She put her hand on her hips. “If you guys didn’t smell so bad, I wouldn’t have to. Ten sweaty boys in one apartment starts stinking pretty quick! You don’t want her walking in here when it smells like a locker room, do you?”
“She’s right,” I said. “Speaking of that, I need to get back and shower. See you in half an hour.”
Shepley wiped his brow and nodded, pulling his cell phone from one jeans pocket, his keys from the other.
He tapped out a quick text to America. Within seconds, his phone beeped. He smiled. “I’ll be damned. They’re right on schedule.”
“That’s a good sign.”
We rushed back to our apartment. Within fifteen minutes, I was showered, shaved, and dressed. Shepley didn’t take much longer, but I kept checking my watch.
“Calm down,” Shepley said, buttoning up his green plaid shirt. “They’re still shopping.”
A loud engine pulled up out front, a car door slammed shut, and then footsteps climbed the iron steps outside our door.
I opened it, and smiled. “Good timing.”
Trenton smiled, holding a medium-size box with holes cut into the sides and a lid. “He’s been fed, watered, took his daily man crap. He should be good to go for a while.”
“You’re awesome, Trent. Thanks.” I looked past him to see my dad sitting behind the wheel of his pickup. He waved, and I waved back.
Trenton open the lid a bit and grinned. “Be good, little man. I’m sure we’ll see each other again.”
The puppy’s tail banged against the box while I replaced the top, and then took him inside.
“Aw, man. Why my room?” Shepley asked, whining.
“In case Pidge happens to go into mine before I’m ready.” I pulled out my cell and dialed Abby’s number. The phone buzzed once, and then again.
“Hello?”
“It’s dinnertime! Where the hell did you two run off to?”
“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.”
“We’re fine,” she said, a smile in her voice.
America spoke somewhere close to Abby. “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?” Abby asked.
“Yeah. See you then, Pidge.”
I hung up and quickly followed Shepley out to the Charger. I wasn’t sure why, but I was nervous.
“Did you call the douche bag?”
Shepley nodded, putting his car in gear. “While you were in the shower.”
“Is he coming?”
“Later. He wasn’t happy that it was late notice, but when I reminded him that it was necessary because of his big fucking mouth, he didn’t have much to say after that.”
I smiled. Parker had always rubbed me the wrong way. Not inviting him would make Abby unhappy, so I had to go against my better judgment and let Shepley give him a call.
“Don’t get drunk and punch him,” Shepley said.
“No promises. Park over there, where she won’t see,” I said, pointing to the side lot.
We jogged around the corner to Brazil’s apartment, and I knocked. It was quiet.
“It’s us! Open up.”
The door opened, and Chris Jenks stood in the doorway with a stupid grin on his face. He weaved back and forth, already drunk. He was the only person I liked less than Parker. No one could prove it, but Jenks was rumored to have slipped something in a girl’s drink once at a frat party. Most believed it, since that was the only way he could get laid. No one had come forward to say he had, so I just tried to keep an eye on him.
I shot a glare at Shepley, who raised his hands. He obviously wasn’t aware Jenks was going to be there either.
I glanced at my watch, and we waited in the dark with dozens of silver strings in our faces. Everyone was so close together, smashed into the living room waiting for Abby, that just one person’s movement made us all list one way or the other.
A few knocks at the door made us all freeze. I was expecting America to walk in, but nothing happened. People were whispering while others were shushing them.
Another knock spurred Brazil into action, and he took several quick steps to the door, swinging it wide open, revealing America and Abby in the doorway.
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” we all yelled in unison.
Abby’s eyes grew wide, and then she smiled, quickly covering her mouth. America nudged her inside, and everyone gathered around.
As I made my way to Abby, the crowd split. She looked phenomenal, wearing a gray dress and yellow heels. The palms of my hands cupped each side of her smiling face, and I pressed my lips against her forehead.
“Happy birthday, Pigeon.”
“It’s not ’til tomorrow,” she said, smiling at everyone around us.
“Well, since you were tipped off, we had to make some last-minute changes to surprise you. Surprised?”
“Very!”
Finch rushed up to wish her a happy birthday, and America elbowed her side. “Good thing I got you to run errands with me today or you would have shown up looking like ass!”