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“Thank God.”
Though I was honored to serve my country, I want to experience life in other ways too.
Mimi and Pops give Everleigh hugs, then we discuss dinner plans. Of course, Mimi already prepped a home-cooked meal.
“After we eat, I wanna take Tyler to a party,” Everleigh tells them, threading her fingers through her beachy waves once she takes off her cap. Though she’s tall like me, we look completely different. I have dark eyes and hair while Everleigh’s a brunette with blue eyes.
I’m half-listening as I scan the area for Gemma. She’s probably with her family, but I’m dying to see her.
“A party?” I furrow my brows and shove my hands into my pockets. “I’m twenty-two. I’m too old for high school parties.”
Everleigh scoffs, then swats my chest. “Nonsense. We’re technicallynotin high school anymore, so there.”
I snort. “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot that you’re a full-ass adult now.”
“Language, Tyler,” Mimi scolds.
I apologize, and Everleigh laughs.
“Trust me, you want to go. Gemma will be there.” She snickers and waggles her brows. Lord knows what Gemma’s told her or what she knows about our…friendship.
“Gemma Reid? Are y’all dating?” Mimi asks.
“Yes,” Everleigh says at the same time I say, “No.”
Pops chuckles. “Let’s feed you crazy kids so you can go celebrate.”
Everleigh rides with me and talks my ear off about some guy she’s kinda seeing. After five minutes, I already want to punch his face in or turn the radio up so I don’t have to hear about it anymore.
Once we arrive at our grandparents’ house, Mimi serves chicken fried steak with white gravy, cornbread, and mashed potatoes as we sit around the table. She even made a pecan pie, and it was still warm when she sliced it. It was a good old-fashioned Southern meal—something I haven’t eaten in years—and just what I needed to feel at home. I’ll be staying here in my old bedroom, but everyone’s aware it’s only temporary. Before I got here, I told them I wouldn’t be settling in town, and they spent the better half of dinner trying to talk me into staying.
“I’m gonna get ready for the party, then we’ll go, okay?” Everleigh says as she skips toward the staircase.
“You only want me to go so I can drive you there and back.”
“Well, duh!” She laughs as she goes up to her room.
Over an hour later, she finally comes down all dressed up. Her long hair is in curls, and her skirt is too damn short.
“That’s what you’re wearing?” I raise my brows, waiting for Mimi or Pops to say something. She moved out of our mother’s house the year I left and visits sparingly. I don’t blame Everleigh for not wanting to live with her, considering I have no intention of seeing my mom at all. While I was gone, my mother never wrote, called, or reached out to me in any way. She couldn’t care less that I’m home, and I don’t care to waste my time. She’s been toxic my whole life, and it’s obvious that won’t change.
“You look adorable, Everleigh!” Mimi praises, and I stand in shock.
Everleigh sticks her tongue out at me, then gets her purse.
Inhaling sharply, I grab my keys and walk toward the door. “Alright, let’s go then.”
The party is being held in her friends’ backyards, and I bet it takes all of thirty seconds before one of the neighbors calls the cops. When I was in high school, we always brought booze we stole from our parents and snuck it into our red Solo cups with cola. I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re doing the same thing.
“Gemma, Katie, Gabe, and Noah are there already,” Everleigh says as we turn onto Main Street, then she looks over at me. “You’ll be okay if I wander off, or do you need supervision?”
“You mean, do I need to superviseyou?”
“Puh-leese. I’ve been supervising myself just fine while you were gone.” She flips her hair.
I lift a brow. “Really?”
“I’m not pregnant, addicted to drugs or alcohol, and I graduated with good grades. You should be praising me.”
