Page 106 of The Exception

“If women kicked our asses to the curb every time we were jerks, the human race would’ve died out a long time ago.”

Trav chuckled. “Now that’s probably true. When did you get so smart about relationships?”

Mike rolled his eyes. “Tif would laugh her ass off if she heard you say that.”

“No worries, man. It’s our secret.”

Forty

Emma unfolded the paper program, smoothing it on the lap of her floral sundress. She tipped her chin letting the sun hit her cheeks and breathed in deeply. “It’s a beautiful day for a happy ending.”

“Don’t,” Sonya whispered, arching her neck to try and catch a glimpse of Trav in a sea of black caps. She thought she saw him in the second row left, but she couldn’t be sure. Not from this far back.

This idea had a lot wrong with it, but she was starting to worry that bringing Emma was the dumbest part.

Emma smiled innocently. “What? I was talking about the graduation. Don’t pretend you don’t remember what it’s like to be up on that stage, excited for the next thing. It wasn’tthatlong ago.”

It seemed like a hundred years since she’d been excited about anything, and as much as it could be construed as self-inflated importance, she had the nagging feeling Trav wasn’t feeling the full extent of this milestone. Not with the way it had all gone down between them. That only made her feel worse.

She’d decided to sneak into Trav’s graduation because she just wanted one more glimpse of him with a smile on his face, but now she wasn’t sure she was going to get it.

“That’s not what you were talking about,” she hissed at Emma. “Don’t get your fairytale twisted. I just want to see him get his diploma and then we’re leaving.” The ache in Sonya’s chest started a rebuttal, but she shook her head as if she could scold it into submission.

“Sonya, ugh!” Emma’s forceful exclamation startled her.

Sonya waved her hand frantically. “Shhh, Em.” The couple in the folding chairs in front of them turned at the commotion, and she gave them a polite apology smile, dropping her voice. “I told you this was the plan. I just need you here for moral support.”

“The fact that you need moral support to hide in the back row of this field makes me think things aren’t as done as you think.”

Damn it. If everyone could just stop seeing right through her, she might be able to get through this day with her emotions intact. Yes, her heart was in a hundred stabby pieces, poking her from the inside, and hiding fifteen rows away from Trav on this very important day for him was killing her, but she was managing the situation. “We’ll talk about this later, Em.”

“Hey, sorry we’re late.”

Sonya’s head swiveled so quickly, she nearly got a crick in her neck. “Dani? What the hell are you doing here?”

Dylan fell in behind her and they took the two seats to Emma’s left. “We came to watch Trav graduate,” he said. Emma prompted him with a roll of her hand. “And not to interfere with the greater plan.”

Greater plan? Okay, she’d obviously made a mistake bringing Emma.

“This is too much,” Sonya said. Sweat soaked through the back of her yellow sundress and she bent to retrieve her purse from the ground, but Emma kicked it into the row behind them.

She scowled at her friend and turned to reach over the back of her chair. Before she could grab it, another hand snatched it away. “Cat?”

Cat handed Sonya’s purse to Dani, who tossed it on Dylan’s lap.

Josh had joined them too, looking mildly uncomfortable with the situation that played out around him. “I take it you didn’t know we were coming?” he asked, leaning down to hug her.

“I did not.” Sonya squeezed him back, swallowing whatever was building in the back of her throat—mortification mixed with the tiniest relief that she wasn’t there alone. Emma was right, her need for moral support had a deeper meaning, but she couldn’t focus on that right now. She wanted with her whole heart to see Trav walk across that stage. Even if it was the last time she saw him.

“Where’s Adam?” she asked, blinking away the moisture pooling in her eyes. “You didn’t want to invite him along for the show?”

“He rode with us,” Cat said. “He’s using the Porta-Potty.”

On cue, he appeared, squeezing by a row of people to take the seat on Sonya’s other side.

The crowd wasn’t huge, given it was a summer semester graduation, and her entourage now made up a good chunk of their section. Her plan to hide in plain sight withered in the warm August sunshine. “Can you all justpleaseact right?”

She split her dagger gaze between Adam and Dylan, the two most likely offenders, because the ceremony was starting and she only had a brief moment to convey the threat.

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