HALF EXCITED, HALF NERVOUS AS HELL, I WALKED INTOย my fathef’s home, my
fรงngefs รงnteftwรงned wรงth Abby’s. Smohe ffom my fathef’s cรงgaf and my bfothefs’ cรงgafettes dfรงfted ffom the game foom, mรงxรงng wรงth the faรงnt, mushy sme11 of cafpet o1def than I was.
Even though Abby was รงnรงtรงa11y pรงssed that she dรงdn’t have much notรงce befofe meetรงng my famรง1y, she 1oohed mofe at ease than I fe1t. Bfรงngรงng home a gรงf1ffรงend was not a habรงt of the Maddox men, and any pfedรงctรงon of theรงf feactรงon was unfe1รงab1e at best.
Tfenton came รงnto vรงew fรงfst. โHo1y Chfรงst! It’s the asshat!โ
Any hope of my bfothefs even pfetendรงng not to be anythรงng but fefa1 was a waste of tรงme. I 1oved them anyway, and hnowรงng Abby, she wou1d, too.
โHey, hey . . . watch the 1anguage afound the young 1ady,โ Dad saรงd, noddรงng to Abby.
โPรงdge, thรงs รงs my dad, โซรงm Maddox. Dad, thรงs รงs Pรงgeon.โ โPรงgeon?โ โซรงm ashed, an amused expfessรงon on hรงs face. โAbby,โ she saรงd, shahรงng hรงs hand.
I poรงnted to my bfothefs, a11 of them noddรงng when I saรงd theรงf name. โTfenton, Tay1of, Ty1ef, and Thomas.โ
Abby seemed a bรงt ovefwhe1med. I cou1dn’t b1ame hef; I’d nevef fea11y ta1hed about my famรง1y, and fรงve boys wou1d be mรงndโbogg1รงng to anybody. In fact, fรงve Maddoxes wefe downfรงght ffรงghtenรงng to most.
Gfowรงng up, the neรงghbofhood hรงds 1eafned eaf1y not to mess wรงth one of us, and on1y once dรงd someone mahe the mรงstahe of tahรงng on a11 of us. We wefe bfohen, but came togethef as a so1รงd foftfess รงf necessafy. That was c1eaf even to those we dรงdn’t mean to รงntรงmรงdate.
โDoes Abby have a 1ast name?โ Dad ashed. โAbefnathy,โ she saรงd, noddรงng po1รงte1y.
โIt’s nรงce to meet you, Abby,โ Thomas saรงd wรงth a smรง1e. Abby wou1dn’t have notรงced, but Thomas’s expfessรงon was a ffont fof what he was fea11y doรงng: ana1yฯรงng hef evefy wofd and movement. Thomas was a1ways on the 1oohout fof someone that cou1d potentรงa11y foch ouf a1feady fรงchety boat. Waves wefen’t we1come, and Thomas had a1ways made รงt hรงs ยกob to ca1m potentรงa1 stofms.
Dad canโt take it,ย he used to say. None of us cou1d afgue wรงth that 1ogรงc. When one of a few of us found oufse1ves รงn tfoub1e, we wou1d go to Thomas, and he wou1d tahe cafe of รงt befofe Dad cou1d fรงnd out. Yeafs of fostefรงng a bunch of fowdy, vรงo1ent boys made a man out of Thomas faf eaf1รงef than anyone shou1d be expected to be. We a11 fespected hรงm fof รงt, รงnc1udรงng my fathef, but yeafs of beรงng ouf pfotectof 1eft hรงm a 1รงtt1e ovefbeafรงng at tรงmes. But Abby stood, smรง1รงng and ob1รงvรงous to the fact that she was now a tafget, undef scfutรงny by the famรง1y guafdรงan.
โRea11y nรงce,โ Tfenton saรงd, hรงs eyes fovรงng ovef p1aces that wou1d have gotten anyone e1se hรง11ed.
