Waylaid (13 page)

Addy crossed her arms. “You think you can do so much better? Go ahead.”

“Watch and learn.” I grabbed the Frisbee and flipped it to her. It sailed about two feet above her and then slowly descended right before it reached her.

“Ha! I caught it.”

“That’s ’cause it was such a great throw.”

“Was not.”

“Hey, I’m a pitcher. I know what I’m doing.”

She flung it back to me, almost getting it to my feet. “Bet you can’t do that again.”

“Watch me.” I replicated the throw almost exactly.

She caught it. “You got lucky.”

When she returned it and it actually reached me, I snagged it out of the air. “Hey, you did it!” I waved the Frisbee at her and laughed.

She tapped her bare foot in the grass. “There is
no way
you can do it a
third
time.”

From across the field, Jones’ voice called, “Aww Stewart, bet she’s said that to you before!”

This time a few more of them burst out guffawing.
Lennie, might wanna shut off their beer supply.

Anger coursed through me. I just wanted to rip Jones’ a new one. Why couldn’t he keep his damn mouth shut? I pulled my arm back farther than before and let the Frisbee go.

It sailed right toward Jones. I wasn’t even thinking about Addy trying to catch it.

Oh no…

“Addy, don’t—”

Her mouth dropped open as she watched the Frisbee high above her. Running backward, she kept her gaze on the Frisbee and
not
where she was going.

“Addy, watch out!” I took off running toward her.

Too late.

She banged into the end of the picnic table, but it didn’t end there. She flipped over the table top, knocking over bottles of beer and scattering potato chips everywhere. With a crash, she landed on a lawn chair. Thank goodness no one was in it.

When I reached her, she lay in a heap on the broken chair and frowned up at me. “Dang it! And I didn’t even catch the Frisbee!”

Addy

I couldn’t believe
it was graduation day! I stood in line in my white cap and gown, hoping I didn’t fall on my butt in my heels when I had to climb the steps to accept my diploma. It was really happening. My plan was in motion. In a couple of months I’d be at college. Not Oregon, though to live with my sister. My parents won that round, but still… I was going to college. Away from this town.

What about Graham?

I pushed aside thoughts of having to say goodbye to him. Maybe it wouldn’t be as hard as I thought it would.

You know it will be awful.

Why did my inner voice have to talk so loud?

The girl in front of me got my attention. She pointed behind me. Kendra was waving wildly and smiling. I waved back and gave her the thumbs up. There was a time there when she hadn’t been sure she’d graduate since her grades weren’t all that hot. I was so relieved she’d passed her classes.

I never did get a straight answer from her what she planned to do once high school was over. Get a job? Marry Marcus? All she wanted to do was have fun. Fun was overrated.

Not with Graham.

Shut up, voice. You’re not making this any easier.

The music started, which was our cue to start moving the line forward. I located my parents and brothers in the audience. My sister couldn’t make it from so far away. I’d given Graham a ticket, though. Would he show up?

A quick glance around didn’t produce sight of him, but there were lots of people in the auditorium. Maybe I just couldn’t see him. Although, he was bound to be one of the tallest people there.

The line moved steadily forward, each student in alphabetical order stepping up to claim his or her prize. Then it was my turn.

“Adelaide Hildegard Lafollette.”

A few snickers came from the line and also the audience. I’m sure my mother was crying, though, proud to have her daughter graduate using Grandma’s name. I kept my eyes on the stairs until I’d cleared them, just glad I didn’t fall. Gazing up, I caught the nod of the principal, Mr. Howard, as I walked across the stage.

“Adelaide’s been accepted at Purdue University and plans to study Veterinary Medicine.”

Wild clapping and a couple of hoots came from the middle section. My goofy older brothers. I bit my lip against a giggle as I accepted my diploma. Sheer exuberance filled me. I’d done it! Phase one of the plan completed. I walked off of the stage, negotiated another set of stairs and made it to the group of those who had gotten their diplomas. Now all that was left was to wait until the rest of the class was announced.

Letting out a breath I must have been holding, I finally took the time to look carefully around the auditorium. Was he here? Had he made it?

You’re wild about him. Leaving will be torture.

Much as I tried to stuff the voice in a virtual box somewhere to silence it, this time I couldn’t seem to manage. In a very short time, I had grown attached to Graham. If I really admitted it to myself, it was more than attached. But I still had the itch to get away, live on a campus. Meet new people. There wasn’t anything wrong with that, was there?

