Page 44 of Unsaid Things
After that they sat down, Megan going back to the kitchen to finish getting dinner ready. They chatted some more, getting to know Hannah. Matt was so obviously smitten. Lance tried to interrogate the poor girl at one point, but Abby glared at him. “Be nice, Lance. This isn’t an interview. She’s Matt’s girlfriend, and she has Chris and Megan’s approval.”
The weird tension from before had gone, Hannah sitting on Matt’s lap across from her and Lance on the couch, Chris in the chair by himself until Megan announced it was time to eat. She produced a bottle of wine with a flourish once they were all at the table.
“We’re all here instead of out getting crazy drunk because Abby doesn’t like wild and crazy parties. And I’m not even sure she’s ever been drunk.” Megan said that like it was a bad thing.
Abby just shook her head and laughed at her friend.
“But, what’s a twenty-first birthday without alcohol? That’s just un-American. And we can’t have that. So we’ll have wine with dinner and pretend to be proper adults.”
Matt watched Megan pouring wine into Abby’s glass first, then Lance’s. “Well, Lance and I are proper adults, with jobs and everything.”
Megan stuck her tongue out at him. Chris laughed. “Yeah, but you still share a house with two college students, so I’m not sure that counts.”
“Whatever, man,” Matt grumbled, staring at his glass as Megan filled it.
Lance shrugged. “I’m okay with not being a proper adult yet. Adulting isn’t much fun. I’ll put it off a while longer if I can.”
Abby shot him a grateful look. She didn’t want Matt’s propensity to be moody and pissy lately to bring down her birthday party. Hannah leaned over and whispered something to Matt, who gave her a look, the corners of his mouth tugging up. He kissed her. The new girlfriend really did seem to be good for him. He was here, after all. He’d been avoiding them since the spring semester had started in January. Even before he’d met Hannah. Or met her again. Abby wasn’t all that clear on the timeline there. He’d gotten more distant and moody throughout the fall semester, which she attributed to him feeling like a third wheel. But the comment about him being a real adult made her wonder if there was more to it than that. Either way, Hannah made him smile, and that was a good thing. Matt was a good guy. Laid back and friendly, she’d always known him to be ready with a smile or a joke until recently. Hopefully that came back now that he wasn’t a third wheel anymore.
They did presents and cake after dinner. Nothing fancy. Megan got her a round silver pendant with concentric bands of filigree alternating with solid bands etched with a swirling design. It hung on a slim chain.
Abby held it up for everyone to admire. “It’s beautiful. Thanks, Megan.”
“A friend of mine works with silver, and I saw it and thought it was perfect for you. I’m glad you like it.” She got up and gave Abby a hug.
“Hey! It’s from me too,” Chris put in. Everyone laughed, because it was clear that Megan had picked it out, and he’d just signed his name to the card.
Matt and Hannah gave her an iTunes gift card. But from the look Hannah gave Matt, Abby didn’t think Hannah had been involved with the purchase.
Matt didn’t seem phased by it. “I heard you got a new iPad for Christmas. I thought you might want some more apps or books or something. I know Lance would’ve gotten you a bunch, but you might’ve worked through it all by now.”
So maybe it wasn’t as generic of a gift as it seemed on face value. She gave him a warm smile. “Thanks. I still have a bunch of gift card credit from what he bought, but I’m sure I can find a way to burn through it now that I know I’ve got more.” She did have a reading addiction, and it was nice to be able to splurge more on ebooks. But she was extra careful when she didn’t have a lot of credit, spacing out her purchases and using the library to get most of her books. Now she could afford to buy books more often.
Everyone looked expectantly at Lance, who was mid-swallow on his beer. “What?”
Abby laughed and waved a hand at their friends. “He already gave me his present last night.”
“Go, Lance.”
Abby shot Chris a quelling look. “Notthatkind of present. He got me these earrings. See?” She pulled her hair back and tilted her head so the dangly gold pieces could catch the light.
Megan touched one earring with her fingertips. “Ooh. Those are beautiful.” To Lance, “I approve.”
“Thank you, Megan. I’m so glad. I was deeply worried about your approval.”
Megan shot him a pretend glare, prompting a wide smile from him.
Not long after that, Hannah said she was getting tired and needed to get home. Matt went with her. Abby suspected that they wanted to be alone more than anything, and going to Hannah’s place seemed like a better excuse than just going into Matt’s room.
Letting out a groan, Megan stood up. “I better get started on the dishes or I’ll regret it later.”
Looking forward to a gossip session now that she’d met Hannah, Abby stood too. “I’ll come help.”
