Beautiful Disaster 01 (19 page)

“It’s dinner time! Where the hell did you two run off to?” Travis said.

“We indulged in a little pampering. You and Shep knew how to eat before we came along. I’m sure you can manage.”

“Well, no shit. We worry about you, ya know.”

I looked at America and smiled. “We’re fine.”

“Tell him I’ll have you back in no time. I have to stop by Brazil’s to pick up some notes for Shep, and then we’ll be home.”

“Did you get that?” I asked.

“Yeah. See you then, Pidge.”

We drove to Brazil’s in silence. America turned off the ignition, staring at the apartment building ahead. Shepley asking America to drive over surprised me; we were just a block from Shepley and Travis’ apartment, .

“What’s wrong, Mare?”

“Brazil just gives me the creeps. The last time I was here with Shep, he was being all flirty.”

“Well, I’ll go in with you. If he so much as winks at you, I’ll stab him in the eye with my new heels, okay?”

America smiled and hugged me. “Thanks, Abby!”

We walked to the back of the building, and America took a deep breath before knocking on the door. We waited, but no one came.

“I guess he’s not here?” I asked.

“He’s here,” she said, irritated. She banged on the wood with the side of her fist and then the door swung open.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” the crowd inside yelled.

The ceiling was pink and black bubbles, every inch covered by helium balloons, with long, silver strings hanging down in the faces of the guests. The crowd separated, and Travis walked approached me with a broad smile, touching each side of my face and kissing my forehead.

“Happy birthday, Pigeon.”

“It’s not ‘til tomorrow,” I said. Still in shock, I tried smiling at everyone around us.

Travis shrugged. “Well, since you were tipped off, we had to make some last minute changes to surprise you. Surprised?”

“Very!” I said as Finch hugged me.

“Happy birthday, Baby!” Finch said, kissing my lips.

America nudged me with her elbow. “Good thing I got you to go run errands with me today or you would have shown up looking like ass!”

“You look great,” Travis said, scanning my dress.

Brazil hugged me, pressing his cheek to mine. “And I hope you know America’s
Brazil is Creepy
story was just a line to get you in here.”

I looked at America and she laughed. “It worked, didn’t it?”

Once everyone took turns hugging me and wishing me a happy birthday, I leaned into America’s ear. “Where’s Parker?”

“He’ll be here later,” she whispered. “Shepley couldn’t get him on the phone to let him know until this afternoon.”

Brazil cranked up the volume on the stereo, and everyone screamed. “Come here, Abby!” he said, walking to the kitchen. He lined up shot glasses along the counter and pulled a bottle of tequila from the bar. “Happy birthday from the football team, baby girl,” he smiled, pouring each shot glass full of Petron. “This is the way we do birthdays: You turn nineteen, you have nineteen shots. You can drink ‘em or give ‘em away, but the more you drink, the more of these you get,” he said, fanning out a handful of twenties.

“Oh my God!” I squealed.

“Drink ‘em up, Pidge!” Travis said.

I looked to Brazil, suspicious. “I get a twenty for every shot I drink?”

“That’s right, lightweight. Gauging by the size of you, I’m going to say we’ll get away with losing sixty bucks by the end of the night.”

“Think again, Brazil,” I said, grabbing the first shot glass, rolling it across my lip, tipping my head back to empty the glass and then rolling it the rest of the way, dropping it into my other hand.

“Holy shit!” Travis exclaimed.

“This is really a waste, Brazil.” I said, wiping the corners of my mouth. “You shoot Cuervo, not Petron.”

The smug smile on Brazil’s face faded, and he shook his head and shrugged. “Get after it, then. I’ve got the wallets of twelve football players that say you can’t finish ten.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Double or nothing says I can drink fifteen.”

“Whoa!” Shepley cried. “You’re not allowed to hospitalize yourself on your birthday, Abby!”

“She can do it,” America said, staring at Brazil.

“Forty bucks a shot?” Brazil said, looking unsure.

