by Tay Marley
“Cheer,” he mumbled against my mouth. “I mean it—it doesn’t matter where we go from here. I see a future with you.”
I leaned back, tingling from head to toe as his hips moved against mine. “I do too.”
“Even if I end up at Baylor? You’ll still love me? Call me every night? Let me sleep on your little dorm bed when I come and visit? Get naked on FaceTime?”
I scoffed with amusement. “We’ll talk about the FaceTime.” I held his neck, my fingers clasped at the back of his head. “But of course, Drayton. I said that before. I’m in this.”
Chapter 25
Gabby was twelve weeks pregnant, to the day, when we graduated. She was due at the beginning of December. So far, her top complaints were weight gain, nausea, the fact that she was going to have to push a human being out of her vagina, and that she could no longer drink.
Perhaps not in that particular order.
Ellie, understanding of what it was to be a teen parent, was quick to offer whatever help she could. Much to Josh’s disappointment, though, Ellie would not be the one to break the news to Josh’s parents in Canada. That was up to him. But, even though Josh wasn’t her son, she welcomed Gabby and offered that Gabby live with them.
But Camilla wasn’t in favor of Gabby leaving home. She wanted to support her daughter through the pregnancy. Not that it was surprising—she had never been in a rush for Gabby to move out. She was handling it all better than some mothers would, but she was still upset. Camilla had given Gabby her freedom and trusted her because Gabby was intelligent, and then Gabby went and got herself knocked up.
All of those involved had sort of adopted a what’s-done-is-done attitude.
“What about Han for a boy?” Josh tapped the edge of his beer bottle, the condensation sliding down the glass edge and falling into the swimming pool. “Like Han Solo? From Star Wars.”
Gabby, living out the last days that she’d get to wear a bikini in the water beside him, glared at his beer while she scowled at the suggestion.
“We are not naming our child after an alien.”
Josh fretted. He stuttered and waved his hand in disbelief. “An alien? What—are—have you even been watching the movies when I’ve put them on?”
“No,” Gabby said. “Sort of how you don’t watch The Vampire Diaries with me.”
Drayton looked at me with boredom. We were sitting on the edge of the pool. He was in his swim shorts, dark blue, with his cap on backward. I was in a bikini and lace beach shorts.
We’d graduated that morning. The three of us. No more school. No more cheerleading. No more homework. It was a surreal feeling, knowing that we wouldn’t be back. But I was excited for the next chapter in what life had to offer.
Drayton was kind enough to offer up his home for a graduation pool party. His mom was super pleased—sarcasm—but it was sort of a bargain in exchange for Drayton agreeing to a walk-on tryout at Baylor. Things had been tense between his father and me. In truth, I hadn’t spent a lot of time around the house, and if I was here, I was upstairs.
Students from school were all over the back garden. In the pool. In the cabana. Ellie might not have loved the idea of her home being used to celebrate—she was none the wiser to Drayton’s birthday antics—but she would never risk being labeled as a bad hostess. There were tables on the deck, catering tables covered in hot food, cold beverages, and dessert platters.
Before Drayton could suggest that he and I bounce and leave these two parents-to-be arguing over which names were awful and which were worse, his teammates demanded his attention.
“I’m just suggesting that we consider Luke or Leia. Those aren’t super unusual names, Gabs.”
I sighed and stood up, my feet padding through puddles beside the pool edge as I wandered toward the deck. Inside, I chewed on a piece of watermelon that I snatched from the table and wandered through the kitchen. It was quiet in here. No one was allowed in the house unless it was to use the bathroom. I was the exception of course, and I found Ellie on a barstool with a glass of wine.
“Keeping guard?” I sat down beside her, tossing my curled hair behind my shoulder.
She swallowed her Cabernet Sauvignon. “Mhmm. I know that girls like to go the bathroom in groups. But seven at once seems excessive.”
I laughed.
Ellie looked beautiful in a floor-length maxi dress. The pattern and colors were peacock. Blues and greens. Her sun-kissed shoulders were freckled and her green eyes were the same as Drayton’s.
Suddenly, Leroy appeared. He wandered in, dressed casually in a T-shirt and shorts. Ellie smiled as he stood behind her and kissed the top of her head. I might not have seen them, but he must have had some loveable qualities. Ellie was successful. She had her own income. She wouldn’t have remained married to this man if he was a total asshole.
“You look beautiful,” he mumbled beside her ear as he leaned around her and picked up the wine from the countertop. I didn’t think that I was meant to hear him. But I did.
He filled her glass while she grinned and then he looked at me. “Hello, Dallas.”
“Hey.”
He set the bottle down. Ellie sipped on her fresh beverage and he slipped his hands into his pockets. “Can we please talk for a moment?”
I quickly stood up. “I’ll leave you two alone.”
“No,” he almost chuckled. Almost. “You and me, Dallas. Can we please talk for a moment?”
I stood, staring with uncertainty. Ellie didn’t offer much in the way of assurance, but she did smile and nod when I looked at her for help. It wasn’t that I hated Leroy. I wasn’t scared of him. I just preferred not to be shouted at.