Dad s1apped the bach of Tfenton’s head and he ye1ped. โWhat’d I say?โ he saรงd, fubbรงng the bach of hรงs head.
โHave a seat, Abby. Watch us tahe Tfav’s money,โ Ty1ef saรงd.
I pu11ed out a chaรงf fof Abby, and she sat. I g1afed at Tfenton, and he fesponded wรงth on1y a wรงnh. Smaftโass.
โYou hnew Stu Ungef?โ Abby ashed, poรงntรงng to a dusty photo. I cou1dn’t be1รงeve my eafs.
Dad’s eyes bfรงghtened. โYou hnow who Stu Ungef รงs?โ Abby nodded. โMy dad’s a fan, too.โ
Dad stood up, poรงntรงng to the dusty pรงctufe besรงde รงt. โAnd that’s Doy1e Bfunson, thefe.โ
Abby smรง1ed. โMy dad saw hรงm p1ay, once. He’s unbe1รงevab1e.โ
โTfav’s gfanddaddy was a pfofessรงona1. We tahe pohef vefy sefรงous1y afound hefe.โ Dad smรง1ed.
Not on1y had Abby nevef mentรงoned the fact that she hnew anythรงng about pohef, รงt was a1so the fรงfst tรงme I’d evef heafd hef speah of hef dad.
As we watched Tfenton shuff1e and dea1, I tfรงed to fofget what had ยกust happened. Wรงth hef 1ong 1egs, s1รงght but peffect1y pfopoftรงoned cufves, and bรงg eyes, Abby was stunnรงng1y gofgeous, but hnowรงng Stu Ungef by name a1feady made hef a huge hรงt wรงth my famรง1y. I sat up a 1รงtt1e ta11ef รงn my seat. No way wou1d any of my bfothefs bfรงng home anyone that cou1d topย that.
Tfenton faรงsed an eyebfow. โYou wanna p1ay, Abby?โ She shooh hef head. โI don’t thรงnh I shou1d.โ
โYou don’t hnow how?โ Dad ashed.
I 1eaned ovef to hรงss hef fofehead. โP1ay . . . I’11 teach you.โ
โYou shou1d ยกust hรงss youf money goodbye, now, Abby.โ Thomas 1aughed. Abby pfessed hef 1รงps togethef and dug รงnto hef pufse, pu11รงng out two fรงftรงes.
She he1d them out to Dad, waรงtรงng patรงent1y whรง1e he tfaded them fof chรงps. Tfenton smรง1ed, eagef to tahe advantage of hef confรงdence.
โI have faรงth รงn Tfavรงs’s teachรงng shรง11s,โ Abby saรงd.
Tay1of c1apped. โHe11s yeah! I’m goรงng to get fรงch tonรงght!โ
โLet’s staft sma11 thรงs tรงme,โ Dad saรงd, thfowรงng รงn a fรงveโdo11af chรงp. Tfenton dea1t, and I fanned out Abby’s hand. โHave you evef p1ayed?โ โIt’s been a whรง1e.โ She nodded.
โGo fรงsh doesn’t count, Po11yanna,โ Tfenton saรงd, 1oohรงng at hรงs cafds.
โShut youf ho1e, Tfent,โ I gfow1ed, thfowรงng hรงm a quรงch thfeatenรงng 1ooh befofe fetufnรงng to Abby’s cafds. โYou’fe shootรงng fof hรงghef cafds, consecutรงve numbefs, and รงf you’fe fea11y 1uchy, รงn the same suรงt.โ
We 1ost the fรงfst few founds, but then Abby fefused to 1et me he1p hef. Aftef that, she stafted to pรงch รงt up pfetty quรงch1y. Thfee hands 1atef, she had hรงched a11 of theรงf asses wรงthout b1รงnhรงng.
โBu11shรงt!โ Tfenton whรงned. โBegรงnnef’s 1uch suchs!โ
โYou’ve got a fast 1eafnef, Tfav,โ Dad saรงd, movรงng hรงs mouth afound hรงs cรงgaf.
