That’s it.
I pushed through the brush and walked past Maegan. I put my hand on Mike’s shoulder, pulled him around, and punched the shit out of him. He fell backward as Lex, Maegan, and Grace all screamed.
I looked at Grace. “Grace? Where did you come from?”
She looked down at Mike and then up at me. “I, um…I was on the other side of them, recording with my phone.”
Mike looked up at Grace. “What in the hell are you doing here?”
Grace walked up to Mike and kicked the shit out of his stomach. Then, she bent down as he moaned over and over. “I got you on video, you piece of shit. You just admitted on video that you had someone record us, that you’re only with me to gain something from my grandparents, and that you pretty much were blackmailing me with that video. Not to mention, you admitted that little bonus of you screwing your dad’s secretary. The table is turned, asshole.”
“You bitches tricked me?” he yelled out.
I reached down, picked his ass up, and pushed him against a tree. “You’d better be thanking them. If they weren’t standing here, I would beat your ass to a pulp.”
“Listen, Will, I was just…I wasn’t gonna show anyone the video.”
I got right in his face. “You were about to upload it, you ass.”
Mike looked at Grace and then me. “What are you going to do with the video, Grace?”
She smiled. “Well, the first thing I’m gonna do is save it somewhere other than my phone. If you so much as ever look my way or attempt to contact my grandfather, I’ll be sending the little video home to your parents and maybe to my grandfather as well, so he can see what a lowlife you are. You’ll never get into the law program. Ever. I suggest you let my grandfather know you won’t be interning for his law firm.”
Mike moaned. “Grace, my father is going to kill me if I pull out of that for no reason.”
Grace walked up to him and tilted her head as she looked him up and down. “Not my problem.”
She turned and began walking away as I let go of him with a push.
Lex and Maegan followed her. Mike put his face in his hands and began mumbling how his father was going to kill him.
“If I find out that you’ve even looked at Grace ever again, you will regret it. Am I making myself clear?” I said.
Mike dropped his hands and looked at me. “Very.”
“Good. Get the fuck off my property.”
Mike turned and began walking back through the brush. I followed, walked him to his car, and watched as he drove off.
I felt a hand on my arm. I turned to see Grace.
“Thank you. I know how hard that must have been for you to watch Lex flirting with Mike.”
“Grace, why didn’t you tell Luke or me about the video? We would have handled it.”
She swallowed hard and wiped a tear away. “I couldn’t risk my father or mother ever seeing it, Will. I wanted to tell Luke so many times, but I knew if I did, he would beat the shit out of Mike.”
I nodded. “Yeah, he would have.”
“Please, Will. Please don’t say anything to Luke.”
I pulled her into my arms when she broke down crying. “I promise, Grace. I promise.”
Grace and I walked over and sat down on one of the logs surrounding the fire pit. I would start a fire soon once the sun started to go down.
Lex sat down next to me and smiled weakly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you. If I had, you would have talked us out of it and gone after him yourself. I knew we would be okay with you there.”
I shook my head. “Lex, that was dangerous. What if he had tried—”
She put her finger up to my lips. “He didn’t, and you were there.”
“Which one of you came up with this plan?” I asked as Maegan sat down opposite of me and Lex.
Maegan pointed to Lex. “The brains of Operation Take Down Mike.”
Lex and Grace laughed.
I pulled Lex closer to me. “I love you. I have to admit, the whole you making out with Maegan almost threw me into a bit of shock.”
Lex hit me in the stomach as Maegan laughed.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
I looked up to see Libby standing there.
“Hey, sis. You all changed?”
She nodded her head. She seemed flustered and confused.
“Where’s Luke?” Grace asked.
“Um…he’s kind of passed out in Colt’s truck. He managed to, um…change into dry clothes, but he’s really drunk. I had to help him back into the truck.”
Grace laughed. “What is with him getting so shitfaced lately?”
Libby sat down and glanced over to me. Something wasn’t right.
I mouthed, Are you all right?
She nodded and smiled weakly.
“Libby, can I talk to you in private?” I asked as I stood up. I always knew when something wasn’t right with my sister. It was almost like I could feel when she was upset or sad or just not right.
She stood up and began walking to my truck. She stopped and turned around with a fake-ass smile on her face. “What’s up?”
I raised my eyebrow at her. “Libby, I know you well enough to know that something is off. You look flustered and confused as hell.”
She laughed. “Will, I promise, everything is okay.”
Then, I felt the heat moving up my body. “Did Luke try anything with you? I’ll hurt that bastard if he did.”
