It’s Sunday afternoon and quiet as the Winston family starts leaving a little at a time before it’s just Jackie and I preparing to head back up to the beach.

“Mom, are you sure you’ll be okay? Tyler and I can stay one more night and leave in the morning,” Jackie says, looking at me for reassurance.

“Absolutely, Mrs. Winston, I don’t have to be at work until tomorrow night.”

She comes up to Jackie, putting her hands on her shoulders. “I’ll tell you just what I told all of your brothers and sisters that have asked me the same question today. I’m fine. I’m going to work on some projects I have and the ladies at the church and I are going out to dinner tonight. So, you two need to scram.” She smiles before hugging her daughter.

“Tyler, it was nice to meet you and I hope to see you again in a few weeks,” she says before giving me a motherly hug. I look over at Jackie who is mouthing the words, “Fourth of July.”

“Sure, Mrs. Winston, I will be here on the Fourth,” I say and Jackie gives me a thumbs-up.

Jackie and I are on the road, heading back, and I can tell that something is on her mind by how quiet she has been since we left. With so many things going on yesterday, it could be many things bothering her. Of course, it’s Father’s Day today and she has to be mourning him.

“Hey, you.”

“Hmm,” she responds.

“Quiet girl over there, staring out the window, what’s wrong?” I tease her.

“Just thinking,” she says, still not looking at me.

I take my hand and reach for hers, holding it between us. Finally, she looks over at me and smiles. “By the way, I missed you last night,” I say.

“I missed you too.” She smiles.

“You thinking about your dad?” I come out and ask her.

“Yeah,” she says, turning her face away from me.

“Want to talk about it?” I ask her.

“Tyler, didn’t you say your friend the tattoo artist lives here in Clover?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Do you think he will do one today?”

“You want to get a tattoo? Today?” I ask her.

“Yes, if you think he will do it.”

“We can stop by his shop and see if he’s there. It’s going to cost you a couple of hundred, depending on what you want to get.”

“I have it. Would you mind? I’m afraid if you’re not with me, I won’t do it.”

“Are you sure?” I ask.

She nods and I find a place to turn around and head back into town. Luckily, we haven’t gone too far and soon we are parked in front of my buddy’s shop.

“Jackie, you sure about this? Do you even know what you want to have done?”

She starts laughing.

“What’s so funny?”

“For someone whose arms and back are covered with tattoos, you sure are acting funny about this. What’s the matter, you don’t like girls with tattoos?”

“It’s not that, it’s just that this is something you don’t take lightly. Besides, isn’t it against some pageant regulation or something?” I ask, pulling some bullshit excuse out of my ass. I just don’t feel right about this. Not to mention, if her brothers find out that I’m the one that took her to get it done, they will kick my ass for sure.

“I’ve been thinking about it for a while, actually.”

“All right. I said I would take you. Come on, then.”

I stand corrected; she knows exactly what she wants and tells Chris who starts drawing on his pad—a glass slipper with a rose and Princess written underneath on her left shoulder.

When Chris is done with the sketch, he has her take off her shirt and bra and lie facedown on his table. I go into full overprotective boyfriend mode by hiding her from my buddy’s lustful eyes. He gets to see her bare back and that is it. Since it is Sunday, there is only us here and Chris even turns off his open sign to ensure our privacy. It takes a few hours as I watch and hold her hand. She only squeezes tightly once in a while and she takes the needle like a champ.

When she is done, I take my shirt off and give it to her as she gives me a questioning look. “It won’t fit you so tight. You don’t want it rubbing on your tat.”

Chris gives her the spiel about how to care for it, and I reassure him I have it covered, since it wasn’t my first rodeo. She thanks him and pays him and we are off once more to the beach.

“You know, if your brothers ask, I know nothing. You promise?”

“I’m a big girl and can do what I want, but don’t worry, I won’t tell them.” She winks.

“Princess, huh? For your dad?” I ask, hoping it is not for Jason.

“Yes, he always called me that, ever since I can remember,” she says, her eyes beginning to water a little.

“Why a glass slipper, though, why not a tiara?” I ask, pretty sure I already know the answer.

“You know why,” is all she says.

We make it back to her condo first and I help carry in her bags. Her condo is much nicer than the one Josh has, not to mention a lot cleaner. As I stand and gaze at all the amenities it has, she steps toward me, hugging me close.

“Thank you,” she says.

“For what?”

“For helping me get the tattoo and for joining me this weekend. I know it wasn’t easy for you with your dad and all.”

“It wasn’t that bad.” I reassure her. Her heart was in the right place for wanting my dad and me to have a special day. She just has to realize that not all dads are like hers.