Will it satisfy your heart?

My inner self was playing dirty. I still had a few weeks with him before I left town. And I could see him when I came home for breaks, right? My thoughts played tug-of-war with my heart. While I did want to go away to school and have new adventures, I really did not want to leave Graham. When I thought of it, my chest actually hurt.

“Addy!” Kendra moved up the line to stand beside me as they congratulated everyone on receiving their diplomas. Hugs and smiles were prevalent all around us. But I was still searching for Graham.

I leaned over to Kendra. “Is Marcus here?”

“Of course.” She pointed way up to the very last row in the far corner of the tiered seats. “Graham’s there, too.”

My mouth curved up. “Yes, he is.” I gave him a little wave, hoping he could see me from way up there. He nodded and gave me the thumbs up. My heart beat wildly inside my ribs. He was so far away I could barely see him and still he had the power to nearly make me wilt.

After Kendra and I turned in our caps and robes, we hugged good-bye.

Kendra brushed aside a tear. “We’ll still see each other, right?”

I smiled. “Of course we will. Is your mom having something for you tonight?”

“Yeah. Aunts, uncles. The whole thing.” She rolled her eyes. “She said Marcus couldn’t come. How is that fair?”

“Sorry. I’m sure you’re disappointed.”

“Very. How about you? Anything at your house tonight?”

“Just a cake and stuff with my parents and brothers.”

“Have fun!” She hugged me again and made her way through the crowd.

I turned. There he was, standing with his hands in his front pockets just grinning at me from a few yards away. A whole bunch of people were in between us, but since he was taller than the clouds, we could see each other just fine.

I waited, pretty sure he’d have an easier time busting through the groups of people than I would.

“Hey Addy.” He reached forward and gave my hand a squeeze and then let go.

I wanted so much more than that, but it definitely was the wrong place and time. “Hey, yourself. I wasn’t sure if you’d show.”

He gave that mischievous grin I was coming to know pretty well. “You know… I had some spare time on my hands and didn’t have anything better to do so…”

I smacked his arm. “Graham!” Then I laughed. Everything in me wanted to just take off somewhere with him so we could be alone. But my mom would have had my head. “Thanks so much for coming. Hey listen, I’d love to do something with you tonight but—”

“Don’t worry about it. I already have plans.”

“Oh.” Thoroughly deflated, I chewed my lip. Who was he going to go see?

“Yeah. Ran into your mom a few minutes ago in the general melee of the room. She invited me to your house for cake.”

“Oh.” I stared wide-eyed at him.

“But if you’d rather I didn’t—”

“No. I
want
you to.” I wanted to spend every minute I could with him before I had to leave town.

“I wasn’t sure since you were using only one word of your vocabulary.”

“Sorry. Really, I’m so glad you’re coming.” I grabbed his hand but didn’t let go. “I’d like to ride with you, if you don’t mind. But I need to tell my mom.”

“When she invited me, she asked if I could bring you home since she had to go and uncover some food or something.” Graham checked around and then lowered his voice. “I said that if it was something she felt strongly about and if there wasn’t any other alternative that I
guessed
I could be persuaded to take you.”

“Yeah, right. Come on.” I tugged his arm and we made it through the crowd in no time. One glimpse of Graham and people stepped to the side. Having a big boyfriend had its perks.

Boyfriend?

Well wasn’t he? We hugged, kissed, touched, and held hands. I loved spending time with him. So, wasn’t he my boyfriend?

A couple of snooty rich girls stared longingly at Graham and then promptly gave me the evil eye as if someone like me shouldn’t be with him.

Eat my dust, girls. He’s mine.

High school was over now, so who cared if I did something I normally wouldn’t do in public? I stopped and turned toward Graham, pulling him toward me for a hug. When we parted, I peeked over at the girls and waved. Graham studied them for a minute and then raised his eyebrows to me.

He whispered. “Anyone I should know?”

“No. And believe me, you don’t want to.”

“I see.”

“What do you see?”

He tugged me toward him and pressed his lips to mine. I let out a sigh, not caring that others were probably staring at us too. The open-mouthed gapes from the snooty girls was worth it.

With a laugh, he put his arm around my shoulders. “Come on, Addy, let’s get you home.”

