Jack pulled his truck into the graveled parking lot that he would have rather not seen again. But it had to be done. First he would purge his inner demons and then he would work on whatever it was that the future held for him and Carter.
By the look on her face, he was the last person Tina expected to see when he walked into the bar.
He walked up to his usual spot, but did not sit down.
Tina slowly made her way down the bar, stopping to tend to every other customer in an attempt to stall.
"I didn't expect to see you here so soon."
"Well, believe me, I didn't plan on coming back…… uh…."
'Mucking it up already Jack'
Her face blanched.
"That's not exactly what I meant. I mean, I didn't plan on coming back, but it wasn't because of you, it was.."
"Wait a minute. I've got a brake coming up. I'll meet you outside. Okay?."
She did not give him time to respond as she walked away.
Within five minutes Tina met him outside. He was standing with his hands in his pockets and scuffing the gravel with the toe of his boot.
"Hey."
"Hey yourself."
"So, you came to talk."
"Actually, I, yeah. I came to apologize."
"As I recall you don't have anything to apologize about." She looked down, embarrassed. "I initiated everything."
"Well, I'm not really clear on the whole thing myself, but I should have known well enough to stop. And I'm sorry."
"Hey, well, a girl can dream, right." She forced a laugh.
"Yeah."
That gravel must have been fascinating stuff.
Slowly Tina looked up.
"So, are you gonna tell her?"
"Her who?"
"Sam" she said quietly.
"Wha…. how…." Jack blinked, his eyes widened.
"You didn't know?". She shook her head.
"Didn't know what?" Jack said sounding defensive.
"You called out her name last night. When you came it was her name on your lips. You love her."
"Well, I don't know about that, I-"
She cut him off.
"You told her you loved her when you called out her name."
Jack felt his throat constrict. He could see this was becoming a very difficult conversation for both of them to have. It had to end now.
"I'm so sorry Tina."
"I was foolish to think-"
"No, believe me, it's not you. We all make mistakes."
"Well, at least I wasn't making the mistake by myself." She said with sarcasm.
"I've gotta go now."
"Yeah, my break's about up anyway."
Jack nodded and turned to walk away.
Tina called out; "It was nice knowing you Jack."
He waved as he climbed into his truck, started the engine, and drove off into another chapter of his life.
Jack sat in his truck, idle, across the street from Carter's house.
It was around midnight and all the lights were off. All the lights except for the one he knew to be her bedroom.
He was not going in tonight. He wasn't ready. But somehow, while lost in thought, the road had brought him here.
'I love Carter. I knew that, but to have actually vocalized it… to let someone else know about it.'
'It's all coming out now.'
'You are my one true weakness Sam.'
Once the last light went out Jack whispered, "Goodnight Sam", and then brought his engine to life and headed for home.