“I was wondering …” She stops and shakes her head.

“What? What were you wondering?” I squeeze her gently.

“Never mind, it’s silly.”

“Jackie, come on, talk to me. What’s on your mind?”

“I was wondering if you would like to stay with me for the rest of the summer,” she blurts out.

“But what about your friends?”

“They went back home this weekend too. They have plans. It’s just me here now, all alone.”

“So, you would like me to move in with you for the rest of the summer?” I ask her.

“See? It’s silly, right? You came up here to hang with your buddies,” she says before releasing me and trying to walk away.

I grab her hand, not allowing her to escape. “Okay, let’s check my options here. I can go back to Josh’s, where it’s messy and noisy and our privacy is invaded, or I can move in with you here, where it’s clean and we’re alone and I can sleep beside your naked body every night. Hmm, that’s a tough one,” I joke as she starts cracking up.

“Of course, I would love to move in with you, Cinderella, that’s a no-brainer. But what about your brother? Will he be okay with it?” I ask before pulling her into my arms once again.

“John knows I’m an adult. I’m sure he would be happy that I’m having you stay over, versus bringing strange guys home every night.” She smiles

I raise my eyebrow before playfully smacking her behind for the bringing home guys remark. “I better be the only guy you are inviting over.”

“I was teasing. Of course you are.”

“You still haven’t answered my question, though. Are you going to tell him?”

“I don’t need to. I’m an adult and I don’t have to check in with anyone, especially my brother,” she says before moving to the kitchen.

“Okay, but like the tattoo …” I start.

“I know, I know. It wasn’t your idea.” She stands on her tiptoes to kiss me.

The next few weeks are some of the best I’ve had in a long time, probably even my whole life. When I’m not working, Jackie and I spend each waking moment together. We make love and can be as loud as we want. We go sightseeing or just take lazy strolls on the beach. Each moment with her is precious, with my favorite part of the day being the morning to wake and find her snuggled next to me. I am no longer alone.

“I wish you didn’t have to go to work tonight,” she says to me still naked in bed after a lazy day of watching movies and cuddling.

“Sorry, babe, but I have to work. I have bills to pay. Why don’t you catch a nap and come out tonight to the club? I get off at ten and the gang is supposed to be there. They were complaining the other night that I’ve kidnapped you and won’t let you come out anymore,” I tease her, but the frown she is giving me lets me know that most likely that isn’t going to happen.

I crawl back onto the bed in front of her, giving her a kiss on her pouty lips. “What’s wrong?” I ask her, when I feel kissing away her grumpy mood is not helping.

“It’s nothing. I am just being selfish. I didn’t want to be alone tonight.”

“You are the most unselfish person I know. But you don’t have to be alone tonight. Get dressed and come hang with the gang. Amber and Maya are both supposed to be there tonight.”

“I guess I’ll come.” She finally smiles.

“That a girl.” I kiss her once more, before tucking her back in bed. “Catch a nap, grumpy pants, and I will see you tonight, okay?”

“Okay,” she says before closing her eyes.

The club is real busy tonight, for a Monday, but since Wednesday is the Fourth of July, the beach is crowded. Josh, Todd and the girls are here, but yet no sign of Jackie. Something was on her mind from the moment we awoke, but anytime I ask her what’s up, she brushes me off. It’s ten now and my shift is over as I make my way to where the guys are, wondering if I should stay and hang out or head back to the condo and check on Jackie.

I check my phone, not one text or call, which upsets me since I messaged her to find out if she was on her way. If she decided not to come, the least she could do was let me know. Is this it? Is she finally tired of me and wanting to move on and is afraid to just come out and say it?

“Hey man. Where’s Jackie?”

“I guess she’s not coming.” I say to them.

“Want a drink buddy.” Josh asks as the waitress brings over a tray of shots.

“Yeah.” I say as I take a shot and throw one back. It was my first of many.

I wake up the next morning, with the headache from hell, and something doesn’t feel right. I don’t feel Jackie’s warm, naked body curled up next to me. As I open my eyes, I realize that I’m not at Jackie’s, I’m at Josh’s. How in the hell did I end up here? What happened last night? I remember getting off work and being mad that Jackie was a no-show, but the rest of the night is a complete blur.

Jackie! Oh, shit. I didn’t come home last night. She has to be worried sick by now.

With much effort, I manage to get out of bed and start hunting for my clothes, which are all over the floor. I find my pants and retrieve my phone. Much to my surprise and disappointment, not one missed call from her. What the fuck is going on?

