Page 43 of Love in Pieces

The graduation ceremonywent well. Only one person tripped up the steps on their way to the stage. Meredith did show up. And when all was said and done, everyone had a diploma in hand. I spent most of the day with Meredith and her parents. They were kind enough to let me tag along to their celebration dinner. It was nice to enjoy the day with a normal family. Meredith is an only child, and her parents are amazing. They’ve brought me into their family circle on more than one occasion, and I always relish the idea that this is how it should have been. It gives me an escape for a few hours. They treat me like one of their own. They even got me a Christmas gift last year. Some new jewelry that Meredith must have mentioned to them that I wanted. Nothing crazy, but they accept me with open arms.

My mother always scoffs at my request for jewelry or money for tattoos. She says it’s the devil's work, which, somehow only makes me want them more. I used to hide them from her, but I have since stopped. At this point, if she notices them, it’s her problem how she chooses to react. I can’t say I’ve ever gotten a good response from her other than the memorial tattoo I got for my dad.

“Thank you for the ride!” I yell back as Meredith’s parents pull away from the curb. Dallas and Logan are home but seem to be ready to go somewhere when I shut the front door. “Hey. How was your day?” I ask, looking between them.

“Good,” Logan says, searching the cabinets for something.

“Not too bad.” Dallas watches Logan curiously. “What are you looking for?”

“I bought a little special something for today, but I can’t remember where I put it.” He opens and closes multiple cabinets before finally landing on the one he needs. “Got it!” He pulls out a large bottle of amber-colored liquor and sets it on the counter. It lands with a thud.

Dallas raises his brows and then looks at Logan. “Have at it, man.” He shakes his head with a little laugh then turns to face me. “Hey, we’re going to a party tonight at one of my buddy’s houses. You want to come?”

A party? I mean, it is graduation day so I can’t say I’m surprised. However, I am a little hesitant since the last party I went to ended so poorly.

Dallas moves from the barstool he was sitting on and meets me where I still stand in the entryway. He takes my hands in his and squeezes gently. “I know you might be a little leery of parties and I don’t want you to feel like you have to come. You are more than welcome to stay home if you want. But if you do want to come, just hang next to me or Logan the whole time. We’ve got you. I promise you that. Nothing will happen.” Looking at our hands, the warmth feels good. It feels safe.

Deep breaths, Abby.Sam isn’t in town. I have Dallas. And Logan. What could go wrong? Not every party is going to end in chaos. I take another deep breath, forcing air deep into my lungs, imagining it steadying me. “Okay, I’ll go.”

They both smile. “We were going to take the bikes. Do you want to ride yours or do you want to ride with me?”

A grin spreads across my face. “I’ll ride bitch this time.”

?CHAPTER 16

Dallas

Ihave never come toa slower stop than I did pulling up to this party. The short ten-minute ride over here was not nearly long enough for me to revel in the comfort that I felt having Abby’s arms wrapped around me, our bodies pressed together. Being a slightly chilly night, it gave me all the more reason to want just that.

I climb off the bike, offering her my hand for support. The scene that unfolds before me is like one in a cliché romance movie. The moment Abby pulls her helmet off, everything slows. The single braid at the nape of her neck falls gracefully over her shoulder. She pulls the elastic out and runs her fingers through it before turning my way. She added a bit of black lipstick to her makeup for the party and it accentuates the plump round lips that smile back at me. Newfound butterflies take flight as she bends over to lock her helmet on my bike. The fabric of my pants is far too tight for the sight of her in those black skinny jeans.

Abby looks at the two-story house. “Whose house is this?”

“A couple of my teammates rent this place. I’ll introduce you to Connor. He’s a good buddy.” I start up the sidewalk that leads to the front door, but when I don’t hear Abby’s footsteps follow behind me, I pause and glance back. She’s standing on the curb, clearly trying to conceal a worried expression with a smile, but I know better. I move back to her and offer my hand. She takes it with a little hesitation but squeezes after a short moment. “Take a deep breath, okay?” I take a dramatic long breath in, hold it for a moment, and breathe out as she mimics my actions. “I don’t have any magical wisdom to make this easier or make you feel more comfortable going into this than the last party. I wish I did, but I don’t. But I’ll be right here all night.”

She takes another deep breath before responding. “Okay.” With another squeeze of my hand, she follows my lead into the house.

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