Page 48

Allie

“ A s if May couldn’t be any busier, I added a poetry contest.” I grumble, sitting at the desk with Edward double-counting the votes. “We should’ve ended this at Christmas.”

“I thought that was the original plan.” Edward is backing up my count.

“I’m glad you didn’t.” Sadie blinks up at me, smiling nervously.

She started as a library aide in January, and I’m doing my best to accept what Jack said and not be mad at her for hooking up with Austin’s friend.

According to Jack, Austin was more hurt by Levi’s betrayal than Sadie’s, and being a pregnant teenager won’t be easy for them. Still, it’s not easy.

At least she seems to know what she did, and she tiptoes around me.

“We got some really great additions after Christmas.” Her voice is quiet. “I’ve put together the list of authors, but we still have some unaccounted for.”

“Who’s Number 18?” Edward leans over to look at her list. “They got my vote—and almost everyone else’s.”

Sadie ducks her head, flipping pages and running her finger down her list. “Nobody’s claimed it.”

“If they didn’t claim it, we’ll have to move to the next person on the list.” I close the folder, going behind my desk to get the prizes out of my drawer.

Edward frowns, examining the yellow steno pad. “It’s a long drop to second.”

The lunch bell rings, and students start pouring in through the double doors. Morning announcements said we’d name the winners at lunch, and everyone’s excited for all the events of the last weeks of school.

Seniors are in their final week, and the halls are decorated with posters made by the junior class, naming the class favorites and assorted scholastic and sports accomplishments.

Austin was named Sports Illustrated ’s high school player of the year, which came with a nice scholarship, not that he needed it after getting a full ride to Tennessee. Jack said it would help with books and incidentals.

Every time I see his poster, my chest squeezes, and I fight back tears.

I’m just coming around the desk when I notice Sadie’s cheeks flush. I look up to see Austin walking through the doors, sharing a laugh with Tyreek and Lucas Outlaw.

He’s carrying a stack of red Solo cups, and he walks right up to the short bookshelf where Edward is marking our first-, second-, and third-place winners.

Edward doesn’t even look up as my son begins stacking the cups in a pyramid design, but I frown, walking over to see what the heck he’s up to.

“Hey, babe,” I start. “What’re you?—”

Then he reaches back with a snap, and Lucas steps forward quickly to hand him a folded poster, which he opens to reveal a large message reading, Don’t let me go SOLO to the prom .

He’s standing across the bookshelf from Edward, who still hasn’t looked up, but he has caught the attention of the rest of the kids in the library who fall silent except for the occasional noise of muffled laughter.

Austin finally gives up on his friend looking and clears his throat loudly. Edward still doesn’t look, so I give him a nudge.

“I’m just making sure I have the correct numbers,” he says, and I nod in the direction of my waiting son.

Still frowning, he looks at Austin, who immediately begins speaking. “Edward Wells, will you go with me to the prom?”

More snorts and hushed laughter as the entire library waits to see what will happen next.

Edward blinks several times, reading the poster then studying the pyramid of red Solo cups on the bookshelf beside him.

He hasn’t stopped frowning when he says, “You’re asking me to the prom?”

“Yes, please.” Austin’s eyes dance, but he’s holding a straight face.

Edward’s back straightens. “Well... you’re objectively handsome, and you’re arguably the best football player on the team.” He nods at the sign and visual aid. “Your prom-posal is unexpected and daring, which I admire. However, you should know I’m not a homosexual.”

A laugh bursts through my son’s nose, and he covers his mouth with his hand, clearing his throat. “Since you put it that way, I’m not either, but that doesn’t matter.”

“I’m not a senior.”

“I am.”

Edward’s upper lip curls. “Do you want me to wear a dress?”

“No!” Austin almost laughs again, but instead he steps forward to put a hand on Edward’s shoulder. “You’re my best friend. Let’s go and have some fun with the rest of the class. Okay?”

Rachel’s brother hesitates a moment. Then he almost seems pleased, nodding. “I’ll bring my earplugs.”

“I’ll pick you up at seven. Wear a tux. ”

The library bursts into applause, and a few kids whistle. I put my hand over my mouth as I smile, shaking my head.

Austin walks around to lean on the short bookcase beside his best friend, and I couldn’t be more proud.

“Look at this one!” Rachel has her phone out, swiping through her pictures of Austin and Edward posing in front of a large oak tree in front of her house.

