Page 83 of Undeniably Perfect

We continue zigzagging through the hordes of people until we make it to the apartment complex. Carlos is at the front door and lets us inside.

“Great game!” he says cheerfully, motioning to the television set he has on his desk.

“It was, wasn’t it!” Nate says, giving him a fist bump.

“Are the Moores here yet?” I ask.

He nods. “Yeah, they all got here a few minutes ago. I think the grandparents are hanging out with Mrs. Thomas, and the rest went up to the rooftop deck where everyone is partying.”

“Mrs. Thomas isn’t partying?” Nate asks with wide eyes.

“Yeah, but she had to give her cat meds, so I think she’s back in her apartment.”

I look between them. “Who’s Mrs. Thomas?”

They both laugh. “Crazy old lady who lives across from Kent. She’s a riot.”

Lyla presses her lips together in a half-hearted attempt to keep from laughing but fails miserably. “She’s a trip, alright.”

We head up to drop our stuff in Kent’s apartment. The door across the hallway is open and I can hear the sound of voices. After we throw our things on the dining room table, Nate knocks on the doorframe of Mrs. Thomas’s apartment.

“Hello? Lucy, I’m home!” he calls out.

“Natie, is that you,” a hoarse voice yells from somewhere inside the apartment.

“It is, Mrs. T.”

Lyla and I follow Nate into the apartment and find all the grandparents sitting around on sofas with giant flowers on them. A large white Persian cat is curled up on an ottoman, and PopPop Bob is passed out in a recliner, snoring up a storm. The ladies all have some type of cocktail drinks in their hands.

“Cheers!” Nana Betty says, raising her glass.

“Go grab a Pink Lady,” Grandma Tilly says, motioning toward the counter of the kitchen.

Gran Mill tries to stand but nearly falls over, Nate leaps to catch her.

“Whoa there, Mills! Have a seat, I’ll go grab drinks for the rest of us! Is everyone else still up on the deck?” he asks as he walks over and fills red Solo cups with a pink-colored drink that’s in a giant punch bowl.

“Yep, the kids are upstairs. We couldn’t hear each other, and Sprinkles needed her meds, so we came down here,” Mrs. Thomas says as she looks over at me and her eyes light up. “Is this Tabby? The young lady who captured our little KJ’s heart!” She practically swoons at the words.

I blush and nod. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Thomas.”

She stands and comes over to hug me. “Now, none of this Mrs. Thomas crap. Call me Mrs. T or Miss Molly.”

I hug her back. She pulls back and hugs Nate and Lyla. “You kids get on up there and have fun. I’ll get these old fogies to the hotel when we are done visiting. Just let Kathy and Ted know that.”

We all nod and continue on our way. I haven’t been up to the rooftop deck yet. It’s quite alive with a party when we file out of the elevator. I see the Moores in a corner near a heat lamp. They’ve taken over an outdoor seating area around a fire pit.

Mrs. Moore stands up first. “You made it over here, good! We were just about to check in on the group chat.”

I notice another guy and a couple around the Moores’ age sitting on one of the sofas.

“This is Aidan, Ward’s brother, and Sharon and Mike Ward, Ward’s parents,” she says to me as Nate hugs them all.

They all say hello, and I take a seat next to Di. “So, what’s the game plan?” I ask.

“Well, I think we’re all hanging out here in hopes of seeing the guys whenever they roll in,” Lanie says. There’s a built-in outdoor kitchen on the roof with a television on the back wall. Right now, it looks like Ward is getting interviewed, but then the camera moves and suddenly a reporter is talking to Kent. My eyes are glued to the screen. He’s never looked more handsome. He’s freshly showered, but his hair is still wet. I want to run my hands through it so badly that it’s killing me. I’m completely oblivious to what he’s saying until I hear him say “girlfriend.”

I stand up and walk closer, trying to crane my neck to hear better.

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