Unbreakable Devotion: A New Adult Romance Novel (4 page)

Kathy
and I had gone out for pizza. We were leaving the restaurant with a box of leftovers when we heard the music. “Oh, music! It’s a live band. Let’s go!” I said, moving towards the sound of the music with Kathy right behind me. “Oh, I love this song,” I said, grinning while looking up towards the stage, watching the band play. “It’s so romantic!”

Kathy watched the crowd sway to the music.
She scanned over the crowd, enjoying the crisp clean air and the crowd dancing slowly to the pulse of the band. The scene was so pleasant on a Saturday night in the city. I smiled at her as we both swayed and danced playfully in the cool air. Then Kathy spotted him. Her mouth fell open as she stared into the crowd. She froze for a moment, wondering whether what she was seeing was real. Kathy saw Devon holding Kristen, his head leaning on hers, embracing her way too close. She bumped my arm with her elbow while holding the box of leftover pizza.

“What?”
I looked at Kathy, my eyes scanning her face to read her expression. Kathy gestured with her head, her eyes squinting, and I saw him, holding Kristen intimately, his chin brushing the top of her head, swaying gently, his face unreadable, but his body language unmistakable. My heart raced, trying to process what I was seeing. My mouth dropped slightly in disbelief.

“C’mon
, Erin, let’s go,” Kathy said with concern.

“No, let’s go say hi to his ne
w friends.” I said, determined.

“God, please
, Erin. Don’t make a scene. Let’s go.” Kathy pursed her lips in reluctance.

My
hair was caught under my crossed arms as I approached Devon.

“Hey
, Devon!” My eyes were flush with emotion, and I pressed my lips together to camouflage my frown.

“Erin! What are you doing here?
” Devon released Kristen and moved his hand over the small of her back. He always seemed happy to see me, but now he appeared hesitant.

“Hi
, Erin,” Kristen said as she turned around to find me peering at them.

“Hi
, Kristen,” I said, trying to disguise my feelings. I did not blame Kristen, but Devon. Devon!

Devon’s f
ace was a mix of joy and unease.

“Kathy and I we
re just grabbing a bite to eat,” I said, my eyes fastened on them now.

“Me too.” Devon was standing calmly, as if not to rile an angry bear staring him down.

“Uh huh.” I gazed at Devon, one hand on Kristen’s back.

“Hey
, guys,” Shannon said from a silhouetted background.

“Hey
, Devon, your stalker’s here.” Matt was standing in back of Shannon, his long arms dangling over her tender shoulders as they both faced me.

“Shut up
, Matt. Now is not the time!” Devon flashed Matt a “don’t fuck this up” stare that had even colossal Matt taken aback.

“
Okay, you guys can leave now,” Matt said, rubbing Shannon’s slender neck as she moved her head in pleasure, his mouth distorted in a half-grin.

“Shut up
, Matt,” Kathy said, never backing away from a challenge.

“So I have not seen you around
.” Devon looked at Erin, wanting to tell her nothing mattered except her, but not here, not now.

“It looks like we have both been busy,” Erin said
, steely eyed now, arms tightening. “Well, you guys have fun,” Erin said, walking away.

“Erin, wait!
” Devon ran beside Erin, grabbing her shoulders and facing her, looking into her always irresistible eyes.

“It’s just a date, Erin. Matt asked these girls out. I didn’t even ask her out.” Devon’s eyes widened in a plea he hoped she would see. Could she hear him?

“But you said yes,
” Erin said in a slightly trembling voice. She looked up at Devon, her eyes looming large in the autumn night.

Devon’s stomach tightened as he spoke.
“Matt and Shannon just wanted someone to go out with her friend. It’s just an innocent get-together, Erin. It’s nothing,” he said.

“It looks like something from here.” Erin frowned
and brushed her long blonde hair off her chest and over her shoulder.

“
Erin, why is this bothering you? Why are you acting this way?” Devon scrambled through his mixed-up thoughts to try to defuse the situation.

“
Guys can be so dumb,” Erin said with furrowed brows and a grimace. “We’re just friends, Devon. It doesn’t matter. C’mon, Kathy, let’s go.”

Kathy narrowed her eyes at Devon, and sashayed away from him towards her friend and down the sidewalk. Devon gazed at her, his hands in his back pockets, wondering
whether Erin wanted to tell him something. He watched them walk away, trying to process what just happened.

Marilyn Coury
was off to work at six o’clock in the morning. She had been working over ten hours a day and Devon worried about her. His mom insisted that Devon focus on his grades so he could get into a good college, but Devon wanted to help. Getting the lifeguard position over the summer would allow him to help his mom out, and it would look a lot better than a McJob on his college applications. Of course, all of this came with the added benefit of seeing Erin all summer long.

“Sweetheart, I made you
dinner for the week and put it in the freezer. That way you won’t eat junk.”

“Mom, I can do that,” Devon protested.

“It’s no trouble. I really don’t want you eating just anything, Devon. This is better than fast food.” She smiled softly at Devon.

This was the way things
worked in the Coury home. His mom was still working by the time Devon got home to eat. He vowed someday he would change things for his mom, and give her the life that she deserved, but it rang in his head like a hollow fantasy. It had been this way ever since his dad died, when he was barely old enough to remember him. He had a year left of high school and four years of college before he could seriously begin to help his mom out financially, and that was if he was lucky.

“Sure
, Mom. Thanks. How’s work?” Devon’s tall frame angled over the kitchen counter as he grabbed a bowl from the cabinet.

