“I agree,” he said, slowing as we approached the Charger.
I stared at it as we passed, seeing that it was still submerged. America was gone.
My throat tightened. “If she’s not at the overpass and she’s not at the Charger, she went to the hospital.”
“I agree with that, too,” the Chief said.
“Hopefully, for shelter and not because she’s hurt.”
The Chief sighed. “You’ll find out soon enough. First, you’re going to get that wound cleaned.”
“I don’t have much daylight left.”
“Well, you’re definitely not going to find her at night.”
“That’s why I can’t waste time.”
“I’m not your dad, but I can tell you now, if infection sets in, you’re not going to feel up to looking for her tomorrow. Get yourself taken care of, and then you can look for your girl.”
I sighed and then pounded the door with the side of my fist. It was a lot harder than the Chief had hit on the ambulance door.
He shot me a side-eye.
“Sorry,” I murmured.
“’S’all right. If it were my wife, I’d feel the same.”
I peeked over at him. “Yeah?”
“Twenty-four years. Two grown girls. Are you going to marry this girl?”
I swallowed. “I had a ring in my bag.”
He gave a half smile. “Where is it?”
“I handed it to her before I was blown out.”
“Good thinking. She’s holding on to it for safekeeping, and she doesn’t even know. She’ll get two good surprises when she sees you.”
“I hope so, sir.”
Chief made a face. “Hope? Where were you headed?”
“Her parents’ house.”
“She was introducing you to her parents? Sounds like your chances were pretty good.”
“I’ve met her parents,” I said, staring out the window. I was supposed to be going in the other direction with America, and instead, I was heading back to Emporia to find her. “Several times. And I’ve asked her to marry me—several times.”
“Oh,” Chief said. “You were going to ask her again?”
“I thought I’d try one last time.”
“What if she says no?”
“I haven’t decided. Maybe ask her why. Maybe ask her when. Maybe prepare myself for her leaving me one day.”
“Maybe it’s her turn to ask you.”
My face screwed into disgust. “No.” I laughed once. “She knows I wouldn’t be happy about that. Things were good. Now, it doesn’t really make sense that I was so upset. We were working toward it. We’d just moved in together. She was committed to me. She loves me. I made us both miserable over it.”
Chief shook his head. “Shacked up, huh? That explains it. My wife always says to my daughters, ‘Why buy the cow if you get the milk for free?’ I bet she woulda said yes if you woulda made her wait to share your bed.”
I breathed out a laugh. “Maybe. We practically lived together anyway. Either I was in her dorm room, or she was at my place.”
“Or … if she agreed to move in with you, it’s possible she’s just taking things at her own pace. She didn’t say good-bye. She just said no.”
“If she says no again, I’m pretty sure it’s going to mean good-bye.”
“Sometimes, good-bye is a second chance. Clears your head. Anyway … missing someone makes you remember why you loved that person in the first place.”
I choked and then tried to clear the emotion from my voice. I couldn’t imagine walking away from America.
I wasn’t just in love with her. It was like taking my first breath, then the second, and then every breath after that. America had come into my life, and then she was the reason for it.