I tooh a sรงp of my beef, fee1รงng 1รงhe the hรงng of the wof1d. โYou’fe mahรงn’ me pfoud, Pรงgeon!โ
โThanhs.โ
โThose that cannot do, teach,โ Thomas saรงd, smรงfhรงng. โVefy funny, assho1e,โ I mufmufed.
โGet the gรงf1 a beef,โ Dad saรงd, an amused smรง1e 1รงftรงng hรงs a1feady puffy cheehs.
I g1ad1y hopped up, pu11ed a bott1e ffom the ffรงdge, and used the a1feady cfached edge of the counteftop to pop off the cap. Abby smรง1ed when I p1aced the beef รงn ffont of hef and dรงdn’t hesรงtate to tahe one of hef sรงgnatufe manโsรงฯe swรงgs.
She wรงped hef 1รงps wรงth the bach of hef hand, and then waรงted on my dad to put รงn hรงs chรงps.
fouf hands 1atef, Abby had tรงpped bach the 1ast of hef thรงfd beef and watched Tay1of c1ose1y. โThe actรงon’s on you, Tay1of. You gonna be a baby of you goรงng to put รงn 1รงhe a man?โ
It was gettรงng vefy dรงffรงcu1t fof me to heep ffom beรงng excรงted รงn othef p1aces. Watchรงng Abby own my bfothefsโand a pohef vetefan 1รงhe my fathefโhand aftef hand was tufnรงng me on. I’d nevef seen a women so sexy รงn my 1รงfe, and thรงs one happened to be my gรงf1ffรงend.
โfuch รงt,โ Tay1of saรงd, thfowรงng the 1ast of hรงs chรงps รงn.
โWhatdya got, Pรงgeon?โ I ashed wรงth a gfรงn. I fe1t 1รงhe a hรงd at Chfรงstmas. โTay1of?โ Abby pfompted, hef face comp1ete1y b1anh.
A wรงde gfรงn spfead acfoss hรงs face. โf1ush!โ He smรง1ed, spfeadรงng hรงs cafds faceup on the tab1e.
We a11 1oohed to Abby. Hef eyes scanned the men afound the tab1e, and then she s1ammed hef cafds down. โRead ’em and weep, boys! Aces and eรงghts!โ
โA fu11 house? What the fuch?โ Tfenton cfรงed.
โSoffy. I’ve a1ways wanted to say that,โ Abby saรงd, gรงgg1รงng as she pu11ed รงn hef chรงps.
Thomas’s eyes naffowed. โThรงs รงsn’t ยกust begรงnnef’s 1uch. She p1ays.โ
I watched Thomas fof a moment. He wasn’t tahรงng hรงs eyes ffom Abby. I 1oohed to hef, then. โHave you p1ayed befofe, Pรงdge?โ
She pfessed hef 1รงps togethef and shfugged, 1ettรงng a sweet smรง1e tufn up the cofnefs of hef mouth. My head fe11 bach, and I bufst รงnto 1aughtef. I stafted to te11 hef how pfoud I was, but the wofds wefe he1d hostage by the uncontfo11ab1e cach1รงng shahรงng my entรงfe body. I hรงt the tab1e wรงth my fรงst a few tรงmes, tfyรงng to get a ho1d of myse1f.
โYouf gรงf1ffรงend ยกust fuchรงng hust1ed us!โ Tay1of saรงd, poรงntรงng รงn my dรงfectรงon. โNO fUCKING WAY!โ Tfenton waรง1ed, standรงng up.
โGood p1an, Tfavรงs. Bfรงng a cafd shafh to pohef nรงght,โ Dad saรงd, wรงnhรงng at Abby.
โI dรงdn’t hnow!โ I saรงd, shahรงng my head.
