When To Let Go (24 page)

Parker threw open the door to Ryder's studio, “I figured out a plan!”

Ryder had given him a spare key, for emergencies. Parker used it instead of knocking.

Ryder was still having a hard time getting used to the way they all barged into each other’s lives.

He glanced up from his book, waiting for Parker to continue, taken back at finding Violet behind him. The two's relationship was still strained, with no signs of improving.

Parker pointed a thumb behind him, “We're taking a drive. The more time you spend in a car, hopefully the easier it will be.”

Ryder wanted to say “no thanks” and send them on their way, but he had already agreed in a private meeting with Noah that he’d go. The man basically informed him that the only reason he suggested Ryder tag along was because of his aversion to touch, implying that he trusted Ryder to keep his hands to himself.

“Why are you here?” Ryder asked Violet; not to be taken rudely, he was only curious.

Parker rubbed his palms together, answering before she had a chance, “Okay, so I was thinking that if Violet drove, it might help you practice being okay with tight quarters that also had the girl you’re crushing on inside.”

Ryder shot Parker the death glare.

Violet rolled her eyes, “Come on Ryder. It's me. I know how you feel about my sister.”

He did, he just didn't like it spoken out loud, “How will
you
driving help?”

Ryder was becoming just as close to Violet as he was Parker, and despite how beautiful she was he only saw her as a friend, not attracted to her in any way.

Violet looked to Parker to explain, seeming like she still didn't understand herself.

“Her smile. It's identical to Maggie's,” Parker pointed out. “I thought maybe if she flashed it at you while she drove it would be better practice than if I was behind the wheel.”

On cue, Violet flashed Ryder a smile that was so much like Maggie’s it had his stomach dipping.

Parker smirked in the smug way that he did, the one that had women desperate to be the one to break him and those close to him wanting to slap it right off his face.

Ryder reluctantly agreed.

The next hour was torture. Just when Ryder would become semi-okay, Violet would purposely give him a “Maggie” smile.

“This was stupid. I'm going to tell Noah I can't do it.”

Violet put the car in park outside of Ryder's studio. “This was day one. Give yourself some credit. Besides, I really don't want her going alone.”

Great, now Ryder had another reason to try and make this work. He couldn't let Violet down and have her be worried about her sister.

Violet quickly said her goodbyes, obviously eager to get away from Parker, who she basically ignored as much as possible.

“I've really fucked everything up,” Parker confessed next to Ryder as they both watched her drive away.

“Yeah, you did,” Ryder agreed. “What are you going to do to fix it?”

“Got any suggestions?”

“Be her friend again without all the possessive jealousy that only confuses her.”

“How do I pretend I like her dating some guy?”

“It's not only about you. You have to think about her too.”

Parker sighed, “I really hate how you always make sense. For once can't you just act immature like the rest of us?”

Ryder laughed and they both headed back to his apartment to hang out.

On graduation day, Parker sat in the stands with Noah, Lily, and Ava.

He had to fight back all the emotions swimming through him as he watched Violet walk across the stage, accepting her diploma. He was so proud of her he wanted to rush down the stairs, pull her into his arms, and tell her how amazing she was.

When Wesley's name was called next, the crowd went wild, cheering for a local celebrity who had taken them all the way to state as captain, and had been one of the reasons why the team had made it to nationals the previous three years. The principal gave him a special plaque as he handed him his diploma.

Parker wished he could be like his crying sister, who wore her love for everybody to see as she clapped loudly.

Parker wasn't even supposed to be there. Violet never told her parents anything that had happened between them, so they had assumed the two were as close as ever and gotten him a ticket, thinking she'd want him there. He was glad, he wanted to be there. He would have snuck in if they hadn't. He wouldn't miss this for anything.

After the way-too-long ceremony ended they made their way outside, where the summer heat had them all sweating in minutes. Everybody tried to find shade for taking pictures.

As Parker walked with the Baxters toward the triplets, Violet's gift weighed heavy in his pants pocket, even though it barely weighed a thing.

Parker took over the camera, using it as an excuse so he didn't have to awkwardly wait on the side.

He snapped all sorts of different variations of photos.

Lily insisted on a picture of only Parker and Violet. The two stood uncomfortably next to each other.

“Come on you two,” Lily laughed. “Get closer.”

Parker seized the opportunity, wrapping his arm around Violet's waist, closing the gap. His pulse quickened from not being this close to her in a long time.

“Congratulations,” he muttered under his breath as he smiled for the camera.

All too quickly their time was up and the two separated. Parker never wanted to let her go, wanting that moment to last forever, knowing it would be the last time for who knew how long, if ever again.

He rode with Noah and Lily back to their place, where they were having a family barbeque for the graduates before they went out that night to party with their friends. Ava went with the triplets in their car.

Lily cried the whole way home. Noah was straight faced. Parker had gotten to know him pretty well and knew when he showed no emotion at all was usually when he felt things the most.

“What are we going to do when they’re all gone after the summer is over?” Lily asked Noah and Parker, sniffling. “It's going to be so strange.”

“We'll have lots of alone time,” Noah pointed out, even though he didn't seem all that thrilled about it. His wife and kids were his entire world.

“Yeah, but it was kind of fun having to be creative.”

“Yeah,” Noah sighed in agreement.

The car got quiet again.

Parker was thankful when they arrived at the tracks. Their sadness was too much when paired with his own, he couldn't handle it.

Everybody was already there, having gotten things started, ready for them to arrive. Lily's parents and their partners were there, as well as her grandparents and brothers. Parker’s moms were there along with some of their family members that were close to Lily and the triplets. The Kings also came, of course. Xavier had arrived home that morning to surprise Wes and Maggie.

