Everything Changes Read Online Free PDF Page A

you have a good time in Florida.” It also wasn’t lost on me that her idea of a good time and mine were entirely different.
    It took me forever to get to sleep that night. My
mind kept replaying images of Parker and our conversation. Then, in fear, I
would contemplate not going. Then I was back to going and thinking of all the
naughty things I could do to Parker if we were alone. And then, scared again, I
was back to not going.

    June
19, 1997

    The next morning, Addy and I had plans to meet at the shop and then head out from there with Justin
and Parker. All my tossing and turning had me contemplating not going, but in
the end Addy wasn’t having it and neither were my
parents.
    “Are you sure it’s okay that I go?” I asked my
dad when we pulled into the gravel parking lot behind the shop where everyone
was waiting.
    He gave a nod but kept any emotion from his
response. It was hard on him. “I’m sure, but I will be chatting with those boys
about my Rick Rules.”
    I had to laugh. He had so many of these Rick Rules that I lost
track.
    Addy was already there by the time we arrived,
standing shyly next to Justin. My dad stayed and talked with Justin and Parker
for a moment before leaving, and I briefly wondered if he was going above the Rick
Rules and trying to scare them with some kind of I-own-a-gun speech.   He was big on putting the fear of God in any
boy I showed interest in, but he also smiled a lot while talking to the O’Neil
boys, so I thought this particular speech might have been a little different.
    “I’ll call you when we get there,” I said, trying
to ease the worry from my dad’s face.
    “Good,” he said, giving me a wink. “Take care of
yourself.”
    “Uh…take care of Mom,” I told him, hugging him
tightly.
    He laughed, returning the hug. “I got that
handled. I got her favorite ice cream and the box set of N.Y.P.D. Blue .
I think we’re good.” If anything, he knew how to take care of my mom, and I
appreciated that. She needed special care and lots of love, both of which he
provided.
    My dad said goodbye but didn’t offer any more of
his advice.
    When he drove away, I looked over the truck and
trailer parked to the side of the shop. The bikes were loaded in the back of
the O’Neil’s trailer. Parker’s Chevy was loaded with coolers, tents, and bags.
All we had to do was get in.
    Standing in a circle staring at each other, we
were ready to go. Only problem was, none of us were moving. We just stood there
staring at each other.
    “Well,” Justin began, looking at the map and
tipping his head towards Addy who was still standing
beside him. “I have the trip planned out for the most part. Addy has a few places she wants to stop at as well.”
    “I was thinking maybe we could stop in Olympia
and eat,” Addy said, standing beside me now, her
hands buried in the pockets of her hooded sweatshirt. “That way we can finalize
our route an all...”
    Justin looked at Parker who nodded but said
nothing.
    That was when I took in his early morning, drowsy
appearance. He was dressed in dark gray cargo shorts with a white T-shirt that
had some racing logo splattered across the front of it and gray Reef sandals.
    Justin elbowed him when he didn’t say anything.
“Okay?”
    Parker glared but smiled. “Sounds good to me.” He
gave a tip of his head to his truck, gesturing me to get in.
    He yawned, stretching his arms above his head as
he waited for us. Naturally my eyes went south trying to catch a peek at his
stomach. I wasn’t disappointed. It was just a peek, but I could see the sharp
lines of muscles and a little patch of hair below his belly button that I
wanted to explore.
    It was going to be a long ride to Moab with those
thoughts in my head.
    Parker and Justin sat up front while Addy and I squeezed in the backseat. Thank goodness his
truck was a four door because with a twenty-one hour drive ahead of us, it
wouldn’t have been very comfortable.
    We ended up going further south