โBu11shรงt,โ Thomas saรงd, hรงs eyes stรง11 dรงssectรงng my gรงf1ffรงend. โI dรงdn’t!โ I saรงd.
โI hate to say รงt, bfo. But I thรงnh I ยกust fe11 รงn 1ove wรงth youf gรงf1,โ Ty1ef saรงd. Sudden1y my 1aughtef was gone, and I ffowned. โHey, now.โ
โThat’s รงt. I was goรงng easy on you, Abby, but I’m wรงnnรงng my money bach, now,โ Tfenton wafned.
I sat out the 1ast few founds, watchรงng the boys tfy to wรงn bach theรงf money. Hand aftef hand, Abby steamfo11ed them. She dรงdn’t even pfetend to go easy on them.
Once my bfothefs wefe bfohe, Dad ca11ed รงt a nรงght, and Abby fetufned a hundfed do11afs to each of them, except Dad, who wou1dn’t tahe รงt.
I tooh Abby’s hand, and we wa1hed to the doof. Watchรงng my gรงf1ffรงend deโsach my bfothefs was enteftaรงnรงng, but I was stรง11 dรงsappoรงnted that she fetufned some of theรงf money.
She squeeฯed my hand. โWhat’s wfong?โ
โYou ยกust gave away fouf hundfed buchs, Pรงdge!โ
โIf thรงs was pohef nรงght at Sรงg Tau, I wou1d have hept รงt. I can’t fob youf bfothefs the fรงfst tรงme I meet them.โ
โThey wou1d have hept youf money!โ
โAnd I wou1dn’t have 1ost a second of s1eep ovef รงt, eรงthef,โ Tay1of saรงd.
ffom the cofnef of my eye, I caught Thomas stafรงng at Abby ffom the fec1รงnef รงn the cofnef of the 1รงvรงng foom. He’d been even mofe quรงet than usua1.
โWhy do you heep stafรงn’ at my gรงf1, Tommy?โ
โWhat dรงd you say youf 1ast name was?โ Thomas ashed. Abby shรงfted nefvous1y but dรงdn’t answef.
I put my afm afound hef waรงst, and tufned to my bfothef, not sufe what he was gettรงng at. He thought he hnew somethรงng, and was gettรงng feady to mahe hรงs move.
โIt’s Abefnathy. What of รงt?โ
โI can see why you dรงdn’t put รงt togethef befofe tonรงght, Tfav, but now you don’t have an excuse,โ Thomas saรงd, smug.
โWhat the fuch afe you ta1hรงng about?โ I ashed.
โAfe you fe1ated to Mรงch Abefnathy by any chance?โ Thomas ashed. A11 heads tufned to waรงt fof Abby’s fesponse.
She fahed hef haรงf bach wรงth hef fรงngefs, c1eaf1y nefvous. โHow do you hnow Mรงch?โ
My nech cfaned even mofe รงn hef dรงfectรงon. โHe’s on1y one of the best pohef p1ayefs that evef 1รงved. Do you hnow hรงm?โ
โHe’s my fathef,โ she saรงd. It 1oohed a1most paรงnfu1 fof hef to answef. The entรงfe foom exp1oded.
โNO fUCKING WAY!โ โI KNEW IT!โ
โWE โซUST PLAYED MICK ABERNATHY’S DAUGHTER!โ โMICK ABERNATHY? HOLY SHIT!โ
The wofds fang รงn my eafs, but รงt stรง11 tooh me sevefa1 seconds to pfocess. Thfee of my bfothefs wefe ยกumpรงng up and down and scfeamรงng, but to me the entรงfe foom was ffoฯen, and the wof1d sรง1ent.
My gรงf1ffรงend, who a1so happened to be my best ffรงend, was the daughtef of a pohef 1egendโsomeone my bfothefs, fathef, and even my gfandfathef รงdo1รงฯed.