But I agreed with a timid nod and followed him out of the kitchen. We didn’t go far. We crossed the foyer, passing the staircase and front door. He stopped in the living room, his shoulders rising and falling with a deep breath.
“I want to apologize,” he stated. It was matter of fact and to the point as he stared out of the front window. A new car full of graduates pulled up. “I said things that I’m not proud of. Things that I would hate to hear another adult saying to my son. Or daughter if sh—”
There was a hitch in his voice, and I felt more awkward than I knew how to deal with. But I also felt a pang in my chest at the pain that crossed his features.
“The point is,” he continued, a quick shrug in his shoulders brushing off the sorrow. “I shouldn’t have blamed you for Drayton’s choices. What I said was out of line.”
Part of me wondered if he was just apologizing because he’d got his way.
“I hope that you can forgive me, and we can move past this.” He finally turned to look at me. “Drayton’s happiness is what is most important to his mother and me.”
Don’t say it. Don’t. Don’t do it. “Must help that he chose Baylor.”
Well done, Dallas.
Instead of scowling or shouting, he laughed. I had never seen him laugh like that before. He seemed so amused. “You’re perfect for him.”
“Uh—”
“Enjoy the party, Dallas.”
He nodded and stepped around me. I twisted, watching as he left the room and Drayton entered. His attention moved from his father to me and back again, the level of confusion growing deeper with each passing moment.
They came to a stop in front of each other. Drayton’s frown was intimidating as he watched his dad, not that I could blame him for being cautious. But Leroy laughed—he was doing that a lot this afternoon—and gave him a slap on the bare shoulder. “It’s fine, Son. Relax.”
Drayton was so protective of me.
When his dad was gone, Drayton sauntered toward me and pointed a thumb over his shoulder. “What was that about?”
“He was apologizing.”
“Ha.” Drayton folded his arms. His chest was delectable. “Took him long enough.”
“Come upstairs.” He nodded his head upward and held his hand out. I took it. “I have a graduation gift for you.”
“What!” I attempted to plant my feet flat so that he couldn’t pull me upstairs. It didn’t work in the slightest. “Dray, we said no graduation gifts. I didn’t get you anything.”
“Are you well today? Feeling okay? Are you happy?”
“Yes,” I mumbled, not entirely sure where the twenty questions had come from. “To all of it.”
“Then you’ve given me everything that I need.”
I don’t think that he realized that he couldn’t just spit that sort of stuff out and then leave me to deal with the fact that I was a swooning mess. He kicked his bedroom door closed after us, and I was attempting to focus on the fact that we’d come up here for a reason, because after that adorable confession, I was feeling all sorts of aroused.
He left me beside his bed and rummaged through the top drawer of his dresser. I admired the back of him and grinned. “You have a juicy booty.”
He peeped at me over his shoulder and laughed. “Give me ten and yours will be too,” he mumbled, returning to his search. He made me weak.
“Turn around,” he ordered. His hand remained inside of the drawer, but it seemed as though he had found what he was looking for.
When I’d turned around so that I was facing the door, I heard the sound of his feet against the soft carpet and within a few moments, an object came down in front of my face, a cold chain settling around my neck.
I looked down and picked up the key that hung from the chain. There was no doubting my confusion while I stared at the item in the palm of my hand. I started to turn around, still staring at the foreign object. “What’s the key fo—”
Drayton was holding his phone up when I turned around and on the screen was a picture of a stunning black motorcycle. It had purple detailing around the trim and handlebars. It wasn’t an overwhelming purple. It was deep and rich, but tasteful and appealing.
“This is being kept in a warehouse in California.” He looked eager and excited, and sported an enormous grin. “It’s yours.”
“You bought me a fucking motorcycle!” I squealed, snatching the phone out of his hand so that I could get a closer look. I was in utter disbelief. I knew that he was insane, but this was on an entirely different level.
“Yep!” He slid his hands into his swim-short pockets. They hung low on his hips. “Thought you could use some transport, and I know that you love to ride my bike. When you’re not riding me, of course.” He winked and I didn’t even have the wit to respond. I was too far floored at the outrageous gesture.
“This is too much!” I cried and threw the phone onto the bed. “I didn’t even get you anything. That must have cost a lot of money. You can’t jus—”
I was silenced by his mouth on mine. His arms encircled my waist, pulling me in close and tight, then he kissed me for a long time, his tongue exploring mine and his hands traveling the small of my back and waist. When we finally broke apart, I was breathless. I was a panting, wound-up mess. He didn’t release his hold, just gave me that seductive grin that caused my insides to turn to over.
“I love you, Cheer. And the fact that you love me, too, is enough. I don’t need anything more than that. I’ve got the money to buy whatever I want.” He leaned forward and gave me a chaste kiss. “What I need is you. As long as I have that, I’m good.”
“Well—me too,” I pouted. “You didn’t have to get me a motorcycle.”
“I wanted to.” He bopped me on the nose. “And I could. And I did. So shut up and tell me that you love me.”
