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Rory huffed, looking out at the ocean past the porch, the waves covered in darkness.
She felt a warm hand on her shoulder. “Ry, want me to take you home?”
Underneath the blanket, Rory squeezed Melanie’s knee. Melanie placed her hand on top of her own, squeezing back. A silent agreement.
“No, I think I’m going to stay a little longer,” she murmured. She couldn’t deal with being alone with Tyler right now, and she wasn’t quite ready for whatever big conversation Gabi wanted to have back at home.
Tyler hesitated as he hovered over her, but Rory didn’t waver on her decision, so he bid his farewells. Blake and Zach were next, walking hand in hand as they made their way to his convertible.
“You really know how to kill the vibe, Ball,” Melanie murmured.
The sound of raised voices had Calvin excusing himself and heading back inside.
“Want me to beat him up for you?” Rory said.
Melanie chuckled, turning to face her. “No, it’s fine. He’s not the best when it comes to Jay. He’s working on it.”
“Why?”
Melanie’s face softened. “Why do you think?”
She frowned. “Me?”
Melanie just nodded.
Rory groaned, placing her face in her hands. “I bet he’s excited for the day I leave. I cause so much drama.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t be so hot and awesome,” Melanie teased. “The boys can’t help but drool over you.”
“If that were the case, where are all the boys asking me to prom? I mean, not like I’m going anymore, but—”
“I hate that you’re not going. I don’t really want to go either.”
Rory blinked. “Then don’t. Join me and Vanessa. We’ll have empanadas.”
“But I already have tickets…”
“So? Why waste your time going if you’re already dreading it?”
Melanie chewed on her lip. “Yeah?”
“Yes!” Rory said, her spirits lifting. “We could pick up lattes in our new mugs to start the night. And maybe even get an entire blueberry coffee cake, Vanessa has quite the hook-up.”
Melanie grinned. “You had me at lattes.”
She squealed, the two of them swinging on the porch, gabbing about their anti-prom plans as Rory squeezed out every last moment she could from the evening, just in case everything came crashing down when she got home.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Calvin offered to drive Rory home. They remained silent as his truck took them over to Misty Bay, up until he parked the car outside of her house.
“I’m sorry,” he said as she unbuckled her seatbelt. “That wasn’t my news to share. He just—”
“Makes you want to scream sometimes,” Rory finished for him.
Calvin chuckled. “I’m kind of surprised he even asked to meet me and tell me in person. He seems…different.”
“He had a lot going on this year,” murmured Rory.