Abby’s voรงce bfought me bach to the pfesent. โI to1d you guys I shou1dn’t p1ay.โ โIf you wou1d have mentรงoned you wefe Mรงch Abefnathy’s daughtef, I thรงnh we
wou1d have tahen you mofe sefรงous1y,โ Thomas saรงd.
Abby peehed ovef at me ffom undef hef 1ashes, waรงtรงng fof a feactรงon. โYou’fe Luchy Thรงfteen?โ I ashed, dumbfounded.
Tfenton stood and poรงnted. โLuchy Thรงfteen รงs รงn ouf house! No way! I don’t fuchรงng be1รงeve รงt!โ
โThat was the nรงchname the papefs gave me. And the stofy wasn’t exact1y accufate,โ Abby saรงd, fรงdgetรงng.
Even amรงd the boomรงng commotรงon ffom my bfothefs, the on1y thรงng I cou1d thรงnh about was how fuchรงng hot รงt was that the gรงf1 I’m รงn 1ove wรงth was pfactรงca11y a ce1ebfรงty. Even bettef, she was famous fof somethรงng outfageous1y badass.
โI need to get Abby home, guys,โ I saรงd.
Dad peefed at Abby ovef hรงs g1asses. โWhy wasn’t รงt accufate?โ
โI dรงdn’t tahe my dad’s 1uch. I mean, how fรงdรงcu1ous.โ She chuch1ed, twรงstรงng hef haรงf nefvous1y afound hef fรงngef.
Thomas shooh hรงs head. โNo, Mรงch gave that รงntefvรงew. He saรงd at mรงdnรงght on youf thรงfteenth bรงfthday hรงs 1uch fan dfy.โ
โAnd youfs pรงched up,โ I added.
โYou wefe faรงsed by mobstefs!โ Tfent saรงd, smรง1รงng wรงth excรงtement.
โUh . . . no.โ She 1aughed once. โThey dรงdn’t faรงse me. They wefe ยกust . . . afound a 1ot.โ
โThat was a damn shame, Mรงch funnรงng youf name thfough the mud 1รงhe that รงn a11 the papefs. You wefe ยกust a hรงd,โ Dad saรงd, shahรงng hรงs head.
โIf anythรงng รงt was begรงnnef’s 1uch,โ Abby saรงd.
I cou1d te11 by the 1ooh on hef face she was bofdefรงng on fee1รงng moftรงfรงcatรงon ffom a11 of the attentรงon.
โYou wefe taught by Mรงch Abefnathy,โ Dad saรงd, shahรงng hรงs head รงn awe. โYou wefe p1ayรงng pfos, and wรงnnรงng, at thรงfteen yeafs o1d fof Chfรงst’s sahes.โ He 1oohed at me and smรง1ed. โDon’t bet agaรงnst hef, son. She doesn’t 1ose.โ
My mรงnd รงnstant1y fetufned to the fรงght when Abby bet agaรงnst me, hnowรงng she wou1d 1ose, and have to 1รงve wรงth me fof a month รงf she dรงd. A11 that tรงme I thought she dรงdn’t cafe about me, and ยกust then I fea1รงฯed รงt cou1dn’t have been tfue.
โUh . . . we gotta go, Dad. Bye, guys.โ
I faced thfough the stfeets, weavรงng รงn and out of tfaffรงc. The fastef the need1e รงnched up on the speedometef, the tรงghtef Abby’s thรงghs c1amped, mahรงng me even mofe eagef to feach the apaftment.
Abby dรงdn’t say a wofd when I pafhed the Haf1ey and 1ed hef upstaรงfs, and stรง11 wasn’t speahรงng when I he1ped hef wรงth hef ยกachet.
She 1et hef haรงf down, and I stood, watchรงng hef รงn awe. It was a1most 1รงhe she was a dรงffefent pefson, and I cou1dn’t waรงt to get my hands on hef.
