That Pivotal Moment

Chapter 33

Brad and I were sitting in the living room shooting the shit while Gabby was changing in my room. Changing in my room. I still couldn't believe she was here. 

"So," Brad said, "she just surprised you after I left?" 

"Yeah," I answered with a laugh. "I was pissed because I was sleeping and thought you locked yourself out again." 

"Okay, how many times has that happened?" 

"Five," I answered with a look. 

Brad sucked his teeth at me before adding, "She looks good, Hayden." 

"Excuse me?" 

Brad smiled, knowing I misunderstood. "Not like that. I mean she looks like she's doing a lot better. You know, than before." 

"Yeah, she does." Gabby and I haven't had a chance to really talk about the details of this past year. I didn't want to pressure her or make her uncomfortable by asking questions. I was willing to wait until she decided to tell me, if she wanted to. 

"What are you boys talking about?" She asked as she came and sat beside me. Needing to be closer to her, I pulled her next to me until she was flush against my body, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. 

She gave me a loving smile as Brad said, "Hayden keeps picking on me." 

"Excuse me," I quipped, "what I'm saying is the truth."

"Whatever, man. Anyway, Gabb-tastic, what are your plans? Like, are you guys back together?" 

"Brad!" I snapped. What the fuck?

"It's okay, Hayden," she said with a smirk. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you guys about that. I got accepted as a transfer to UGA and got approved for a dorm." She looked from Brad to me and I knew my face was frozen in shock. "If that's okay with you." 

If that was okay with me? Really? “You would really come to UGA?”

The look she gave me made me shiver. “Of course, I will.”

I wanted her here with me, but I had to make sure…"Are you sure that’s what you want? Alex is back in Richmond."

“Yes, it’s what I want. I want to be with you and start fresh with you. Besides, Alex is doing well and it will be good for us, I think, if we put some distance between us after everything. I want him to make a life for himself.” When I remained quiet she let out a long breath. “You need to say something, Hayden.”

I was so happy in that moment, I couldn’t speak. I cupped her face and crushed her lips to mine.

Hell-fucking-yes. 

Forgetting Brad was in the room, we pulled away when he made a sound of disgust. “Great,” he whined, “now I gotta find a new wingman.”

We all laughed and I couldn’t help but think about all that’s happened over the past two years. I wouldn’t change any of it. 

***

 3 Months Later

It’s been three months since Gabby came back into my life. Two weeks ago I helped her get settled into her new dorm on campus. I couldn’t describe how excited I was that she was going to UGA. Not to mention, she was studying art. Which suited her personality. And it was sexy. There were a few times I went to her dorm and she was so deep in thought painting a canvas, she didn’t hear me enter. When she looked up at me, there were different color paints all over her hands and face. Unable to resist her, I had spent hours savoring her body.

I was working under a car when I heard Gabby’s voice bring my thoughts back to the present. “Hayden? You here?”

“Down here,” I said, rolling out from under the car and getting to my feet. 

She walked over to me, giving me a kiss. “Happy birthday, Golden Boy.”

Today was my twenty-first birthday, and also my first birthday with Gabby. “Thank you,” I said with a smile. 

I wiped my hands before throwing the rag on the workbench. When I turned back towards her, she was raking her gaze over my body. I walked up to her slowly, and I could see the desire in her eyes. One thing I found out over the summer was that she really liked that I was a mechanic. 

“Hayden,” she breathed, “can I, uh, talk to you? Over here?”

I followed her inside the breakroom, locking the door behind me. It was less than two minutes before I had her naked and moaning into my mouth.

We quickly got dressed and I shot her a devilish look. “Nothing like a little birthday sex to get the celebration going, is there?” 

Her cheeks heated at my statement, something I realized really turned me on. I loved making her blush. “Well,” she said, “I was going to plan something for your birthday tonight. If you aren’t doing anything.”

Brad wanted to throw a party at our place for my birthday, but I was against it. I didn’t want to spend my birthday with a bunch of people I only talked to in class. I’d rather spend it with Gabby. 

“Just tell me when and where, baby.”

She gave me a kiss before heading for the door. “I’ll text you with the details.” She raked her gaze over me one more time before biting her lip and leaving. 

I couldn’t help the cheesy grin I had as I went back to finish my work. 

***

I was parking my car at my apartment when I checked my cell phone again, hoping to get the text from Gabby with details for my birthday. I was dialing her number when I walked into my dark apartment. The lights flipped on and I jumped when a ton of people yelled, “Surprise!” with Brad at the front.

Oh, fuck. 

Brad came up to me, followed by a lot of people. Most of them I’ve never even seen before. “Happy birthday, Hayden!” 

“Thanks,” I yelled over the loud rap music now filling our apartment. “Where’s Gabby?”

“I don’t know. Come on, let’s have a drink!” 

He handed me a red solo cup as I started getting distracted by many of my fellow classmates along with the other strangers in the room coming to wish me a happy birthday. 

I was sitting on the couch talking to a few guys from my Sociology class when I heard the sound of someone clearing their throat behind me. I had a few drinks, so I just laid my head back to see who it was. “Hey, baby.” I said with a smile, clearly not registering I was in trouble.

“Hayden, can I talk to you for a minute, in your room?”

I excused myself and followed her into my room, closing the door behind me to drown out some of the music. “Hey,” I said, “Brad threw this surprise party. I had no idea.”

I could tell she was pissed now. “Hayden, we had plans.” 

“I kept checking my cell phone, I never got a text.”

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and saw 4 Missed Calls. “Shit, baby. I’m so sorry. I must have been sitting on my phone. Look, when I got here I was going to call you, then all these people were here. I didn’t want to offend Brad after he went through all this trouble so I was going to chill here till I heard from you.” 

She had her arms crossed over her chest and her “angry glare” was turned on. I walked up to her and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her to me. “I would never ignore your calls or keep you waiting. I’m so sorry, baby.”

She relaxed against me after a few minutes, laying her head on my chest. “It’s okay. I know you didn’t do it intentionally.”

I held her a little longer before pulling back and smiling, “So, can we still get my birthday party train rolling? I want to spend it with you.”

She gave me a smile that sent a shiver down my spine. “Yes,” she whispered in my ear, “But, perhaps we should go somewhere more...private.”

Happy birthday to me.