Read Online Endlessly Beautiful (Beautiful #1.3) by Jamie McGuire - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jamie McGuire
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right.”
America sighed.
I wrinkled my nose. “What the hell, Mare? Why are you so cranky?”
She gnawed the gum around her finger, and then crossed her arms. “They’re not going for it.”
“Who isn’t going for what?”
“My parents. They said if Shep and I move in together, they won’t pay for my college.”
I was stunned. America’s parents weren’t exactly pushovers, but they made a point to support whatever would truly make their daughter happy. If America wanted to continue to attend college, I couldn’t imagine what the difference was. America spent the night with Shepley almost every night. “I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
She shrugged. “How could you?”
I hugged my best friend. “There’s no rush, you know. Shepley can stay until whenever.”
“He’s moving into the dorms.”
“What? When?”
“Fall semester, but … I’m going back to Wichita for summer break. He’s freaking out a little. I am, too … And I know how that sounds, okay? I’m not the type to care if I spend three months away from a guy. Normally it would be a breath of fresh air. But, I don’t want to miss him. Ever since we broke up … It’s just different, you know? I really, really love him, Abby.”
I gave her a squeeze and then held her far enough away to look into her eyes. “Stay with us, Mare. You do, anyway.” I smiled. “It will be fun.”
She shook her head. “They won’t let me.”
“Why?” I asked, frustrated.
“Dad said he doesn’t want us getting too serious too fast. I understand their concern, but it just sucks.”
“You could still do it, you know. Get a job, and we’ll move your things.”
America’s eyes glossed over. “Easy for you to say. You have a scholarship or five. They pay for my tuition. If I want that to continue, I have to follow their rules.”
“Fair enough. But you can come visit every weekend, right? They’ll at least let you come see me.”
“Yeah. Yeah, of course.” She pushed away from me, wiping her nose. She smiled and shook her head. “God. This is stupid. There are much worse things happening in the world.”
“Not to you, and not right now. It’s okay to be upset about being apart from Shep for three months. You’re right. It does suck.”
She smirked. “Thanks.”
“For what?”
“Not making me feel like an asshole.”
I made a face. “That wasn’t intentional. You’re still an asshole.”
America playfully elbowed me as a woman behind the counter stepped in front of us with a smile. I pressed my index finger against the glass, pointing to the the white cake. “It should say, Happy 20th Birthday Travis.”
“Actually,” America said. “Can you make it say Happy 20th Fucking Birthday Travis?”
The woman smiled. “Sounds like a fun party.”
I mirrored her expression. “It will be.”
*****
“Kegs. Ice. Cups. Music. Cake …” I said, pointing at the various stations. “We’re missing something. I feel like we’re missing something.”
America crossed her arms, nowhere near my level of stress. “If you’re comparing with years past, I’d say you’re missing at least two dozen sluts.”
I shot her a look. “Funny.”
America giggle snorted, and then walked across the room, picking up a small balloon and touching it to her lips. Her cheeks bulged, her face turned red.
I looked at my watch. “Less than an hour.” I glanced outside. “Why isn’t anyone here, yet?”
“Spring training,” America said.
I hissed the word fuck under my breath, and then froze when I heard a commotion just outside the door.
“I said … no! Stop! Fucking stop, Travis!” Shepley said as he fell backwards through the door and onto the living room floor.
Travis stood in the doorway, breathing hard, a wide grin on his face. “Honey, I’m home!”
My mouth fell open, and in what felt like slow motion, I scream the word No!
“Why is he here?” America said to her boyfriend, accusation in her voice.
Shepley
America sighed.
I wrinkled my nose. “What the hell, Mare? Why are you so cranky?”
She gnawed the gum around her finger, and then crossed her arms. “They’re not going for it.”
“Who isn’t going for what?”
“My parents. They said if Shep and I move in together, they won’t pay for my college.”
I was stunned. America’s parents weren’t exactly pushovers, but they made a point to support whatever would truly make their daughter happy. If America wanted to continue to attend college, I couldn’t imagine what the difference was. America spent the night with Shepley almost every night. “I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”
She shrugged. “How could you?”
I hugged my best friend. “There’s no rush, you know. Shepley can stay until whenever.”
“He’s moving into the dorms.”
“What? When?”
“Fall semester, but … I’m going back to Wichita for summer break. He’s freaking out a little. I am, too … And I know how that sounds, okay? I’m not the type to care if I spend three months away from a guy. Normally it would be a breath of fresh air. But, I don’t want to miss him. Ever since we broke up … It’s just different, you know? I really, really love him, Abby.”
I gave her a squeeze and then held her far enough away to look into her eyes. “Stay with us, Mare. You do, anyway.” I smiled. “It will be fun.”
She shook her head. “They won’t let me.”
“Why?” I asked, frustrated.
“Dad said he doesn’t want us getting too serious too fast. I understand their concern, but it just sucks.”
“You could still do it, you know. Get a job, and we’ll move your things.”
America’s eyes glossed over. “Easy for you to say. You have a scholarship or five. They pay for my tuition. If I want that to continue, I have to follow their rules.”
“Fair enough. But you can come visit every weekend, right? They’ll at least let you come see me.”
“Yeah. Yeah, of course.” She pushed away from me, wiping her nose. She smiled and shook her head. “God. This is stupid. There are much worse things happening in the world.”
“Not to you, and not right now. It’s okay to be upset about being apart from Shep for three months. You’re right. It does suck.”
She smirked. “Thanks.”
“For what?”
“Not making me feel like an asshole.”
I made a face. “That wasn’t intentional. You’re still an asshole.”
America playfully elbowed me as a woman behind the counter stepped in front of us with a smile. I pressed my index finger against the glass, pointing to the the white cake. “It should say, Happy 20th Birthday Travis.”
“Actually,” America said. “Can you make it say Happy 20th Fucking Birthday Travis?”
The woman smiled. “Sounds like a fun party.”
I mirrored her expression. “It will be.”
*****
“Kegs. Ice. Cups. Music. Cake …” I said, pointing at the various stations. “We’re missing something. I feel like we’re missing something.”
America crossed her arms, nowhere near my level of stress. “If you’re comparing with years past, I’d say you’re missing at least two dozen sluts.”
I shot her a look. “Funny.”
America giggle snorted, and then walked across the room, picking up a small balloon and touching it to her lips. Her cheeks bulged, her face turned red.
I looked at my watch. “Less than an hour.” I glanced outside. “Why isn’t anyone here, yet?”
“Spring training,” America said.
I hissed the word fuck under my breath, and then froze when I heard a commotion just outside the door.
“I said … no! Stop! Fucking stop, Travis!” Shepley said as he fell backwards through the door and onto the living room floor.
Travis stood in the doorway, breathing hard, a wide grin on his face. “Honey, I’m home!”
My mouth fell open, and in what felt like slow motion, I scream the word No!
“Why is he here?” America said to her boyfriend, accusation in her voice.
Shepley
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