She shook her head. “Will, no. Everything is fine.”
Sam Hunt’s “Raised on It” began playing, and the girls all screamed.
Libby smiled at me and kissed me on the cheek. “I promise, I’m okay, Will.”
“I love you, Lib.”
“I love you, too.”
Libby turned and walked over to the girls, and they started dancing. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Luke walking up. He was for sure drunk and acting like a fool.
I pulled out my phone and started recording everyone. I couldn’t help but think about how most of us would soon be leaving for college. I smiled as I watched Lex dancing. I tried to push away the uneasy feeling I got in the pit of my stomach. It was that same uneasy feeling that told me things were going to change soon, very soon.
I sat on my bed, holding Emma to my chest. Tears threatened to come again. I had cried so much the last two days that I was sure I had no more tears left.
I heard the door open and felt my bed move. The moment he entered my room, I knew it was Will.
“Hey,” he whispered.
I couldn’t talk. If I talked, I’d cry again. I shook my head and clutched Emma harder.
“Lex, I promise you, everything is going to be okay.”
I turned and looked at him. His eyes were bloodshot.
Has he been crying?
Libby had told me that Will hadn’t been sleeping well at all the last few nights.
“I-I can’t leave you.” I broke down crying again.
Will moved closer to me and took me in his arms. “Baby, I swear to you, we’re gonna make this work. Our love is too strong, Lex. You have to believe in our love.”
I sniffled and whispered, “I do, Will. I do believe in our love, but it doesn’t make it any easier.”
He ran his hand up and down my back. “I know it doesn’t. I’m not taking classes on Fridays, so I can always drive to Austin for the weekends. I won’t even be two hours away from you, Lex.”
I pulled back and looked into his heavenly blue eyes. “Promise me.”
“I swear to you, I’ll come visit you at least twice a month.”
I threw my arms around him and began kissing him. If I thought I could, I’d strip down naked and have him make love to me.
My father cleared his throat, and Will pulled back.
“Will, how are you today?”
Will stood up and winked at me before turning to shake Daddy’s hand. “I’m doing fine, sir. How are you?”
“I’ve been better. Not too sure I’m ready to send my girl off
to college.”
I smiled as Will let out a small chuckle.
“You all packed and ready to go, son?”
Will nodded his head. “Yes, sir, I am.”
“Good to hear. You have any regrets about not playing football?”
I rolled my eyes. Daddy couldn’t understand how football was not a huge part of Luke’s and Will’s lives. They liked playing, and both had played in high school, but they each had turned down the chance to play in college. Colt, on the other hand, had every intention of playing football for A&M.
“No, sir. My goal is to focus on studying and possibly graduate early.”
Daddy raised his eyebrow and nodded. “You want on this ranch that bad, huh?”
Will chortled. “Yes, sir, I do. I believe Luke and I will be valued assets to both the cattle side of the business and the breeding side as well.”
Daddy hit Will on the back and shook his hand again. “I know you will. Y’all have already made Jeff and me proud as hell.”
“Thank you, sir.”
I smiled as I watched my father and the love of my life share a moment together.
Daddy glanced at me and winked. “I’ll let y’all visit for a while. You taking Alex out tonight, Will?”
“Yes, sir. We are all going to dinner and then back to my place to watch a movie.”
“Sounds low-key. I like it.” Daddy turned and walked out of my room.
I slowly stood up and walked over to my suitcase. I was finished packing, but I couldn’t bring myself to close and zip it up. I laid Emma on top and turned to face Will.
“You’re bringing Emma?”
I felt my cheeks heat as I slowly nodded. “Yeah. If I thought I could bring Banjo, he would be ready to go in the trailer.”
Will walked up to me and pulled me into his arms. He leaned down and kissed my lips tenderly. “You ready for dinner? I’m sure everyone is probably almost there by now.”
I nodded my head and reached for his hand.
The entire way to the restaurant, neither of us spoke. It was as if we were simply enjoying the presence of each other.
Will pulled up and put his truck in park. He took a deep breath, sighed, and got out before walking to my side. I began to wonder why he’d sighed.
What is he thinking about?
He’d seemed so distracted over the last week, like something had been weighing on his mind, and he couldn’t share it.
He reached for my hand and smiled the smile that melted my panties every single time.
When we walked into the restaurant, I saw everyone sitting at a giant round table. Colt and Luke were lost in conversation. Maegan and Lauren were laughing while looking at something on Lauren’s phone. Grace, who seemed like a new person, was talking to Libby and Taylor.
