Chapter Twenty-Five

FIVE DAYS CLEAN. Let’s make it six was Quincy’s first thought as he awoke.

He’d had the same thought every morning since entering rehab, changing only the number of days. One day at a time. Just as he had each of the other mornings, he lay with his eyes closed, thinking of all of his reasons to stay clean. He was on top of that list, because if he couldn’t for himself, there was no way he could do it for anyone else. That was the only reason he came before his remarkable girl. Memories of their first date sailed through his mind. He’d never forget the astonished look on her face through the glass door when he’d appeared. Her nervousness had endeared her to him even more than everything else about her already had. Roasting marshmallows, joking around, and those sinful kisses played like a movie, followed by her exuberance at the scavenger hunt and her mesmerizing dancing. But nothing beat her trust and acceptance the day she’d showed up at the NA meeting and the support she had given him every day since, except maybe the love in her eyes every time they’d made love. He could still hear her laughter when they’d gone sledding at Helms Tree Farm and recall the fun they’d had while picking out their tree. His chest constricted with memories of hanging ornaments on their Christmas tree and that sexy ribbon outfit she’d worn to seduce him. He knew better than to mentally unwrap that ribbon when it would be another twenty-four days until he saw her.

He shifted his thoughts to his other reasons to stay clean: Truman, Gemma, the kids, and all of their friends, making it a little easier to push away the urges to use drugs again, though easier was a relative term.

After visualizing every one of his friends and family members, he remembered it was Christmas, and sadness tiptoed in. He could feel his sensitive girl thinking about him, probably wearing one of his T-shirts and sleeping on his side of the bed.

He lingered on that thought.

His side of the bed. Her side of the bed.

Twenty-four more days.

The longing for her had become a dull ache in his chest, his constant companion. At least he knew Roni wouldn’t be alone today. Before Truman had dropped him off at rehab, she’d gone with him to see the kids so he could say goodbye. His heart had broken, but he hadn’t lied to them. He’d never lie to them. He’d told them that Uncle Quincy needed a little help and would be gone for a while, but that he loved them and would think about them every day, and before they knew it, he’d be back to play and go on special dates. Roni had said she was still going to Truman and Gemma’s house on Christmas to represent both of them, which made him love her even more. He hadn’t thought that was possible. But he was learning that his love for her was as unstoppable as her endless love for him.