The Promises We Keep (Made for Love Book 1) (38 page)

I hadn
’
t noticed it before and I groan now as I stare at it.
“
Why must I plan everything out so meticulously all the time?
”
I complain as I cup my hands around my face.

“
So it
is
a birthday present?
”

“
Yup,
”
I say as I look back at him.

“
Well I don
’
t know why you
’
re acting all weird about it. You
’
re still going to give it to her, aren
’
t you?
”

“
I don
’
t know,
”
I reply with a shrug.
“
Do you think that
’
s such a good idea?
”

His eyes grow wide as his jaw drops.
“
Dude
—
I could care less about birthdays. I know you know this. I also know
you
know that the girls are the
exact
opposite. In fact, I
’
ve never met anybody who makes such a big deal about birthdays. Considering the
huge
bash they threw for your twenty-first, I
’
d say if you
don
’
t
give her that gift, you can kiss your chances of ever getting back together goodbye. I mean, seriously, are you in denial?
”

“
Okay, okay
—
you
’
re right. I know, I know!
”
I tilt my head back and rest it against the back of the cushion as I stare at the ceiling.
“
I just don
’
t want it to make her sad.
”

“
How do you know it
’
ll make her sad? How do you know it won
’
t remind her that you love her?
”

“
I
’
m actually thinking it
’
ll do both.
”
I put a lot of thought into her gift, this year. Not that I don
’
t take my time in selecting something for her every year, but I knew that this milestone birthday needed a
great
gift. I hunted until I found exactly what I was looking for.
Actually, I hunted until I found better than what I was looking for. She
’
s going to love it and I know it
.
But will that be all? Will she be able to love it and not think about the state of our relationship as it stands right now? Will she be able to look at it without crying?

I don
’
t want to think about that right now. It doesn
’
t matter. Gray is right
—
I have to give it to her, regardless. Aside from the gift, we have a party we have to think about. There are two birthdays to celebrate, after all.
“
Enough about the gift
—
I know that they wanted to end up at the pub at some point.
”

“
Hey, y'all talking plans for next weekend?
”
Jackson asks, his phone still pressed to one ear in one hand and a plate with two sandwiches in the other.

“
Yeah,
”
Grayson and I answer in unison.

Jack smiles before he speaks into his phone.
“
Hold on, baby, they
’
re talking about the girls
’
birthday.
”
Ah. Claire, it is
.
“
Claire
’
s coming back to celebrate. I
’
m going to fly her out. It
’
s a surprise, so don
’
t say anything. Is it Friday or Saturday?
”

“
Their actual birthday is on Friday,
”
I answer.
“
So I
’
m thinking we should do a group thing that night.
”

“
What?
”
Jack asks, now talking to Claire. He
’
s pulled away from our conversation only long enough from him to receive instruction from her to hand his phone to me. I take it without question and say hello.

“
Hey, Beck. What
’
s the plan?
”

“
We
’
re still deciding. Let me put you on speaker.
”
I do and, twenty minutes later, we
’
ve got a dinner destination, a drinking destination, a guest list, and Claire is in the process of creating a private Facebook event by which to invite everyone.
“
That was easy,
”
I say, handing Jackson his phone.

“
Thanks, Claire,
”
calls out Gray before Jack disappears into his room.
“
I
’
m, obviously, up for being a DD. Are you planning on drinking?
”

Grayson, while he was the first in our group to turn twenty-one, doesn
’
t drink. Ever. Considering what I know about his past and his alcoholic father, I don
’
t blame him. Those of us who are of drinking age like to go out every once and a while, but we never get too crazy. Even still, we always play it safe and line up our designated drivers before we go out.
“
I won
’
t be drinking,
”
I assure him.
“
I can be a driver as well.
”

“
Are you sure?
”

“
I need to have all my faculties.
”
For a moment, I imagine what might happen if I
’
m a little tipsy and Addison is a little tipsy
—
which I
’
m sure she will be, considering it
’
s her birthday and putting any alcohol in her pint-sized body will amount to a lack of self-control.
“
I don
’
t think we could stop ourselves from crossing new boundary lines while under the influence.
”

“
Well, I
’
m glad this
’
ll at least put you in the same room as one another. It
’
s weird how she
’
s not around as much. I know it
’
s only been a week, but I
’
ve been your roommate for three years and the distance between you has definitely not gone unnoticed. I
’
m not just talking about your mood, either.
”

“
Gray, we just
—”

“
I get it. I know
why.
I
’
m just saying, if you guys are going to be friends during this separation, or whatever you want to call it, you actually have to
hang out
. I think this will be good for you guys. Maybe good for all of us.
”
He shrugs and looks down at Avery.
“
I know this is something you need to do. I know that you guys are both going through a lot right now
—
but as your friends, we feel your pain. We want whatever is best for you, but you should know that you aren
’
t alone.
”
He looks back up at me and shrugs again, unconsciously expressing his self-consciousness.
“
We
’
re here for you guys. Even if that means giving you two an excuse to be in the same room.
”

His words mean a lot. I
’
m actually surprised with how much better I feel having heard them. I didn
’
t really consider how my friends would play into this, but he
’
s right
—
whether Addison and I are a couple or not, we
’
re still a part of an amazing group of people. Our breakup doesn
’
t have to break up our circle of friends. Furthermore, we should both be able to invest in our friendships like we always have.
“
Thanks, Gray. I needed to hear that.
”

“
You got it. And now that I have you all buttered up, can I ask you for a favor?
”

“
What
’
s up?
”

“
Could I borrow your car Saturday? I need it for my date with Ave.
”

“
Sure. Where are you going? Off roading? She
’
s not really into that kind of thing,
”
I tease.

He shakes his head at me before he begins to explain his plan. As I listen to him talk, I watch as he absentmindedly plays with the strands of Avery
’
s long hair. Just as I
’
ve never seen him this happy, I
’
ve also never seen him this comfortable with another girl before. He hasn
’
t really dated all that much since I
’
ve known him. From what he
’
s told me, there were a few girls in high school, but when he got to college and came to know the Lord, he changed. What he had been looking for in a woman before isn
’
t exactly what he needs now. I also know that what he was used to giving was also something that he chose to adjust with his new found faith. He
’
s got a good heart, I think he always has, and I think he was timid about dating because he knew that he needed to do it differently than he had in the past and he didn
’
t want to screw it up.

But what he has with Avery is almost like destiny. Freshman year, I
’
m not sure I would have ever put them together. I knew that Avery had a crush on him, but they are different in a lot of ways. Over time, though, the two of them just started to make perfect sense. Both of them mean so much to me and I want nothing but happiness for them. Looking at them now, I see that they
’
ve found that. I
’
d bet anything that Gray
’
s already falling in love. I doubt he knows it, but listening to this date he
’
s got planned
—
a
birthday
date, from a guy who could care less for such occasions
—
I don
’
t think his feelings should be labeled as anything less.

I approve of his plan and assure him that my car is his Saturday night. After that is settled, we both fall silent and get lost in sports. It
’
s not video games, but it does distract me enough that I can escape all the thoughts and worries and decisions that I
’
ve got whirling around in my head, for which I am grateful. It
’
s eleven o
’
clock when Gray scoops Avery into his arms and stands to carry her home. I open the door for him, shaking my head.

That girl can sleep through anything.