I playfully rolled my eyes. “I love you.”
“Wow.” Nathan stared at the phone screen as I swiped through the photos of the motorcycle with him. “That was generous.”
“Tell me about it.” I nodded. The graduation party had lasted long into the night. But Nathan and I were due some time together, so we had plans to get lunch and throw some ball down at the field.
“You’ll have to get a license, I suppose?” He handed the phone back across the restaurant table and I lifted my bum so that I could slip it into my back pocket.
“And I’ll have to learn how to ride one. I can get proper lessons or something. He said that he’s going to cover them.”
“You seem embarrassed?”
“He does too much for me.” I shrugged a shoulder, pinching the soda straw between my fingers as I sipped on the iced beverage. “I need a job when I get to California.”
Nathan pushed his fork around the plate, shifting beans and salad. “One thing at a time. Get settled in first—you don’t know what the homework will be like.”
“I need a job,” I said. “It doesn’t matter what the homework is like. I’m not going to survive without one.”
He tilted his head from side to side. “I guess. I don’t like the thought of you burning yourself out.”
“I’ll be fine.” I smiled at his concern. “I might put in a few applications next week when I go and sort out the dorm room though. A job before I get there would be even better.”
“No one can accuse you of being lazy.”
“I just need to be prepared. I don’t want to fail.”
“You’ve got this. Don’t even stress.”
Drayton and I were headed to California for a little summer vacation. It was also so that I could organize a few final things at the college, but we figured that we’d make the most of it and hang around for the week.
I was a little bit nervous about spreading out time so that I made the most of it with everyone. Gabby and Josh and Nathan. Melissa made me swear that we’d go and see a movie or take a pole class together. That sounded sort of fun.
I knew that despite the fact that I was living the dream that I’d had for as long as I could remember, I was still going to miss the people I loved. It’d be hard when it was time to leave, and I had a feeling that I wouldn’t feel the full effect of it until I was gone.
“All right.” Nathan put his hand behind him and reached into his back pocket. “I can’t compete with a motorcycle, it’s just not going to happen. I should have given you my gift first. But whatever. Happy graduation.”
He slid a velvet box across the wooden tabletop. It was small, the size of a ring box. I picked it up and gave him a curious smile as I lifted the lid.
I almost burst into tears. “Nathan!”
It was an heirloom locket that had belonged to our mother. It had been in our family for generations. It used to hang beside Mom’s vanity. I had begged her to let me wear it, over and over again, but I wasn’t allowed. Its value was too great, and Mom didn’t want it to be at risk. She did promise me that it would be mine someday, though.
After she died, I looked for it, but it was gone. I assumed that Nan had it and didn’t want us to know. But now, upon opening it and finding new photos, I knew that it was Nathan who’d had it.
Inside of the locket was a photo of Nathan and me taken back in February. We’d gone out for a simple dinner for my birthday. I wasn’t interested in something over the top. But we did take a selfie beside a window and it had been developed down to the perfect locket size. On the other side of the locket was a photo of Mom and Dad just a few months before their deaths. It was summer. Mom was holding her hat down, Dad was holding Mom.
Their love was undeniable.
“They would have been so proud, kid.” Nathan smiled when I looked up at him through blurred vision. “You’ve come so far. Achieved so much. I can just imagine how much that would ha
ve meant to them.”
I tapped at the corners of my eyes, wiping at the tears that would ruin my mascara in a minute. “Why did you do this to me in public?” I chuckled and sniffed.
“I’ve been holding on to that for ages.” He leaned forward and put his elbows on the tabletop. “Thought it’d make a good graduation gift.”
The gold had been polished. It shone as I turned it over
and opened and closed it. “I was looking for it for so long. You must have had a good laugh, watching me search the entire damn house.”
“You were nine.” His stare was blank. “You looked for a few days. And not that well. But it was sort of entertaining.”
I fastened the locket around my neck. Nathan tilted his head, watching and appearing as though he wanted to get up and help when I struggled for a moment. But the clip clicked and the cold piece of jewelry sat on my chest.
“Very nice.”
“Thank you, Nathan.”
“’Course, kid.”
I refused to keep sobbing in public. This was the sweetest gift that I’d ever received, even if Drayton had lost his mind and bought me motorcycle. Nothing could compare to something so sentimental.
A waiter passed our table, plates of hot food in his hand stirring up a new appetite, and I decided to peep at the dessert menu. I couldn’t read the words Molten Lava Chocolate Cake and not order it, so we had dessert and then we drove to the park near home. Nathan snatched his football from the backseat then we wandered out into the grass. The sun was warm. I felt that familiar content that came with summer settle over me while I waited for Nathan to send me the ball. “What’s the plan this summer? Aside from California. Should we do some camping?”
I caught his pass and gave him a puzzled smile. We had to raise our voices a bit but he wasn’t too far from me. “You want to go camping with me?”
“I love camping.”
“Yeah.” I threw the ball back and he raised an arm, catching it with one hand. “But you usually go with your friends.”