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"Oh, honey, I’lad you’re back Could you set the table please?" rabbed the plates from the cupboard

"Yes, and we ordered your favorite" She smiled

As I set the table, my mom picked up my sketchpad and looked at it "This is beautiful, Julia"

"Thanks I drehile I was down at the beach"

My dad and Collin walked in, and my mom showed my dad the sketch of London

"That’s a beautiful picture, Princess," he said as he kissed rabbed the bowl of pasta and set it on the table

We sat down and ate dinner as a faer Little did I know that toedon downstairs As I yawned, I grabbed my phone and texted Collin to come to my room He opened the door and stepped inside

"What?" he asked

"What the hell is going on downstairs?"

"Did you forget that today is your graduation party and the caterers and planners are here?"

"Already? My God, it’s only eight o’clock in the ed his shoulders and walked out of the room I stepped out of bed and walked down the hallway to my parents’ room I knocked on the door andup on the bed, checking his phone

"Good , Dad," I said as I cuddled up next to him He put his ar?"

I sighed "No, I just don’t want to go downstairs yet with all that racket going on"

"Ah,in here"

"Mo up here to change clothes She’ll realize it soon enough and come look for me"

"I miss London, Dad"

"I know you do, sweetheart We allhere But, today’s your graduation party and there’s going to be about 300 people here, so you need to try and at least act happy I know you’ve been doing that a lot lately, but once today is over with, you’ll have the whole summer to relax"

Suddenly, the door opened and , sweetheart Connor, why are you sitting up here?"

"I’lared at him with knitted eyebrows as she walked over to the bed "Are you okay, sweetheart?"

"I’o take a shower and get ready for your party?" She smiled

I sat up and looked at my dad as he winked at me As soon as I walked out of the roo I rolled my eyes because I knehat that meant

The party was a success, and I could tell how happy my mom was People were everywhere Tables filled the patio and backyard under the beautiful white canopy tents The spread of food was a and could probably feed a s my friends requested My ames were set up down on the beach for the older kids and adults I made my rounds and tried to talk to asdusk and I needed to step away frohts With as raduation, it still felt lonely without London I didn’t want my parents to worry if they couldn’t findfor a walk

"Dad," I said as I pulled hio for a walk down the beach in case you’re looking for ht, sweetheart, just be careful," he said as he kissed my head

I took off my shoes and headed down the beach Once I h away from the house, I sat down in the ware, a dog came up and sat down next to me with a stick in its mouth

"Hi there" I s "You’re so cute Look at that face Where did you come from?"

Suddenly, I heard a voice fro, boy?"

I gulped as I looked at the fine o shorts and no shirt I couldn’t help but stare at his ripped abs and h air as I looked at hiain, uy I’d ever seen in irls and, when he sees one, he wants to be friends" He s when he smiled It was the kind of smile that no matter how bad your day was, it made you feel better It was the kind of smile that fixed you I needed to speak, but the words weren’t couy, this man He had me speechless and that was not easy to do

"That’s okay I love dogs" I ed to spit out

He looked at me and cocked his head "I know this is your typical crappy line, but I’hed because at least he was being honest about it being a typical crappy line "I don’t think so"

"Coo," he said

Mozart looked at me, laid down, and put his head on ? Coo," I said

"He never acts like this He always listens when I tell hi rapidly as the nervousness in an "You could always stay for a while until he’s ready to go"

He looked at me with a smile "You don’t mind? You sort of look like you want to be alone"

"No, I don’t raduation party"