Scotlyn shook her head, already heading for the door. She looked up at Tolliver then back at me and nodded. "Thanks for helping me with my book," she said.
"No problem," I said, but she was already striding away and out the front door.
Tolliver sauntered in, pushing his hands into his pockets. "So, what now?"
I heard the loud music flowing past him, thought about going back out there and mingling, but the idea held no appeal.
"If you're ready to go," he said, "I'm good with that."
"Really?" I sighed, standing to meet him in the middle of the room. "Because I think I've reached my party limit."
Laughing quietly, he placed a kiss against my temple. "Then let's go."
"I need to say happy birthday to Sabrina first."
"Okay."
Luck or fate must've been shining down because, right as we left the library, Sabrina and George were there.
"Oh," she said, "are you leaving?"
"Yeah," I said, "I'm partied out."
"No worries, thank you and Tolliver for coming."
"I hope you have the happiest birthday ever, Sabrina."
"Thanks, Freya. I'm so glad you made it."
"Me too," I said honestly.
Wayne came around the corner. "Leaving already? Figures. You never could stand a good party, Freya."
"I actually liked this one up until about two seconds ago."
I could feel Tolliver at my back, and it gave me a boost of energy I didn't know I needed.
Wayne glared up at him. "What are you smiling at, Stone?"
"Nothing," Tolliver said, taking my hand, threading his fingers through mine, laying a soft kiss on my neck. "Thanks for being dumb enough to screw it up with her."
"Yeah, whatever. You'll get tired of her soon."
"Like I said. Dumb," Tolliver repeated.
As Sabrina pulled me in for a hug, she said, "Freya, I love him—most days—but you were always too good for my brother."
Stepping back, I nodded at her. "I know," I said. "Again, happy birthday."
Tolliver and I left, and once we were in the car, I turned to him.
"Okay, so I still hate parties, but that was surprisingly fun," I said.
"Glad to hear it," he said.
"Everything okay with Lennox?"
"Yeah, my friend likes to stir things up sometimes. But we're good."
