Page 175 of Finish Line

He picks up the letter and reads it.

Once he finishes, he lets out a sigh. “I’m sorry you and your mom didn’t have time to do what she wanted. It’s not right that this bullshit has happened to you. Your mom is right, though. You deserve all the happiness in the world.”

“Your life wasn’t great, either. You and Dom are mending the riff with your dad. You deserve all the happiness, too.”

He pulls me onto his lap and gives me a heated kiss.

After holding me for a while, he says, “Everyone’s downstairs. Why don’t we go down and have fun.”

“Sounds great.” I climb off his lap. “Let me freshen up, and I’ll be right now.”

“Don’t wait too long. Mark brought a friend who is a chef, and whatever he’s cooking, it smells amazing,” he says over his shoulder as he leaves.

I wonder if it’s the same guy I met before.

Everyone is outside when I come down. I head outside, and I can’t help but smile. Mark is over by the grill cooking alongside a tall, good-looking guy, the same one who has a food truck.

Holy shit, did Mark find The One?

Then I find Amber and Ricky with their heads together, smiling at each other. Billy’s with a short girl with black hair and glasses. She sits on his lap while they talk to Mav and Luke.

Billy waves me over. “Hi, Shelby. Thanks for inviting us. I want to introduce you to my girlfriend, Chloe.”

She holds her hand out for me to shake. “It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“If it’s from these guys, don’t believe it.” I laugh.

I sit and chat with Chloe and Billy for a bit. Chloe is into video games and is going to school to study video game art with a focus in character design. She’s quiet, like Billy. If they could, they would be in a corner, happy out of everyone’s way. She seems like a perfect girl for him.

I head over to Mark.

“Shelby, hey.” Mark hugs me. “You remember Robert, my boyfriend.”

My eyebrows jump up, and Mark rolls his eyes. “Hi Robert, it’s good to see you again.”

“Hey, thanks, it’s good to see you, too. I love the house.” He waves toward the house.

I look at it. “Thanks. We’re working on it.”

Paige runs out the back door. “I got in!” She hugs me as she jumps up and down. “I’m coming with you.”

I jump with her. “When did you arrive, and where are we going?”

She stops jumping and frowns at Mav. “You didn’t tell her? Oh, shit, I’m sorry.”

“It’s all right, Paige.” Mav pulls an envelope from his back pocket, as do Dom and Luke.

I take the envelope with a big G and a dog on the outside. It’s already open, and I read the letter.

“You got in?” I glance around, looking at the envelopes.

“Yes. Even Nick and Sam. We didn’t know how to tell you since we moved here.”

I run and jump up on Mav. “Congratulations, guys. I’m so proud of you.”

“What are we missing?” Mark questions.

“They’re going to the University of Georgia,” I say. “Wait, I thought Luke and Nick were going to start their protection business.”

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