Free Saving Toby by Suzanne McKenna Link

a lawyer with a major firm in Manhattan. This bash would be no
typical keg party. The Ryans believed in nothing but the best, and the size of
their backyard was no surprise. It was big, wide and thoughtfully landscaped.
Several manicured gardens with perfectly scalloped edges and pruned bushes
created a winding walkway into the yard. The path opened up into a poolside
oasis. A curved, in-ground pool was set into a stone tile area just off the back
of the mini mansion the Ryans called a house. It was too cool to swim, but I
was sure the pool was heated.
    Many of the partygoers converged into groups around the
pool, sipping from red plastic cups. Past the pool, under a white canopy on the
other side of the yard, a small band was playing live as a large group of
people danced nearby. We stopped on the bricked patio and scanned the crowd for
familiar faces.
    Someone grabbed April into a hug. She introduced me, but I
couldn’t hear what they were saying. As they continued talking, I saw Toby’s
burly friend from the other night. We caught each other’s eye, and he made a
beeline for me.
    “Hey, it’s you.”
    Up close, Devlin dwarfed me. There was nothing slight about
him. He had a big, square head with a thick neck, a wide nose with nostrils so
large, I could see up them. His tightly cropped hair made the expanse of his
scarred white forehead appear infinite.
    “I’m real sorry about the other night.” He sounded
clogged-up, congested.
    I cleared my own throat, as if that would help his.
    “I’d rather forget it.”
    “Sure, I understand. I’d never do that. But Ray, he can be a
dick. Guy’s got no manners.” He was quick to throw his friend under a bus. With
one beefy hand wrapped around a plastic beer cup, he held out the other to me.
“We never formally met. I’m Devlin.”
    I glanced up at his face trying to judge his sincerity. He
had apologized for what happened in front of Toby’s house, and he was trying
hard to be friendly. I couldn’t see any real reason to be rude.
    “Claudia,” I said, putting my hand into his expecting to
shake. Instead, he put it up to his lips and kissed my knuckles. I pretended to
be flattered, but when he released my hand, I covertly wiped my knuckles on the
back of my dress.
    “Nice to finally meet you, Claudia.” His smile was slightly
askew, and gummy, like his teeth were too small for the size of his mouth.
    He cleared his throat and shuffled uneasily. Feeling kind of
sorry for him, I offered another subject.
    “Did you graduate with Toby?”
    He tilted his head. “Yeah, but you didn’t. I’d remember
someone as pretty as you.”
    I chose to ignore the compliment. “I went to Saint John the
Baptist.”
    “Oh, Catholic school. Does that mean you’re too uptight to
have fun?”
    Odd question. “Of course, I like to have fun.”
    “Good. I happen to have a nice fatty in my pocket.” He
patted his shirt. “Want to get high?”
    “Gee. Tempting, but no.” I shook my head. This was so not my
scene. It was much too painful talking and listening to this guy. Looking for a
reason to move on, I glanced over my shoulder and searched the party for the
sight of anyone familiar.
    “Have you seen Toby tonight?”
    Devlin’s eyes narrowed. “I knew it. You’re hooking up with
him, aren’t you?”
    “No, I’m not,” like a reflex, I answered fast.
    “Cool.” With a rapacious stare, he paused and held up his
cup. “I need a refill. Can I get you a beer?”
    “No, I don’t drink.”
    “Okay, a soda then,” he offered, and before I could decline again,
he walked away.
    I didn’t plan on waiting for him to come back. I grabbed
April’s arm and pulled her from her conversation. Wrinkling her nose, she
watched Devlin walk away.
    “Trust me, Van Sloot will never be anything more than an
ugly toad. Let’s get lost in the crowd.”
    We darted into a group of people and mingled. It was nice
catching up with old friends, but it wasn’t long before Devlin returned. He