Page 43 of Back to You
Chapter 14
Iwasn’t nearly ready to go home come Sunday afternoon, but Abby needed me. She might’ve said otherwise, but I knew her about as well as I knew Dane. She tended to fib when it came to her emotions. Especially when it involved Tori Cortez.
The second we walked through the front door, I dropped my bag and made a beeline for Abby. She was hanging out on the couch with the cats in her PJs. Her long hair was freshly dyed, the brightest shade of violet I’d ever seen in my life.
“Your hair!” I sputtered, though my eyes locked onto the equally-purple bruise discoloring her left eye. Holy shit. I tried not to gape.
She giggled and jumped up, running over to me. “Don’t you just love it? I love it. It’s my gift to me, for getting over that bitch’s bullshit. Bye-bye-bye, sayonara, ta ta.” She threw her arms around my neck. I hugged her back just as tightly. “I’m so happy you’re home, boy.”
“What about me?” Dane pouted from behind me.
She snickered. “I’m afraid you haven’t climbed the friendship ladder high enough, pal. Sorry.” She smooched me on the cheek, then flopped back down on the couch hard enough that the other cushion popped up. It unseated Cappuccino, who sulked off down the hall, his bushy tail flicking in annoyance. “Oops.”
“He’ll get over it.” I joined her, and Dane squeezed in next to me, until the three of us were squished together on Gran’s ugly plaid monstrosity. One of these days, I’d have the heart to get rid of it. Right now, the idea of Gran’s stuff on the street corner made my heart ache.
“Real-talk.” I looked at Abby. “Are you okay? Be honest.”
“I’m fine. I’m so over it.”
“She really clocked you good.”
She frowned. “Nothing I haven’t been through before. I’m fine. It’s fine.”
“No it’s not,” I argued. “Shehityou. You’ve got a black eye. If anyone has a right to go to the cops, it’s you.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’m not moving back in.” She sniffled, then wiped her nose with the back of her arm. Her forehead scrunched up. “I’ve still gotta figure out where I’m gonna stay, but I need to go get my shit soon because she’s a spiteful bitch. I wouldn’t put it past her to burn it all in a blazing trashfire.”
“We’ll go with you,” Dane insisted. “And if she refuses to let you in, then we’ll call the cops and ask for a police escort. Simple as that.”
“Thanks. I guess I can put my furniture and stuff in storage.”
“No. You’re gonna bring it here. You don’t have that much stuff,” I told her. “I’m sure it’ll fit in Gran’s room—which is where you’ll be staying until you find an apartment of your own. Got it?” I leveled her a firm look, because I wasn’t taking no for an answer. She was my best friend. I refused to let her live in some shady no-tell motel.
“Hollis—”
“Ah-ah-ah. No. You’re moving in. End of discussion.”
She chewed on her bottom lip. “Are you sure?” Glancing between me and Dane, she added, “I don’t wanna be the third wheel, you know?”
“Actually,” Dane began, and I twisted around in my seat to stare at him. Was he seriously going to argue with me on this? But his smile set my worries at ease. He tapped his fingertips against his chin in thought. “This might work out perfectly. Hollister and I were thinking about taking an…extended vacation, of sorts.”
Abby’s eyes got big and shiny. “Whaaat? When?”
“Soon,” he said with a nod.
“Where?”
“Everywhere? We made a bucket list of all the stuff my mom wanted to do before she died,” I said. “Dane brought it up over the weekend, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. Maybe he’s right. Maybe now is finally the right time to do it. It’ll let me get away from all ofthis.”I gestured to Gran’s menagerie of belongings. “Give me time to screw my head on straight.”
She bounced in her seat. “Oh my god, yes! This is agreatidea, boy. A road trip isexactlywhat you need in your life right now. Besides, Gran wanted to be buried someplace beautiful, and no offense, but Indiana ain’t too pretty unless you like cornfields.” Her smile was wry.
She had a point. “Yeah, but—”
“But what?” she countered. “Look. This could kill two birds with one stone. I’ll live here and start saving money for a new apartment. This way, I have a place to stay and you don’t have to worry about the cats or anything bad happening to Gran’s place while you’re gone. Right?”
Dane and I exchanged a glance. He was grinning.
“What about my job?”
