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study, Travis recognized her as the girl who d let him into our dorm. Like Travis, her brother was
also a member of Sigma Tau fraternity, so she was one of the few pretty girls on campus that Travis
hadn t slept with.
 Travis and Shepley will be here tomorrow afternoon, America said.  We have to get our
partying in tonight. You don t think Travis is sitting at home doing nothing, do you? We re going out
and we re going to have a damn good time whether you like it or not.
 That s fine, I said.  Just no strippers. And not too late. This wedding will actually have an
audience. I don t want to look hungover.
Harmony lifted the flag next to her chair, and almost immediately a waiter came over.
 How may I help you, miss?
 A pi�a colada, please?
 Of course, he said, backing away.
 This place is swank, America said.
 And you wonder why it took us a year to save up for this. 
 You re right. I shouldn t have said anything. Trav wanted you to have the best. I get it. And it was
nice of Mom and Dad to pay my way. I sure as hell wouldn t have been able to come otherwise.
I giggled.
 You promised me I could be a bridesmaid and do everything you made me miss last year. I see
them paying as a wedding present and an anniversary present to you, and a birthday present to me all
rolled into one. If you ask me, they got off cheap.
 It s still too much.
 Abby, they love you like a daughter. Daddy is very excited about walking you down the aisle. Let
them do this without ruining the spirit of it, America said.
I smiled. Mark and Pam treated me like family. After my father landed me in a dangerous situation
last year, Mark decided that I needed a new father and nominated himself. If I needed help with
tuition or books or a new vacuum cleaner, Mark and Pam showed up at my door. Helping me also
gave them an excuse to visit America and me, and it was obvious that they enjoyed that the most.
Not only did I now have the unruly Maddox clan as family, but I had Mark and Pam as well. I d
gone from belonging to no one, to being a part of two amazing families that were incredibly important
to me. At first, it made me feel anxious. I d never had so much to lose before. But over time, I
realized that my new family wasn t going anywhere, and I learned how much good could come from
misfortune.
 Sorry. I ll try to just accept this graciously.
 Thank you.
 Thank you! Harmony said, taking her drink from the tray. She signed the bill and began sipping
the fruity concoction.  I m just so excited to be going to this one!
 Me, too, America said, glaring in my direction. She had barely forgiven me for getting married
without her. And, honestly, I hoped she d never try to pull the same move on me. But marriage was
still a long way off for her.
She and Shepley were going to get their own apartment, but both decided that even though they
were always around each other, America would stay in Morgan, and Shepley would move into
Helms, a men s dorm. Mark and Pam were happier about this arrangement. They loved Shepley but
were worried that the stress of real-world bills and jobs would affect Shepley s and America s focus
on school. America was struggling, even at the dorms.
 I just hope it goes smoothly. I hate the thought of standing in front of all those people staring at
us.
America breathed out a laugh.  Elvis wasn t invited, but I m sure it will still be beautiful.
 I still can t believe Elvis was at your wedding, Harmony said, giggling.
 Not the dead one, Kara deadpanned.
 He wasn t invited this time, I said, watching the children taking lessons celebrate windsurfing on
their own.
 What was it like? Getting married in Vegas? Harmony asked.
 It was . . . I said, thinking about the moment we left, almost exactly a year earlier.  Stressful and
frightening. I was worried. I cried. It was pretty much perfect.
Harmony s expression was one of combined disgust and surprise.  Sounds like it.
Travis
 Fuck you, I said, not amused.
 Oh, c mon! Shepley said, shaking with laughter.  You used to say I was the whipped one.
 Fuck you again.
Shepley turned off the ignition. He had parked the Charger on the far side of Cherry Papa s parking
lot. Home of the fattest, dirtiest strippers in town.  It s not like you re going to take one of them
home.
 I promised Pidge. No strippers.
 I promised you a bachelor party.
 Dude, let s just go home. I m full, tired, and we ve got a plane to catch in the morning.
Shepley frowned.  The girls have been lying on a beach in St. Thomas all day, and now they re
probably partying it up in a club.
I shook my head.  We don t go to clubs without each other. She wouldn t do that.
 She would if America planned it.
I shook my head again.  No, she fucking wouldn t. I m not going into the strip club. Either pick
something else, or take me home.
Shepley sighed, and squinted his eyes.  What about that?
I followed his line of sight to the next block over.  A hotel? Shep, I love ya, man, but it s not a real
bachelor party. I m married. And even if I weren t, I still wouldn t have sex with you.
Shepley shook his head.  There s a bar in there. It s not a club. Is that permitted on your long list of
marriage rules?
I frowned.  I just respect my wife. And yes, douche bag, we can go in there.
 Awesome, he said, rubbing his hands together.
We walked across the street, and Shepley opened the door. It was pitch-black.
 Uh . . . I began.
Suddenly the lights turned on. The twins, Taylor and Tyler, threw confetti in my face, music began
to blare, and then I saw the worst thing I d ever seen in my life: Trenton in a man thong, covered in
about ten pounds of body glitter. He had on a cheap, yellow wig, and Cami was laughing her head off,
cheering him on. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]