Casual Affair

Twelve

Our return to San Diego was quick and mostly painless. When we landed, I treated Javy to lunch and gave him my best breakup speech even though we both knew we weren't really dating.

Unfortunately, despite the fact that it was all a ruse, I still felt bad— like I had used Coyote, even though it had gotten me one step closer to my end game.

Bradley and I had been invited to go to a fair that had come into town and was set up on the beach near the Hard Deck but I didn't feel up to it. I encouraged Bradley to go with Jake, Brooks, and their girlfriends but all I wanted to do was sit on the couch with a blanket.

As I sat alone in my house, I had found comfort in one of my favorite movies, Thor: Ragnarok, as I got lost in my thoughts throughout the evening. I couldn't help but wonder what my mom would think of the situation I had gotten myself into and how I knew that I let Javy down despite his objections that I didn't.

The only thing that pulled me from getting tangled in my own thoughts was a knock on the front door and I wrapped my blanket around myself as I made my way to answer it.

"Brought you something!"

The corners of my lips turned into a smile as I stepped aside, allowing Bradley to walk into my house. I quickly closed the door and turned to see the massive plate of funnel cake fries that Bradley held in his hand and my mouth had immediately began to water.

"You always know what I need, don't you?" I questioned as we moved to sit on the couch.

"I'd like to think that I know you better than most," he replied as he snatched a funnel fry and popped it into his mouth.

I laughed as the powdered sugar got stuck in his mustache, though he had been quick to wipe it off.

"How was it? Are the girls nice?"

"They seemed really nice," Bradley replied. "We missed you though so I cut out early to bring you a snack."

"I'd consider this my dinner," I laughed, a sad smile still on my lips.

"What is it?" Bradley questioned. "What's bothering you, sweetheart?"

"I miss my mom," I admitted. "I wish she could see me today."

"I know exactly how you feel," Bradley replied as he placed his hand on top of my knee.

I sighed and set the plate on the coffee table before going to the kitchen to grab us both a beer from the fridge. When I sat back down, I handed Bradley his before taking a long drink of my own beer.

"You know, I never watched another one of these movies after we broke up," he admitted as he glanced at the television screen. "I guess they just weren't the same without you."

"They're the only things that have kept me sane," I replied. "When I was on my last deployment, I made sure to have every single released movie on my iPad for whenever I had the time to watch."

"And your last deployment was?"

"Syria," I replied quietly with a sigh.

Bradley noted my expression and laid his hand on top of mine, his eyes studying my facial features.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what?" He questioned with a smile.

"Like that," I replied.

"Like I want to kiss you? Because maybe I do."

I playfully narrowed my eyes before setting my beer on the coffee table beside the funnel fries.