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Holly caught Eric’s attention from across the room of an amphitheater where his graduation was taking place. Her department’s graduation had been the day before in another building, but his had needed a little more room.
He winked and waved once she found a seat next to her roommates and their boyfriends. Justin and Aimee were on sticky terms again, but she was pretty sure they liked it that way.
“I can’t believe this is almost over,” Diane lamented to herself.
“At least you’ll be closer to home and Cameron.”
Diane’s internship would be in the Clark County district in Las Vegas while Cameron had taken a job in Summerville. It was a close enough drive, Holly didn’t feel bad for them. She had managed a much bigger distance with Eric, and look where they were today.
“Can we sit here?”
Holly whipped around at the familiar voice. It gave her the shivers. “Oh, hi, Rhonda.” The last person in the world Holly wanted to see. Herbert was a little further behind, and Holly nodded to him. They were on better terms, but only because Eric’s dad had made an effort to mend the relationship. He’d even come up for fall break to take the two of them out for dinner a few times. Eric wasn’t ready to mend fences with his mom just yet, but there was progress.
The two seats to the left of Holly were inconveniently open. “Um, sure,” she said, glad Herbert nearly jumped over the seats to be next to her.
“That wasn’t necessary,” she heard Rhonda whisper to her husband. “I’m only here to support Eric.”
Holly shot Rhonda a glance. His mother’s eyes were teary as she scanned the small crowd of graduates. “Holly,” she said, without looking her way.
Holly wasn’t sure she’d said her name at all.
Without contempt, without judgment, his mother looked at her. “I’m truly sorry for how I’ve treated you, and especially Eric. You two are both beautiful people, and I was wrong to interfere. I want you to know I support you both.”
Diane gasped on the other side of her, but Holly’s face didn’t flinch. Even if Rhonda wasn’t being truthful, and Holly believed she wasn’t, Holly was ready to jump over the uncomfortable hurdle. She’d seen how it had affected Eric.
“Thank you. I hope that you’ll stay for the graduation after-party at Eric’s.”
Rhonda’s cheeks flushed, and she nodded. “Plan on us.”
Herbert glanced at her and mouthed thank you before returning his attention to the crowd. Eric smiled extra big when he saw the three of them sitting together. Hopefully, his mom was being honest, and if not, Eric knew how to put his mom in her place.
After the ceremony, Holly hung back while he greeted his parents. She and Eric would have plenty of time together once everything around school settled down. They’d be working down the street from one another; living in the same apartment complex she’d lived in during the summer, at the same cheap price; and finding out what was next in their lives. Life wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough.
A hand grabbed her shoulder from behind and spun her around. She turned and saw Eric beaming at her. “There you are. Why did you hide?”
She shrugged. “Figured I’d give your parents a chance first. I mean, they did raise you into the wonderful person you are today.”
“Very true.” He threaded his arms behind her back and held her close. “They raised me well enough to catch you.”
She leaned against his chest and sighed. “Are you ready to party?”
“Nope, not just yet.”
She turned to look at him. “What do you mean?”
A smile tickled the edges of his mouth. “I left something at your apartment. Want to walk? I told Cameron to drive my car back to the apartment.”
“Sure. It’s a nice day.” It wasn’t actually. Even in April, it was too cold for comfort outside, but holding his hand made it all better.
He led them around campus, taking the long way back to the apartment. Wherever they walked, he pointed out a spot.
“Remember when I asked you out to the dance,” he asked as they walked through the student center. There were a few people hurrying out of the cold, but the campus was practically deserted.
“Yes, and I hope for many more serenades.”
“Deal.”
Holly pointed at their study building where they’d shared many kisses during class breaks, even more so in the last semester. They passed the student center where they’d danced, the cafeteria where they’d spent many afternoons, and the lawn where they’d had an apartment wrestling tournament.
