Chasing Abby(37)

She’s always been a bit of a daddy’s girl, but she’s also fiercely independent. She got her driver’s license two days after her sixteenth birthday because she was desperate for more freedom. And she completed her college applications all on her own, getting accepted into both NC State and UNC along with a few other universities, like her top pick USC. All she has to do is submit her fall-semester grades to each university this coming January, and she’ll have her pick of seven different college campuses.
So, naturally, all of her friends have been asking for her help with their college applications. But I never expected she would choose to put off seeing Abby to help Jenna, a girl who supposedly flirted with Jimi’s boyfriend before they broke up three months ago. It makes no sense.
I head back to the kitchen in time to find Chris teaching Abby how to truss a chicken. Ryder is showing Caleb how to work the computer touchscreen on the wall by the breakfast bar. Of course, Ryder shows him how to work the TV function by putting on the Disney Channel.
I sidle up next to Chris and nudge his shoulder with mine. “Jimi’s not coming until later.”
Both he and Abby turn their heads to gape at me. “Why?” he asks.
“She’s helping Jenna with her UNC application and she doesn’t want to be a bad friend and ditch her.”
Abby’s dark-blonde eyebrows scrunch together in confusion. “Is she uncomfortable with me being here?”
“What? No, of course not. She’s just become the go-to girl for all her friends who are rushing to get their college applications submitted. It’s… unfortunate, but she seems to think we’re leaving for the beach house tomorrow. Did you tell her that, honey?”
Chris grabs the salt and pepper off the counter behind us and sets them down in front of Abby. She follows his lead and begins sprinkling the seasoning all over the chicken.
“I may have mentioned that we would be going to the beach house tomorrow, but that was only if… if we had nothing going on. Abby is here now. We’re staying here as long as we need to.”
Abby holds up her hands and Chris points her to the sink where she can wash the chicken juices and seasoning off her fingers. “You don’t have to stay here on my account. Caleb and I have really enjoyed meeting you all, but we don’t want to ruin your plans.”
“You’re not ruining our plans,” Chris insists. “You are the plans. The reason we were going tomorrow night instead of tonight is because we decided last weekend that we would wait one more week to see if you would show up.”
“Aw, that’s why, Dad? You lied. You told me it was ’cause of the storm.”
Ryder never forgets anything we tell him.
“I didn’t lie,” Chris says with a grin. “There was a storm… in Florida.”
Abby smiles as she dries her hands on a kitchen towel, but her smile is barely hiding her disappointment. “Well, maybe Caleb and I should get going so you all can pack and get ready to go to the beach.”
“No, you don’t have to go,” I reply hastily. “In fact, why don’t you stay the night and you can go with us to the beach house for a few days?”
Chris narrows his eyes at me then turns back to Abby. “We don’t want you to feel pressured or obligated to stay. But, of course, you are welcome to stay as long as you want.”
“You should come with us to the beach house!” Ryder’s eyes are wide with excitement. “The beach is right there and last year there was a shark in the water and everyone was taking pictures of it with their phones and this one lady screamed and everyone thought she was bit, but she wasn’t.”
“I… I don’t know. I mean, I don’t want to impose.”