While Neon Lights is actually my favorite story, He’s Not Here is the first one that comes to mind when I see your handle. It was the first of your series that I started reading (after that VERY zesty alphabet got me HOOKED.) So tell me a story about Billy, please.
A story about HNH Billy? Hmm. OK.
Short, sweet and to the point.
Billy met Emily while he was visiting Curtis in the hospital after he got back from the tour where he lost his leg. She, like her dad, works with veterans and other enlisted service members, and she was at the hospital’s physical therapy facility talking with the director. Billy saw her, smiled at her while he was sitting and talking to Curtis, and it was over.
They went out for a drink the next night, and she invited him back to her place almost right away - and of course Billy agreed, figuring that he’d sleep with her once or twice when he felt like it... but she had other plans, and kept insisting that they meet. First, it was just sex, and Billy had no complaints about that, because she was very willing to meet whenever and wherever, which was convenient for him...but the novelty quickly wore off.
He explained to her in the few months that they knew each other that he didn’t want a girlfriend, that he wanted to keep things casual - even going so far as to tell her that he was still seeing other women, but Emily was persistent... and one night, when they were out for dinner - just picking something up to take back to her place (she never went to his), they ran into her mother and father.
Billy doesn’t do the ‘meet the parents’ thing, especially when he’s not doing anything more than going to bed with someone, but when Emily’s father brought up the gala, asking if the two of them would be attending together... he was too slow to deny it, and Emily agreed for him. Not wanting to make a scene - especially one that could potentially hinder Curtis’ recovery, Billy remained quiet ... and started thinking about how to cut Emily out of his life once and for all.
He tried twice in the two weeks following the meeting to tell her that he wasn’t going, but Emily ignored him, instead bribing him with an appointment for a suit fitting, talking up all of the people that would be there, the connections that Billy could make with the donors and sponsors... and so he decided to tough it out, because even though it was still far away, Billy knew that he’d have to start playing nice with the people that had money if he wanted to make something of his life after he got out of the service.
But then, only a few minutes after walking through the doors, his eyes landed on you... and it made everything worth it.
Thank you for asking about Billy. He appreciates it.