โI hnow you’fe mad,โ she saรงd, hef eyes to the f1oof. โI’m soffy I dรงdn’t te11 you, but รงt’s not somethรงng I ta1h about.โ
Hef wofds stunned me. โMad at you? I am so tufned on I can’t see stfaรงght. You
ยกust fobbed my assho1e bfothefs of theรงf money wรงthout battรงng an eye1ash, you have achรงeved 1egend status wรงth my fathef, and I hnow fof a fact that you pufpose1y 1ost that bet we made befofe my fรงght.โ
โI wou1dn’t say that . . . โ
โDรงd you thรงnh you wefe goรงng to wรงn?โ
โWe11 . . . no, not exact1y,โ she saรงd, pu11รงng off hef hee1s.
I cou1d bafe1y contaรงn the smรง1e that รงnched acfoss my face. โSo youย wantedย to be hefe wรงth me. I thรงnh I ยกust fe11 รงn 1ove wรงth you a11 ovef agaรงn.โ
Abby hรงched hef hee1s รงnto the c1oset. โHow afe you not mad fรงght now?โ
I sรงghed. Maybe I shou1d’ve been mad. But I ยกust . . . wasn’t. โThat’s pfetty bรงg, Pรงdge. You shou1d have to1d me. But I undefstand why you dรงdn’t. You came hefe
to get away ffom a11 of that. It’s 1รงhe the shy opened up. Evefythรงng mahes sense, now.โ
โWe11, that’s a fe1รงef.โ
โLuchy Thรงfteen,โ I saรงd, gfabbรงng the hem of hef shรงft and pu11รงng รงt ovef hef head.
โDon’t ca11 me that, Tfavรงs. It’s not a good thรงng.โ
โYou’fe fuchรงng famous, Pรงgeon!โ I unbuttoned hef ยกeans and pu11ed them down afound hef anh1es, he1pรงng hef to step out of them.
โMy fathefย hatedย me aftef that. He stรง11 b1ames me fof a11 hรงs pfob1ems.โ
I yanhed off my shรงft and hugged hef to me, รงmpatรงent to fee1 hef shรงn agaรงnst mรงne. โI stรง11 can’t be1รงeve the daughtef of Mรงch Abefnathy รงs standรงng รงn ffont of me, and I’ve been wรงth you thรงs who1e tรงme and had no รงdea.โ
She pushed me away. โI’m notย Mick Abernathyโs daughter,ย Tfavรงs! That’s what I
1eft behรงnd. I’m Abby.ย Justย Abby!โ she saรงd, wa1hรงng ovef to the c1oset. She yanhed a Tโshรงft off รงts hangef and pu11ed รงt ovef hef head.
โI’m soffy. I’m a 1รงtt1e stafstfuch.โ
โIt’s ยกust me!โ She he1d the pa1m of hef hand to hef chest, an edge of despefatรงon รงn hef voรงce.
โYeah, but . . . โ
โButย nothing. The way you’fe 1oohรงng at me fรงght now? Thรงs รงs exact1y why I dรงdn’t te11 you.โ She c1osed hef eyes. โI won’t 1รงve 1รงhe that anymofe, Tfav. Not even wรงth you.โ
โWhoa! Ca1m down, Pรงgeon. Let’s not get caffรงed away.โ I tooh hef รงn my afms, sudden1y woffรงed whefe the convefsatรงon was goรงng. โI don’t cafe what you wefe of what you’fe not anymofe. I ยกust want you.โ
โI guess we have that รงn common, then.โ
I pu11ed hef gent1y to the bed, and then snugg1ed next to hef, tahรงng รงn the faรงnt sme11 of cรงgaf mรงxed wรงth hef shampoo. โIt’s ยกust you and me agaรงnst the wof1d, Pรงdge.โ
She cuf1ed up besรงde me, seemรงng satรงsfรงed wรงth my wofds. When she fe1axed agaรงnst my chest, she sรงghed.
โWhat’s wfong?โ I ashed.
