Revved Up Hearts by Kristy D Kilgore

family. He almost always had company. I walked into the house, and there he was, on the couch asleep, naked with his ex-girlfriend.”
    “What did you do?” Jeremiah asked. He was leaning forward with his elbows on the table, hanging on every word.
    “I left. I turned and walked out. I got into my car, picked up my cell phone, and called my mom. When I told her what I had seen, I broke down and sobbed. Cried like a baby. Mom was on the phone crying. We weren’t talking, just crying.” Jeremiah had been holding her hand during the whole story. Now he was absentmindedly stroking her hand with his thumb. Dawn took a moment to collect her thoughts and went on. “I don’t know how long I was there, but that’s how Kevin found me.”
    “What did you do then?”
    “Locked the doors. He knocked on the window, but I wouldn’t roll them down. He tried to explain, but I turned up the radio. As soon as I felt like I was okay to drive, I left.”
    “Oh, sweetie,” Jeremiah said as he squeezed her hand again, encouraging her to go on.
    “I went home and told my dad and brothers. He showed up about fifteen minutes after I got home.”
    “What happened then?”
    “By that time, I had had time to think about it. I was mad, and I let him have it.”
    “Really?”
    “Yes. He tried to explain, but I wouldn’t let him. I told him that there was no excuse for what he had done and no way I would ever forgive him. I told him that he was going to pay the caterer and the florist for everything they had done for the wedding. Then I told him that he was giving me the honeymoon tickets.”
    “Did he?”
    “Eventually. He didn’t want to, but he finally agreed. I think if he hadn’t done everything I wanted, my dad and brothers would have hurt him. They were looking for an excuse to. Anyway, two weeks later, I went to Hawaii with my best friend from college. She would’ve been my maid of honor.”
    “Do you ever talk to him?”
    “Not really. He calls the house, but I don’t talk to him.”
    “Does he go to your house?”
    Dawn laughed at that question. “No way. Dad made it perfectly clear that if Kevin ever stepped foot on his property he would leave on a stretcher.”
    “I don’t blame your dad. I don’t know this Kevin guy, but I’d like to punch him in the face.”
    “The craziest part of the whole thing was this nagging thought that if I had just kept my guard up, kept protecting myself, none of it would have happened.”
    “Sweetie. It wasn’t your fault. He was a jerk.”
    “I thought so at first, but he really isn’t. He said that he ‘made a bad decision,’” Dawn said. “I guess I have forgiven him for that, but I don’t trust him anymore. I can’t be with someone that I don’t trust.”
    “Trust is a very important part of any relationship.”
    “Yep. Well, that’s my sad story.”
    “It is a sad story,” Jeremiah said. “But it’s better this way.”
    “I know. That makes it easier. You know what they say, ’tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”
    “I’d love to talk more, but I think the restaurant is closing. We better go,” Jeremiah said as he put his linen napkin on the table. He got out of his chair then helped Dawn out of hers.
    She looked up at him. “Thanks for listening.”
    “Hey,” he said with a smile, “that’s what friends are for.”

 

     
     
    The next morning when Dawn got to the garage area, all the guys on Bryan’s crew were waiting for her. They were lined up with their arms crossed and big grins on all their faces. “What’s going on here?” she asked. “What are you guys up to?”
    “Well,” Bryan said as he stepped out of line and made his way toward her, “we’ve decided that today is the day that you officially become one of us.” By this point in his speech, he had reached Dawn and placed one hand on each of her shoulders.
    “I don’t think I like the sound of this,” Dawn said. She was actually scared. “What