Austin is on his knee, and Edward is staring at him confused.

“Those boys crack me up.” Raven laughs, swiping through Rachel’s pictures, showing us one where Austin pins a boutonniere on Edward’s lapel. “I hate we’re missing all the fun stuff. We’ve got to move back to Newhope before all the kids are grown.”

“You’re here for the big things.” I put my arm around her shoulders, giving her a cup of purple drink. “Like my wedding… my kidnapping…”

“Gah!” Raven cries, waving her hand. “Don’t even say that! I’m so glad you’re okay, and that creep is behind bars for good.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Liv holds up her cup, and I grab a cup as well.

We’ve made it all the way to June. Graduation was last weekend, and tomorrow, all my dreams will come true.

After months of planning—which I pretty much completely turned over to Craig’s wedding-planner boyfriend Clint—I’ll walk down the aisle and marry Jack Bradford, the man of my dreams.

With everything that’s happened since Christmas, I don’t even know what all I said yes to, but after three weddings and a birthday party, Clint has proven he has impeccable taste.

The ceremony will be held in the park overlooking the bay down by the pier. We’ll say “I do” under an arch covered in pink bougainvillea, with bouquets of white lilies and neon-pink azaleas.

Jack and I agreed since it’s a second wedding for both of us, we want to keep it small—family and close friends only. Still, he’s a minor celebrity, so we expect some spectators to be on hand.

I found a beautiful dress at one of the boutique stores in town. It’s a knee-length cream-colored silk with spaghetti straps and tiers of chiffon on the top and over the skirt. I’ll wear my glasses, my hair up, and paint my lips red as a sexy inside joke.

And tonight, we’re having our usual bachelorette party—complete with purple drink, or virgin purple drink for Dylan—this time in my honor.

“They were so handsome.” I take out my phone to show the pictures we took at my place with Jack and Kimmie. “I can’t get over how grown they looked in tuxedos!”

Kimmie watched the whole thing with amazement, holding my hand tightly. She only cried a little bit about not being able to go, but we took her for ice cream to make it up to her.

“They look hot.” Liv leans forward to look at my phone. “I bet all the girls were tripping over their heels to dance with them.”

“I can confirm they were.” Dylan walks out of the kitchen holding her very pregnant stomach with one hand and a tray of toast points in the other. “They looked like models, and Austin had a blast. I couldn’t tell how Edward felt.”

“You feeling okay, Dee?” I take the tray from her, putting it on the bar.

Her nose wrinkles. “I’ve just had this heartburn all day.”

She attempts a smile, but she still looks uncomfortable.

I pass her a cup of virgin purple drink. “One more week!”

“I like Austin’s attitude.” Liv lifts her chin as I refill her cup. “He shook that Sadie nonsense right off and had a fun senior year.”

“He’s shaken off a lot this year.” My mood dims slightly. “Jack has helped so much. ”

“Who ever thought Edward would go to the prom?” Rachel’s voice goes high, and she taps the tears off her cheeks with her fingertips. “Austin’s the best kid. He included Eddie in everything from the very beginning. Then he called him his best friend…”

“He’s pretty great.” I pass her a napkin to dry her eyes and a cup of purple drink. “I don’t know what I’m going to do next year without him.”

“You’ll be making whoopee with my big brother!” Dylan cries, holding up her cup. “And it’s about damn time.”

We all cheers, and Dylan squats awkwardly to dig in her bag.

“It’s time for our bachelorette round of Marry-Fuck-Kill, and have I got some options lined up for tonight.

You guys are going to have the hardest time sorting…

sorting… Oh!” Her eyes go wide, and she drops her bag and all of the pens. “Oh, no!”

A loud whooshing noise is followed by what sounds like water spilling all over the floor.

“What’s happening?” Rachel comes running back from where she went to touch up her makeup. “Dylan, oh my god! Did you pee?”

“Rachel, call Logan!” Liv and I both rush forward to grab Dylan’s arms. “Tell him to get to the hospital. Dylan’s water just broke!”

“Oh no, oh no!” Rachel runs in place tapping her phone as Liv and I do our best to help Dylan to the door.

“This way!” Raven holds the doors open, waving.

“No, this isn’t happening!” Dylan cries, then all of a sudden she stops, pulling her arms to her sides.

“What’s wrong?” I bend forward to look at her.

Her face is red and horribly scrunched, and she lets out a piercing yell as she holds her stomach.

“Oh, God!” she cries. “It hurts so bad!”