I get dressed and head to the kitchen, where Josh left me a note on the coffee maker.

Mitch brought your truck home; the keys are hanging by the door. You were too wasted to drive.

I grab my keys and head back to Jackie’s, wondering if she will even be there. We are supposed to be heading to her mom’s today to celebrate the Fourth of July with her family. It’s eleven o’clock and still no call or text from her. When I try calling her, it goes straight to voice mail. Maybe I pissed her off and she is already heading home.

When I pull up to the condo, I notice her car is still there. So that’s one good thing. I guess this will be a test to see how much she trusts me. I hope she realizes I just got a little too wasted with the boys and slept it off at their place.

I walk into the quiet condo and find Jackie sitting on the couch, sipping her coffee. “Hey,” I say to her.

“Hey,” she says, not even looking at me.

I come around to face her, and I can see she’s been crying. I feel like a complete dickhead right now. “I’m sorry I didn’t come home last night. I had too many, so Josh brought me back to his place.”

“I know, I asked him to,” she mumbles.

“What?” I ask her, not sure if I heard her correctly.

She finally looks up at me, her face all serious. “I said I asked him to take you to his place.”

“Why?” I ask as I sit on the coffee table in front of her.

“I didn’t want to be around you when you’re drunk like that.”

“How do you even know? You stayed home.”

“No, I was there. I was just running behind. I dropped my phone in the pool and it ruined it. I was at the phone store for hours getting a new one. By the time I got there, you were pretty wasted and you seemed to be doing fine without my company.”

“What do you mean?” I start scrambling my mind, trying to remember. I don’t remember seeing her there.

“Let’s just say you weren’t lonely.” She looks at me with angry eyes that I have never seen before.

“I don’t know what to say. I don’t remember seeing you, but I’m sure I only danced with girls. I was alone when I woke up this morning. Maybe I was a little pissed because I thought you stood me up, since you didn’t call or text. I realize now it was because you couldn’t. You have to believe me though, I didn’t sleep with anyone.”

“I believe you,” she says quietly. “Tyler, one of the reasons I was hesitant to go out with you last night is because I worry about you when you drink.”

“Jackie, I had a few too many shots last night with the guys. We don’t do it every night.” I start defending myself as I get up and head to the kitchen.

“Tyler, it’s not the fact that you have a drink now and then, but when you’re upset you start overdoing it. It only leads to trouble.”

Trouble … that word. It makes complete sense now. Her brother did talk to her about me. “I guess you have talked to your brother about me?” I come out and finally ask her.

Her silence tells me all I need to know.

“He told you, didn’t he? That’s where all this is coming from. Am I right?”

“Yes, he told me you have had a couple of run-ins.”

“Run-ins? Darling, your brother arrested me.” I laugh.

“I know, he told me.”

I look down, wondering if John told her everything. “Did he tell you about the overdose?”

“Yes, he told me about that too. He said you were lucky you didn’t die that night.”

“I was lucky. But I don’t take the pain meds anymore.”

“I’m glad, but …” she says, but hesitates.

“But what?” I question her.

“What about the drinking, Tyler? You don’t do it all the time, but sometimes you tend to overdo it,” she admits.

“Are you asking me to quit drinking?” I ask her, getting defensive once again.

“No, but do you have a drinking problem?” She stands and faces me.

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Last night you were pretty wasted and that first night at Oasis, when we had a fight, you were drinking so much, and then the night of Holly’s wedding.”

“I wasn’t drunk at your sister’s wedding.” My voice begins to get a little louder.

“You were after your fight with Ben.”

“How do you know?” I shout at her.

“Because I was the one who put you to bed that night!” she shouts back.

“Okay, I get it. So, my old man’s a drunk so you and your brother assume I am too.” I start getting angrier, knowing exactly where this conversation is heading.

“I didn’t say that,” she says defensively.

“But I’m right, though, aren’t I?”

“Tyler, I’m just worried about you.” She tries reaching for me, but I step away.

“Well, no one asked you to. Is that why you asked me to stay with you? So you could keep tabs on me?”

“No, of course not.”

“Hey, maybe you’re right. Maybe the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Maybe I am exactly like my old man. So, I think I will change my mind now and head back to Josh’s, after all. He doesn’t seem to worry if I have a drink or two.”

“Tyler, you have this all wrong.”

“Listen, princess, tell your brother, no worries. I won’t be corrupting you any longer and I don’t need you to help save me.” My words are cutting deeper by the second.

The look on Jackie’s face needs no more words. I wanted to hurt her, and I did just that. She walks to her bedroom, quickly slamming the door.

I grab my keys and take off.