Right away Xavier scooped Maggie up into his arms, twirling her around, both of them laughing, excited to see one another. Wes and Xavier exchanged a long bro-hug.

Parker looked around for Ryder, who was off to the side, avoiding looking at the reunion. He had gotten better at being in a car. Now he just had to work on being around Maggie; something that was turning out to be harder than being in the closed space of a car.

He headed to his brother, slapping him on the shoulder, “You have to talk to her today, offer a congratulations or something.”

Ryder nodded, “I know.”

He tried to soothe him, “She knows you’re not much of a talker so she won’t be expecting much.”

“How pathetic is it that I'm twenty-four years old and I still can't talk to girls?”

“If it makes you feel better, you don't really talk to anybody,” Parker teased trying to lighten the mood, hating when Ryder got down about who he was, “but seriously, how are you able to be around Ava and Vi? What makes them easier?”

“Well, uh,” he sheepishly confessed, getting red-cheeked, “it helps that I'm not attracted to them. It also has to do with the fact that they've always felt similar to you, like I had found parts of my missing family.”

Parker didn't have a solution, he never did. He kept hoping one day it would come to him and he could help Ryder out just like he had done for him countless times.

“Want me to go with you when you talk to her?” He suggested.

“Nah, I want to do it alone.”

Violet and Maggie's laughter surrounded the area, the two sisters radiating happiness, their glowing smiles lighting up their faces.

He and his brother were screwed.

Parker decided to go stock up on Malik's ribs and Ava's cupcakes. Stuffing himself with those was the best idea he'd had in a while.

Ryder wasn't able to eat a thing, which was a real shame; Malik's ribs were probably his favorite thing he had ever eaten. He kept waiting for an opportunity to talk to Maggie alone but she was always socializing with others, making it a point to talk to everyone there.

When he finally saw her enter the house to use the bathroom, he followed, under the pretense of having to use it himself.

He waited outside for her to finish.

She was surprised to find him as she opened the door, “Oh, hey.”

“Hi,” he replied meekly, reaching for the bathroom handle as she began to walk away, begging his vocals to say something.

“Congratulations,” was the best he could come up with.

She paused, wary from having him speak to her, “Thanks.”

“You, uh, you look nice...pretty,” he stumbled over his words, pointing to her floral summer dress, trying his best at attempting a friendly smile. He was sure it looked out of place from the rarity of it and the fact that his stomach and heart were out of control from the interaction.

Maggie's big, honey-brown eyes widened.

He kept talking, not having a clue how he did, although when he was done he wished his mouth had remained shut like it always did, “Not that you don't look pretty other days or anything, because you do, it's your thing.”

Maggie's brows scrunched and her head tilted to the side, “What's my thing?”

“Being, you know...pretty, err, beautiful, that fits even better,” he explained, willing his mouth to shut up. “You draw people in with it...you know, with your, err, uh, beauty and light.”

Maggie just stared back at him, her eyes widening again.

He wanted to hide away in the bathroom, something he would have never thought would be his best option. All he had set out to do was perhaps have a conversation about their trip, not make a fool of himself.

He hurried in, closing the door, wanting to bang his head against it. He spent the rest of the celebration avoiding her. He couldn’t even stand to glance her way, too embarrassed.

Parker watched Maggie exit the house with a funny look on her face as she kept glancing back at it over her shoulder.

He knew Ryder had followed her in and her perplexed expression had him curious about what happened. Especially when he caught her continually watching Ryder the way Ryder usually did her.

The only response he got from his brother was, “talking to her was a mistake.”

It was hard for Parker not to explain Ryder to Maggie. The reason he didn't was out of respect for Ryder, knowing that would mortify him. Plus, if Maggie ever had the possibility to like Ryder back she had to figure him out for herself, prove she deserved to have his devotion.

Parker still wasn't convinced they were a good match, hoping his brother's crush would go away. Unfortunately, how do you ever get over a Baxter girl? It seemed impossible. They were likely both doomed to keep how they felt tucked away for nobody else to see for the rest of their lives.

Eventually Violet had had enough of the party and retreated to the garage, where she still kept her car parked.

He found her listening to the radio, dangling her feet over the side, matching the beat.

“Mind if I join you?” He asked, gesturing to the empty space next to her.

She sat up, making more room.

He got in, twisting his body towards hers, wanting a better view.

He dug inside his pocket, retrieving her gift he had wrapped himself.

“It's no laptop, but I hope it still has a purpose,” he joked, trying to hide his nerves with satire, referring to the gifts Noah and Lily had gotten their children.

With trepidation she accepted it from him, cautiously opening it as though something might jump out and bite her despite being palm sized and flat.

She examined the small card.

“It's a Wi-Fi card. I know colleges have free places on campus and stuff, but this upgrades it for quicker downloading,” he kept talking, never imagining he’d be insecure over a flipping gift. “It will make images clearer if you ever Skype home or something. It's enough for the next year or so.”

“Wow, this is great,” she smiled at him in a way that hit him in the gut.

He was going to miss her so much that an ache had already formed.

He wiped his palms on his thighs, “I was also kind of hoping you might use it once in a while with me. I know you want your space, but you’re still my best friend and I'm going to miss talking and seeing you.”

Violet looked at the card in her hands for some time, contemplating what he had said.

“Maybe we could get lunch next week?” She offered, eyes still cast downward.

Her peace offering had him wanting to kiss her.

Parker didn't, he only happily accepted, “Whenever you want, I'll be there.”

He was going to do things right this time around. Be the type of friend she deserved. Prove he was worth having in her life. Remind her of why they were close in the first place.