I exchange a worried look with Raven and Liv, and I hear Rachel behind us .

“Yes, right now! We’re taking her to the hospital. Meet us there!”

“Liv, it hurts so bad,” Dylan cries, leaning her head on her sister-in-law’s shoulder.

“You’ve got this.” Liv’s voice is calm. “What’s our mantra?”

“I forgot.” We start walking slowly through the doors and into the parking lot.

“My Rover’s closest!” Raven rushes ahead to unlock her car.

“Say it with me, Dylan.” Liv holds her arm as we walk. “Soften… Settle… Relax.”

Dylan stops again, almost squatting as she screams. “It’s not working! I can’t do this!”

“Yes, you can!” I hold her hand. “We’ve all done it, and so can you. We’ve got to get to the hospital, now. Come on, Dee.”

Her brow furrows, and she nods quickly. Raven has driven the car closer, and we help her into the passenger seat. Liv and I jump in the back fast, and Raven throws rocks getting out of the parking lot.

“We left Rachel!” Dylan cries.

“She has a car,” Liv answers. “She’ll meet us there. Now say it with me, Soften… Settle…”

“Relax,” Dylan says, doing her best to breathe through the pain.

Raven and I exchange a glance. I don’t know about this hypnobirthing, but Liv swears by it.

Another deep breath, and Dylan’s face squeezes right as she yells over Raven’s GPS.

Raven’s eyes are panicked. “Where do I go?”

“I probably should’ve driven,” Liv muses. “Take a right here.”

Raven flies around the corner, and the hospital comes into view. “Oh, thank God… Almost there!”

“Nooo!” Dylan cries. “Why are they coming so fast?”

“Don’t have that baby in the car!” Raven’s eyes are wide, and she wheels into the parking lot, bouncing all of us over the curb .

I hold Dylan over the back of her seat, and we zoom into the circle drive in front of the emergency department doors.

A man steps forward to stop us. “Ma’am, you can’t park in the ambulance drop-off…”

“I’m not parking!” Raven jumps out, running around to the passenger’s side. “Help us!”

Dylan lets out another yell. “It’s coming out!”

“Shit!” I’m out of the car, opening her door as fast as our other two friends join us. “Hold it in just a few more minutes!”

“I can’t hold it in!”

A male nurse joins us with a wheelchair, and as soon as Dylan sits, he flies with her down the hall to the maternity wing.

“I’ll take care of the paperwork!” Raven waves to us. “Y’all go!”

Logan bursts through the door as we’re about to run. “Where is she?”

His expression is wild, and behind him are Garrett and Craig in hot pants and tank tops. They’re also wearing blond wigs, bright pink lipstick, and mascara on their worried eyes.

Jack and Hendrix rush in next. “Zane’s picking up Rachel, and Clint’s on his way.”

“We just got here.” I reach out for Jack’s hand, and he pulls me to him.

“You okay?” His brow is furrowed.

“We made it.” I fall into his chest, laughing. “Holy shit, that was intense.”

“Talk about intense,” Garrett teases. “We were just about to give your fiancé the lap dance of his life.”

“Remind me to thank my little sister later,” Jack mutters in my ear.

“I’ll thank her when I’m sure Clint isn’t going to have a total meltdown.”

“Don’t worry, baby.” Craig takes my hand as we walk down the long hall to maternity. “He’s already making phone calls.”

Three hours later, we’re all cramped in the waiting area of the maternity wing. Logan and Liv are in the birthing room; the rest of us are pacing, waiting for news.

Clint has his phone out, and he’s been texting since he arrived. “I’m able to move everything to the afternoon, but is that what you want to do?”

My smile is more of a grimace, and I blink up at him. “We can’t get married without Dylan.”

He nods, looking down again. “The wedding is small enough that we can hold off for a few days. The caterer is working with us, and the florist has all the arrangements in the refrigerator. How long does this usually take?”

“I’m not sure.” My hand is clasped in Jack’s.

“It’s going to be okay.” His calm voice goes a long way toward soothing my nerves.

“He’s here!” Liv walks into the room, smiling brightly. “The doctor couldn’t believe how fast he came for a first-timer. Dylan was a pro. She pushed him out so fast, and they’re both smiling and well!”

Garrett stands, putting his arm around his wife. “Will they let us back there?”

“She’s already asking for her family.”

We all start to move, and I catch Clint’s arm. “Two days.”