Who I Am With You (Imagination #10) - Staci Stallings Page 0,56

thought I’d use Thursdays to do some studio stuff,” Nelson said. “I’m going to have to be in the studio a lot between all the projects for the studio class and playing for the people who are doing recordings.”

“How’s that going anyway?” Ryan asked.

“We’ll see,” Nelson said. “We’re kind of all flying blind here. Professor Gates needs this semester to go well so he can talk the university into doing it as an actual program in the fall.”

“So maybe you could do it as a major then?” Ryan asked.

Nelson shrugged. “Here’s hoping.”

When Greg pulled in, his driveway and curb looked like a used car lot. He wasn’t aware they were having a party. He hadn’t taken his coat off since he’d left the hospital because the weather had deteriorated even more since the sun went down. It was now a solid, thick drizzle that was thinking about becoming snow.

Great. Just what we need for tomorrow, he thought sarcastically.

Inside, he found a whole slew of people at the table. “Ugh. Who ordered this weather?” Greg asked.

“Not me,” Clara said, standing from the table. “Sit over there. I’ll get you a plate.”

“What’s this?” Greg slid his backpack to the floor and laid his jacket on top of it by the door.

“The girls cooked,” Ryan said. “Best meal I’ve had in days.”

“Sit,” Clara said again, coming back with a plate and silverware and pointing to the chair next to Taylor.

Greg tried not to notice or react as he did as he was told. “It smells awesome.”

“Tastes even better,” Nelson said.

“Great. I’m starving.”

Next to him, Taylor sat, unmoving and completely silent. She had decided the less anyone had cause to remember she was there, the better. Wes asked Greg how work was, and they talked a bit about that. It wasn’t long and the others stood to clear the table. Taylor wasn’t sure what to do. Finally, she couldn’t justify not helping, so she stood and picked up her plate and the empty salad bowl. She felt Greg’s gaze go with her, but it was better for everyone if she didn’t invite any speculation about this whole thing.

No. It was far, far better to simply blend into the woodwork and get through this in one piece.

The meal really was good, but Greg couldn’t help but keep tabs on the quiet figure that was trying so hard to mitigate her own presence. She didn’t talk. She simply moved about, carefully avoiding everyone else. His heart fell because although he had hoped the guys would be nice to her, mostly what he saw was her not tempting any connection with them at all.

When he was finished, Greg brought his plate over and joined the others cleaning and talking. It would have been great if he hadn’t been so worried about her. In no time the gathering broke up. Ryan and Clara said goodnight, and Nelson headed to his room.

“I guess I’ll be back,” Greg said to Wes who had sat down on the couch to watch some television.

“K,” Wes said with a wave. “Drive careful.”

“Will do.” Greg looked at Taylor. “You ready?”

Without a word, she simply nodded and slid on her jacket. She looked at Greg and then over at Wes, and it was clear there was a decision to it. “G’night, Wes.”

“’Night, Tay.”

With that, Taylor turned for the door and had her hand on the knob.

“Oh, uh, Tay,” Wes said, and turning back to him was like dominoes as Taylor turned and Greg did as well.

Standing, Wes came over as they both stood there, frozen in incomprehension and confusion.

“Yeah?” Taylor squeaked out, wide-eyed at what this could possibly mean.

Three steps from them, Wes stopped and put his hands on his hips. “Uh, listen, I was going to tell you…” He glanced back at the hallway for a half-a-second as if to surmise if Nelson could hear them or not. A breath and his gaze came back to hers as he crossed his arms. “Look, I know… tomorrow… you know, and all of that…”

She nodded, swallowing every word she didn’t say.

“Anyway,” Wes said. He stopped for a second, and then with no more, he stepped right past Greg to her and put his arms around her and pulled her into his embrace. “I’m praying for ya, okay?”

“O… kay,” Taylor said, obviously taken aback by the gesture. She patted his back awkwardly. “Thanks.”

Wes nodded and stepped back but not very far, so they were all standing in a knot by the door. “And I was also going