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“I did,” I said and slass down on the bar The bartender pouredfrom this”

Casey sighed “Do you really like this woman? I mean really like her Not does your dick like her I mean you, Beckett The man Would you like a relationship with her?”

“I’m crazy about her,” I said, totally honest “If I could, I’d see her every day”

“Then, tell her the whole truth and take it like a man,” Casey said, her brow furrowed “Let the chips fall where they ives you, you win If she smacks you upside your head, you deserved it If she doesn’t srinned at that, but I didn’t respond

I stared into lass somberly “So I just walk up and ask her to listen to me while I tell her how I deceived her for days and fucked her in spite of who I am? I was there when her husband died I knohat happened I could answer questions”

“Yep,” she said “Be a eant Fillhten the

I said nothing for ahoould do it If I did it

“Call her If she won’t answer the phone, leave a e or text her Tell her you fell in love with her and let your heart guide you instead of your conscience Ask for her forgiveness and then leave it up to her If she can forgive you,more will happen If not, end of story”

I nodded “I will”

“Good,” she said and drank down her own bourbon “Now, that’s enough about Miranda until you can tell me you came clean Understood?”

“Understood”

Thursday caut I sat up in bed and ran a hand through ure out why I was feeling so negative Then I reton on Friday The one-year anniversary of the crash, Dan’s death and nearly my own There would be several memorial services held that day for the other fallen Marines I never had the chance to attend the burial services, since I was recovering in a hospital in Germany and then in New York, buton my behalf

Attending the one-year anniversary ive me the chance to pay my respects to the families If I couldn’t face Dan’s parents, I could at least attend the two other Marine’s graves, pay my respects anonyraves, then leave Miranda said they would be arriving at noon, so I planned on going and leaving before 11:30 so I wouldn’t bump into them

I packed my uniform and dressed in ton, Virginia, stopping along the way for a lunch break I had a hotel reservation in Arlington, and intended to arrive in town, hit the rack early, and then get up early to get dressed in ton National Cemetery I wanted to pay my respects to the fallen Marines and other soldiers I kneho died while on active duty or when they retired There were a lot of na those fallen ere buried in the main cemetery or in the Columbarium or Niche Wall for those ere cremated

I spent a long ti back to when I was in Afghanistan and the vague details I could recall of the accident that injured me and took Lewis’s life My memory was pretty spotty on the actual event, but I re between your teeth, the incessant sun burning your skin, the crunch of dirt under your boots At night, the desert cliht and the sky was ht you felt like you could reach up and touch theed to return with a telescope and spend ti photos