Lack of sleep, guilt, worry, and stress lead to constant fights.