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“Yes?” I say softly.
“We love you, Charlotte,” he replies in a rush of words. “And we were willing to do something stupid to be with you. I was a man-ho before I met you. Since then I’ve become a one-woman man because I want to be with you. Hudson was a self-centered ass, but he went after Kurt because he hurt a lot of people, most of all you. And Asher. He doesn’t kiss and tell. He never told us he slept with you. The point is, we’re not the jerks you met in September, and we’re sorry.”
I can’t help but smile. “I have to stay mad for a day to teach you a lesson about keeping secrets.”
Jaxon gawks. “I’m leaving that alone. I won’t touch it with a ten-foot pole. Are we forgiven?”
I peck him on the cheek but wiggle out of his grabby arms. “I have to forgive, considering what we’ve been through together. The past was a learning curve. It’s time to enjoy the future.”
He has that knee-melting smile on his face as he eases closer. “Hudson heard some gossip while you were hiding in here. Helen of Theta was told to take a gap year by the dean of students. Kurt dragged her name down with him. Theta is letting her stay in the sorority to avoid the scandal, but she’s barred from being an active participant.”
“Good. That makes me feel better, but I’m still pledging Gamma next year.” I poke him with my big toe. “I smell pizza. Bring me a slice. And no more secrets.”
He smacks my bottom and then dodges my hand. “Do you have any secrets left?” he asks.
I wink. “Not anymore.”
CHAPTER 25
Charlotte
Three years later
“Charlotte, we made it.” Raine pulls me close for another smothering hug as we stand around the campus green after graduation. “I love Ivymore, but I’m glad it is over.”
The mood is rowdy and carefree as graduates in caps and gowns mingle with parents and administrators on their last day of school. White and blue balloons decorate the path leading up to the library where the ceremony was held. But no one is in a hurry to leave. Smiling grads pose for pictures, holding their degree while hugging happy parents.
“Let’s take a picture.” Wren smiles as she holds up her phone. “I want one with all my sisters.” Wren, Tracey, and I pledged Gamma sophomore year. It was hysterical having Raine as our pledge master. Our tasks ranged from the mundane to the ludicrous. I will never forgive her for making us play Dungeons and Dragons on campus in costume. P.S. It was fun.
“Girls, don’t move yet.” Julia hurries over with her phone, and Peder is close behind her. She takes several pictures of me, my friends, and the school. Wren takes a picture of me and my grands together, and I know I’ll see it framed on a wall in their home when I visit. I plan to do the same in my home.
I spot Asher taking a picture of Hudson, Jaxon, and Astrid. Arms wrapped around shoulders and waists, they squeeze in tight and smile. Julia insists on taking one more picture before leaving, and I pose with Astrid and the guys.
Astrid squeezes my hand and whispers in my ear, “You pulled it off. I’m proud of you, Charlotte. You’ve got it all, and you deserve the best.”
***
Last year, we took a vote and decided to move to New York City. It’s our last night at Ivymore. The bar is noisy and packed with people celebrating. The regulars take it in stride, sit nursing their beers, and talk about how it happens every year. I give Marshall a hug and promise to visit him every year when I’m in town for the Gamma charity event. As the noise level climbs, I regret that we didn’t leave that afternoon.
A large group of grads has claimed our booth, and even the back room is packed to capacity. “Are we going up to our apartment?” I shout in Jaxon’s ear.
“No, it’s time for our special ceremony,” he replies.
The campus is deserted at 3:00 a.m. as we sneak past the school gate. The sky is clear, and the constellations blink overhead as we hug the tree line, casting shadows that slink across the ground. It’s so empty that it’s hard to imagine the number of people that were here all day.
“Where are we going?” I whisper.
Jaxon shushes me, and his mouth is louder than my question. We continue in silence and stop in front of the Whittier Reading Room. Rare books are housed in the landmark building. An antique building with crisscrossing walkways made from scrolled metalwork and enclaves of old leather books, it’s a building everyone should see once. But what are we doing here? Asher unlocks the front door.
“Do we have permission to be in here?” I ask, anxious about being arrested on my last day.
Asher smirks as he dangles the key off his finger. “My last bad deed, and then I’m clean.”
The lead glass window frames the full moon on the east end. The brass desk lamps create a warm glow as we walk down the aisle past sturdy desks of cherry wood. I sniff a fragrance in the air that isn’t books. With a squeal, I hurry down the aisle toward an amazing bouquet of blue hydrangeas and white roses on the center desk in our school colors.
“These are so beautiful,” I gasp again. “And champagne and strawberries.” I pick up the box of condoms and toss it aside. “We can go bare tonight. I am on the pill,” I remind them. It’s nice that they don’t assume.
My head is already dancing as I pluck a juicy strawberry off a tray beside a bucket with chilled champagne. I reach for a flute and let the bubbles tickle my tongue. Hudson, Jaxon, and Asher surround me, and each picks up a flute.