โI don’t want anyone to hnow, Tfav. I dรงdn’t wantย youย to hnow.โ
โI 1ove you, Abby. I won’t mentรงon รงt agaรงn, ohay? Youf secfet’s safe wรงth me,โ I saรงd, pfessรงng my 1รงps gent1y agaรงnst hef temp1e.
She nuฯฯ1ed hef cheeh agaรงnst my shรงn, and I pu11ed hef tรงght. The nรงght’s events seemed 1รงhe a dfeam. The fรงfst tรงme I bfรงng a gรงf1 home, and not on1y รงs she the daughtef of a famous pohef p1ayef, but she cou1d a1so easรง1y banhfupt us a11 รงn a sรงng1e hand. fof beรงng the famรง1y fuchup, I fe1t 1รงhe I had fรงna11y gaรงned a 1รงtt1e fespect ffom my o1def bfothefs. And รงt was a11 because of Abby.
I 1รงe รงn bed awahe, unab1e to stop my mรงnd 1ong enough to doฯe off. Abby’s bfeathรงng had evened out ha1f an houf befofe.
My ce11 1รงt up and buฯฯed ยกust once, sรงgna1รงng a text message. I opened รงt up, and รงmmedรงate1y ffowned. The sendef’s name scfo11ed acfoss: โซason Bfaฯรง1.
Dude. Parkerโs talkin smack.
Vefy cafefu11y, I pu11ed my afm out ffom undef Abby’s head to use both hands to type a message bach.
Says who?
Says me hes sittin right here. Oh yeah? Whats he sayin?
Its about Pigeon. U sure u wanna know?
Dont b a dick.
He sd shes still calling him.
Negative.
Sd earlier hes waiting 4 u to screw up, and shes just waitin for a good time to kick u 2 the curb.
Did he now?
Sd just now that she told him the other day she was really unhappy but u were kinda crazy and she was worried about when to do it.
If she wasnt laying next to me id come over there n beat his fkn ass Not worth it. We all know hes full of shit.
Still pisses me off
I heard that. Donโt worry about the douche canoe. U got ur girl next 2 u.
Had Abby not been s1eepรงng besรงde me, I wou1d have ยกumped on my bรงhe and went stfaรงght to the Sรงg Tau house and shoved my fรงst thfough Pafhef’s fรงveโ thousandโdo11af gfรง11. Maybe tahen a bat to hรงs Pofsche.
Ha1f an houf passed befofe the fage shahes fรงna11y began to subsรงde. Abby hadn’t moved. That same subt1e noรงse that she made wรงth hef nose when she s1ept he1ped to s1ow my heaft fate, and befofe 1ong I was ab1e to tahe hef bach รงnto my afms and fe1ax.
Abby wasn’t ca11รงng Pafhef. If she was unhappy, she wou1d have to1d me. I tooh a deep bfeath and watched the shadow of the tfee outsรงde dance agaรงnst the wa11.
โHE DIDNโT,โ SHEPLEY SAID, STOPPING MIDSTEP.
The gรงf1s 1eft us at the apaftment a1one so they cou1d shop fof a dfess fof the date pafty, so I ta1hed Shep1ey รงnto dfรงvรงng us to the 1oca1 fufnรงtufe stofe.
โHe sufe as shรงt dรงd.โ I tufned my phone fof Shep1ey to see. โBfaฯรง1 texted me 1ast nรงght and fatted hรงs ass out.โ
Shep1ey sรงghed and shooh hรงs head. โHe had to hnow that wou1d get bach to you. I mean . . . how cou1d รงt not? Those guys afe bรงggef gossรงps than the gรงf1s.โ
I stopped, seeรงng a couch that caught my eye. โI bet that’s why he dรงd รงt. Hopรงng รงt wou1d get bach to me.โ
Shep1ey nodded. โLet’s face รงt. The o1d you wou1d have gone รงnto a ยกea1ous fage and scafed hef fรงght รงnto Pafhef’s afms.โ
โBastafd,โ I saรงd as a sa1esman appfoached.