I giggled too, until I literally almost ran into Jud.

Oh no!

Trying to stand up as tall as he could, Jud eyed Graham but his words were meant for me. “So, Addy. This who you threw me over for?”

Graham’s arm tightened around me. “Excuse me. You have a problem?”

Jud glared at me then. “My problem is with
her
.”

“Well she’s with me, so speak up. We have someplace to be.”

My mouth and throat were so dry I could hardly speak. I finally eeked something out. “Jud, listen, I—”

He held up his hand toward me. “Save it. I see how it is.” He pushed through a group of girls who yelped when he nearly ran them over.

I let out a long breath. “Sorry about that.”

“Friend of yours, I take it?”

I stared up at him. Was Graham jealous? Of Jud? “Not anymore.”

“Good to hear.”

“Are you… upset with me?”

He grabbed my hand. “Let’s get you home. Then we can talk later. Does that work?”

I frowned. “Okay.” I followed him out of the building and to his truck which was parked two blocks away. I wanted to talk to him about it but his jaw was clenched tight. It didn’t seem like the best time for a chat.

When we reached his truck, he opened the passenger door and helped me up onto the seat. Then he rounded the front of the truck and climbed in the driver’s side.

He started the truck and reached over to put it in drive. I laid my hand on his arm. “Graham, wait.”

Pulling back his hand, he left the truck in park. “Addy, you don’t owe me any explanation. I… I have no claim on you. We haven’t known each other very long.”

“But—”

“I’m not finished.” He turned toward me and took my hand. “I haven’t known you for long, but I’ve come to… care about you. I shouldn’t have let the little pipsqueak get to me. Sorry.”

I raised one corner of my mouth. “Pipsqueak?”

“He’s
not
very big.”

“True.”

“And what is he, about fourteen?”

I laughed. “Seventeen.”

“Still…”

“I dated Jud for a while. I was trying to find a nice way to break it off. Then I met you.”

“Okay…” Graham rubbed his thumb over the back of my hand.

I let out a sigh as soon as his skin met mine. How did he have the ability to do that? Calm me down with the slightest touch? “After that, I knew I had to do something about him. I didn’t want to be mean, but he just wasn’t the guy for me.”

“Oh.”

I reached up and touched his cheek. “I really care about you, Graham.”

His shoulders relaxed. “Well this is getting kinda mushy. Should we get to your house now before your mom starts to wonder what happened to you?”

“Yeah. Good idea.” My heart soared. He cared about me. Really
cared
. I moved closer to his shoulder, as close as the seatbelt would allow and I didn’t budge an inch until Graham parked in front of my house.

I peered out the window. “I see both my brothers showed.”

“You didn’t expect them to?”

“I saw them and heard them yelling for me at the ceremony, but no, I wasn’t sure they’d stay for this. They both have fiancées where they live in Indianapolis, so I wasn’t sure if they would want to be here that long.”

Graham helped me from the truck and we walked up to the front porch. “Looks like I’ll get to meet them, then.”

I waited while he opened the screen door for me. “Don’t let them bully you. They can be obnoxious.”

He raised one eyebrow. “I’ll do my best.”

I bit my lip. “Sometimes I forget who I’m talking to.”

“You got that right. Giants have
no
fear.”

I laughed so hard I could barely catch my breath as we stepped inside the house.

My oldest brother, Adam, stood just a few feet away. He glanced at Graham and then back at me. He stepped forward and hugged me. “Congrats, sis.”

“Thanks. Good to see you.” I stepped back.

He nodded toward Graham. “I’m Adam Lafollette.”

“Graham Stewart.” They shook hands.

I wrung mine together, a little nervous for Graham to meet more of my family. I knew he’d already met Mom, but I hadn’t been in the room at the time. And he’d barely spoken to my dad. Somehow seeing him in the same room with my brothers was different. It did funny things to my stomach, almost like I was queasy.

“And who have we here?” My other brother, Anthony came around the corner. He stepped forward and shook Graham’s hand after introducing himself.

Graham nodded. “Nice to meet you.”

Anthony stepped closer to Adam and gave him a grin.

Uh-oh. I know that look.

“Hey Adam, you know how you and I always told Addy not to bring home any wimps or we’d have to beat them up?”

Adam nodded. “You got that right.”