“Are you scared?” I asked.

“Hell no! I’ll give you twenty a shot, and when you make it to fifteen, I’ll double your total.”

“That’s how Kansans do birthdays,” I said, popping back another shot.

An hour and three shots later, I was in the living room dancing with Travis. The song was a rock ballad, and Travis mouthed the words to me as we danced. He dipped me at the end of the first chorus, and I let my arms fall behind me. He popped me back up, and I sighed.

“You can’t do that when I start getting into the double digit shots,” I giggled.

“Did I tell you how incredible you look tonight?”

I shook my head and hugged him, laying my head on his shoulder. He tightened his grip, and buried his face in my neck, making me forget about decisions or bracelets or my separate personalities; I was exactly where I wanted to be.

When the music changed to a faster beat, the door opened.

“Parker!” I said, running over to hug him. “You made it!”

“Sorry I’m late, Abs,” he said, pressing his lips against mine. “Happy birthday.”

“Thanks,” I said, seeing Travis stare at us from the corner of my eye.

Parker lifted my wrist. “You wore it.”

“I said I would. Wanna dance?”

He shook his head. “Uh…I don’t dance.”

“Oh. Well, you wanna witness my sixth shot of Petron?” I smiled, holding up my five twenties. “I make double if I get to fifteen.”

“That’s a bit dangerous, isn’t it?”

I leaned into his ear. “I am totally hustling them. I’ve played this game with my dad since I was sixteen.”

“Oh,” he said, frowning with disapproval. “You drank Tequila with your dad?”

I shrugged. “It was his way of bonding.”

Parker seemed unimpressed as his eyes left mine, scanning the crowd. “I can’t stay long. I’m leaving early for a hunting trip with my father.”

“It’s a good thing my party was tonight, or you wouldn’t have made it tomorrow,” I said, surprised to hear of his plans.

He smiled and took my hand. “I would have made it back in time.”

I pulled him to the counter, picked up another shot glass and killed it, slamming it on the counter upside down like I had the previous five. Brazil handed me another twenty, and I danced into the living room. Travis grabbed me, and we danced with America and Shepley.

Shepley slapped me on the butt. “One!”

America added a second swat on my backside, and then the entire party joined in, sans Parker.

At number nineteen, Travis rubbed his hands together. “My turn!”

I rubbed my sore posterior. “Be easy! My ass hurts!”

With an evil smirk, he reared his hand far above his shoulder. I closed my eyes tight. After a few moments, I peeked back. Just before his hand made contact, he stopped and gave me a gentle pat.

“Nineteen!” he exclaimed.

The guests cheered, and America started a drunken rendition of
Happy Birthday
. I laughed when the part came to say my name and the entire room sang “Pigeon”.

Another slow song came over the stereo, and Parker pulled me to the make-shift dance floor. It didn’t take me long to figure out why he didn’t dance.

“Sorry,” he said after stepping on my toes for the third time.

I leaned my head on his shoulder. “You’re doing just fine,” I lied.

He pressed his lips against my temple. “What are you doing Monday night?”

“Going to dinner with you?”

“Yes. In my new apartment.”

“You found one!”

He laughed and nodded. “We’ll order in, though. My cooking isn’t exactly edible.”

“I’d eat it, anyway,” I smiled up at him.

Parker glanced around the room and then led me to a hallway. He gently pressed me against the wall, kissing me with his soft lips. His hands were everywhere. At first I played along, but after his tongue infiltrated my lips, I got the distinct feeling that I was doing something wrong.

“Okay, Parker,” I said, maneuvering away.

“Everything all right?”

“I just think it’s rude of me to make out with you in a dark corner when I have guests out there.”

He smiled and kissed me again. “You’re right, I’m sorry. I just wanted to give you a memorable birthday kiss before I left.”

“You’re leaving?”

He touched my cheek. “I have to wake up in four hours, Abs.”

I pressed my lips together. “Okay. I’ll see you Monday?”