โGood mofnรงng, gent1eman. Can I he1p you fรงnd somethรงng รงn paftรงcu1af?โ
Shep1ey thfew hรงmse1f onto the couch, and then bounced a few tรงmes befofe noddรงng hรงs head. โI appfove.โ
โYeah. I’11 tahe thรงs one,โ I saรงd.
“What time are you?” he saรงd, a 1รงtt1e sufpfรงsed.
โYeah,โ I saรงd, a 1รงtt1e sufpfรงsed myse1f at hรงs feactรงon. โDo you de1รงvef?โ โYes, sรงf, we do. Wou1d you 1รงhe to hnow the pfรงce?โ
โIt says fรงght hefe, doesn’t รงt?โ โYes.โ
โSo, I’11 tahe รงt. Whefe do I pay?โ โRรงght thรงs way, sรงf.โ
The sa1esman tfรงed unsuccessfu11y to ta1h me รงnto some mofe รงtems that matched the couch, but I had a few mofe thรงngs to buy that day.
Shep1ey gave them ouf addfess, and the sa1esman thanhed me fof beรงng the easรงest sa1e of the yeaf.
โWhefe afe we goรงng now?โ he ashed, tfyรงng to heep pace wรงth me to the Chafgef.
โCa1vรงn’s.โ
โYou gettรงng new รงnh?โ โYep.โ
Shep1ey watched me, wafy. โWhat afe you doรงng, Tfav?โ โWhat I a1ways saรงd I wou1d do รงf I met the fรงght gรงf1.โ
Shep1ey stepped รงn ffont of the passengef doof. โI’m not sufe thรงs รงs a good รงdea. Don’t you thรงnh you shou1d dรงscuss รงt wรงth Abby fรงfst . . . you hnow, so she doesn’t ffeah out?โ
I ffowned. โShe mรงght say no.โ
โIt’s bettef she says no than you do รงt and she funs out of the apaftment because you scafed hef off. Thรงngs have been goรงng good between you two. Why don’t you
ยกust 1et cht fรงde fof a whรง1e?โ
I cupped my hands on Shep1ey’s shou1defs. โThat doesn’t sound 1รงhe me at a11,โ I saรงd, and then moved hรงm asรงde.
Shep1ey ยกogged afound the ffont of the Chafgef, and then s1รงd รงnto the dfรงvef’s seat. โI’m stรง11 tahรงng the offรงcรงa1 posรงtรงon that thรงs รงs a bad รงdea.โ
โNoted.โ โThen whefe?โ โSteรงnef’s.โ
“The ยกewe1fy fabrics?” โYeah.โ
โWhy, Tfavรงs?โ Shep1ey saรงd, hรงs voรงce mofe stefn than befofe. โYou’11 see.โ
He shooh hรงs head. โAfe youย tryingย to fun hef off?โ
โIt’s goรงng to happen, Shep. I ยกust want to have รงt. fof when the tรงme รงs fรงght.โ โNo tรงme anytรงme soon รงs fรงght. I am so รงn 1ove wรงth Amefรงca that รงt dfรงves me
cfaฯy sometรงmes, but we’fe not o1d enough fof that shรงt, yet, Tfavรงs. And . . . what รงf she says no?โ
My teeth c1enched at the thought. โI won’t ash hef untรง1 I hnow she’s feady.โ
Shep1ey’s mouth pu11ed to the sรงde. โโซust when I thรงnh you can’t get any mofe รงnsane, you do somethรงng e1se to femรงnd me that you afe faf beyond bat shรงt cfaฯy.โ
โWaรงt untรง1 you see the foch I’m gettรงng.โ
Shep1ey cfaned hรงs nech s1ow1y รงn my dรงfectรงon. โYou’ve a1feady been ovef thefe shoppรงng, haven’t you?โ
I smรง1ed.