“Busy
, dear. We’re coming up on the holiday season. You know what that means.” Marilyn had sapphire eyes that changed to blue under the light. It was easy to see where Devon got his stunning good looks. She was still lean and stylish at forty-three. She dressed elegantly for what little she had, getting many of her clothes at a discount from the department store where she worked. Most of her money was spent on food and set aside for Devon’s college.

“Yeah
, Mom, it means twelve-hour days. I don’t think you should be doing that. It’s too much.”

“Oh, honey, stop wo
rrying, you know I love my job. How’s school?”

“I am balancing everythin
g, but my grades are really good this year, and our football team has only lost two games so far this year.”

“
That’s wonderful. I am so proud of you. You know that,” she said, beaming at her son.

“Yeah,
Mom, I know.” Devon was roaming around the kitchen for some milk, cereal, and a banana.

“
Where’s Erin? I have not seen her for a while.” Marilyn gazed at Devon over a cup of hot tea, reading his expression as he sat. “You two are so great together.”

“Yeah, I know
, Mom. She’s just a friend. I’ll see her today. I think she’s mad at me, and I honestly don’t know why.”

“
Oh no, honey. Well, you two never stay mad for long. I am sure things will work out.” Marilyn straightened the collar on Devon’s shirt from behind as he sat down to eat breakfast. “You know she’s welcome here anytime. She’s really good for you, Devon. She makes you happy. I would hate to see anything come between you two.”

“Oh,
Mom. She’s just a friend.” Devon glanced down and frowned at the thought.

“Al
l right dear. But just the same.” Marilyn kissed Devon on the top of his head, combing untamed strands of his thick, brown hair. “I love you.”

“I love you too
, Mom.” Devon knew his mom was going to emphasize the point again.

“Remember what I said.” She smiled at Devon and headed to work.

“I know, Mom. I will straighten things out. Don’t worry so much.” Devon grinned wryly at his mom as she walked out and turned his attention back to breakfast.

Devon headed to school with the intention of finding Erin and talking to her, waiting by her locker if he had to. He wanted to make sure she knew that things
were good between them as they had always been. He was not entirely sure what was happening, but at the very least he did not want to lose her completely.

Devon had not seen Erin all day, but he knew she went to her locker after lunch. He
didn’t want to look so desperate to see her, and time it so that he was walking towards her as she gathered her books from her locker. Since her class started at 1:35, he would stroll by a few minutes before then and finally get to talk with her alone.

Erin was standing against the lockers with h
er locker open, and Steve Pelton leaned into her, with one hand on top of her opened locker door and the other on the neighboring locker, fully enclosing her with his square body. Occasionally he would touch the tendrils of her blonde hair that scattered across her shoulders and over her face. Her cheeks were flush; she was smiling and laughing, looking up at him.

Pe
lton played third based on the baseball team, stood five feet nine inches tall, and had curly brown hair. Steve Pelton was leaning fully into her now, drinking in her golden glow and sun-warm smile. Devon did not know him that well, but he immediately became Devon’s number-one annoyance this afternoon. Devon walked over to her as Steve leaned in, enfolding her with his body.

“Hey!” The bark came out of Devon
more forcefully than he had intended. Erin looked Devon’s way over Pelton’s arm. “Erin, I’ve been looking for you all day.” Devon’s lips pressed and narrowed in a white line in annoyance at Steve’s aggressive posture.

“Devon, what are you doing here?
” Erin leaned up from the locker, the blood from her rosy cheeks draining white. Steve straightened his posture, peering at Devon with narrowed eyes and a belligerent stance.

“Devon
, this is Steve; Steve—Devon.” Erin looked at Steve, and then hesitantly at Devon, nervously clasping her hands together.

Devon
ignored Steve and put his attention wholly on Erin.

“Erin, I’ve
wanted to talk with you all week. Where have you been?”

“We’ve both been busy, remember?”

“C’mon, Erin. I told you I was just going out with Matt and two of his friends.”

“Erin, is this a problem for you
?” Steve drew closer to Erin, placing his shoulder between them.

“Don’t do that,” Devon said, looking straight at Steve, his eyes narrowing.

“Do what?” Steve grinned a broad and cocky grin.

“Play the hero. In fact, why don’t you get the fuck out of here
?” Devon was standing with one foot in front of the other, ready to lunge at Steve.

“Devon, stop it. Steve, this is my friend. I have known him forever. So please don’t cause any problems.”
Erin looked up at Devon, her eyebrows tense, her usual glow replaced with a frown. She grabbed her books and held them close to her chest.

“Let me walk you to class.” Devon grabbed Erin’s books, and placed his arm around her.
He scooted into her, her soft blonde curls on his lips and face as he breathed hot in her ear. “You’re way out of that guy’s league.”

She smiled and gazed down.
“Why would you say that?” She blushed.

“Erin, I’ll give you a call.” Steve stood by the locker and slammed the door.

“Whatever,” Devon said, not looking back.

“You’re not going out with that asshole, are you?” Devon said.

“Jealous?”

“I have a bad feeling about that guy. Who is he?” Devon savored her sweet smell as he walked Erin to her class.

“Steve, he’s in my science class. He’s my lab partner. He asked me out.”
Erin looked up shyly at Devon under his powerful arm.

“Really?
And what did you say?” Devon’s heart raced for just a moment, suspended in time between the answer he wanted to hear and the answer that would crush him.

“I said yes of course.
” Erin looked straight ahead, avoiding Devon’s face.

“Why the hell would you do that?” Devon looked down at Erin, handing the books to her.

Erin immediately turned to face him, taking the books and placing them over her heart, her breaths faster and shallower now. “Why is this bothering you, Devon? What do you care? We’re just friends, remember?”

The words came at Devon like daggers into his heart.
Devon curled his lips inward, the words not wanting to come out. “Yeah, I remember.”