Our little group…
We were only friends because our parents were all best friends, and somehow, we’d managed to become a tight group. My mother had said that we might even be tighter than their group. I had laughed because all our parents were tight, very tight. They never fought with each other—at least, not that I knew of. They loved each other unconditionally, and I’d seen my mother leave in the dead of night just to be with one of them.
Yeah, our little group is just the same. There wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for any of them, and I knew they felt the same way.
Will started walking toward the table, and Luke looked up and smiled. He and Colt both stood up. I loved how my brother, Luke, and Will always stood up when a girl either walked up to a table or got up to leave. They had for sure been raised the right way.
“Alex, you look beautiful,” Luke said with a smile.
I grinned. “Liar.”
He chuckled and kissed me on the cheek. Then, he whispered, “It will be okay, darlin’, I promise.”
I looked at him as tears filled my eyes. “I know.”
Will pulled out my chair, and I sat down. Colt, Luke, and Will followed and took their seats.
Grace got me caught up on the Mike scandal. Apparently, he’d talked his father into letting him take a year off to travel around Europe. After Grace had broken up with him, he’d claimed to be having a breakdown, and he needed to find himself.
“What a class-act jerk.” I took a bite of pasta.
Grace nodded. “Tell me about it. I’m so glad to be rid of him. I feel free.”
“Maybe you’ll meet someone at UT,” Lauren said.
Grace laughed. “No, I’m not interested, and I won’t be looking either. I’m focusing on school, and that’s it. No men.”
Luke glanced at Grace and smiled. “Good, but if I have to drive to Austin every damn weekend to check up on you, I will, baby sister.”
She rolled her eyes and gave Luke the finger.
He gasped. “Why, sister, that hurts me so that you don’t love me.”
Grace moaned.
“I just care about you. I want to protect you from all harm and evil.”
“That’s why you put the scorpion in my bathroom sink last night?”
“Yes. I want to make sure you stay on guard. Be prepared for anything and everything.”
“Fuck off, Luke.”
Everyone started laughing, and my heart grew heavier. I glanced around to each of my friends. Grace and I would be at UT. Libby, Luke, and Will would be at A&M. Maegan was heading off to Baylor all by herself. My heart hurt for her, but she seemed happy.
Then, there were those who were staying behind in Mason. Lauren, sweet Lauren, had feelings for Colt, but she refused to admit it. Taylor, innocent Taylor, was a wild child deep down inside, just waiting to burst out. Colt, my baby brother…I’d hardly spent any time with him this summer. Between him working on the ranch with Daddy, football camp and practice, and that stupid girlfriend of his, he was never home. I was always with Will though.
Colt looked at me and smiled. He mouthed, I love you, Alex.
I felt a tear slip from my eye and make its way down my cheek. Colt quickly looked away.
Luke was my crazy cousin, who—
Oh my God. What is he wearing?
My mouth dropped open as I read his T-shirt.
Fur trade is not cool. Shave your beaver.
I looked at Luke as he was talking to Will about some program at A&M.
“Luke, are you really wearing that T-shirt?” I asked.
Luke stopped talking as he looked down at his shirt and then back up at me. “No, Alex. I’m actually sitting here naked, but I’ve put a force field around me to make y’all think I’m dressed.”
He looked over at Libby, who quickly blushed and looked away. Luke seemed surprised by Libby’s reaction.
“You’re such an ass. I can’t believe Aunt Ari would let you wear that,” I said.
Luke let out a gruff laugh. “Please. My mommy doesn’t tell me what I can and can’t wear.” Leaning his chair back, he folded his arms behind him and rested his head against his hands.
Colt looked to the right and started laughing.
“Luke Drew Johnson…”
Luke looked over to Aunt Ari, who was standing there with Uncle Jeff. He was attempting to hold in his laughter, but he was doing a terrible job of it.
Luke lost his balance and fell backward.
Libby jumped up and ran over to him. “Are you okay?”
Luke looked at her and frowned. “Yes.”
Libby went to help him up, but he pulled away from her.
“I’m fine, Lib,” he said as he jumped up on his own.
Her face fell as she got up and sat back down. My heart broke for her. She hadn’t been acting right ever since our last field party, and it was driving both Will and me crazy that she wouldn’t tell us what had happened.
“Good Lord, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, I swear. Jeff, take off your T-shirt and give it to Luke.”
“What?” Luke and Uncle Jeff said at the same time.
Aunt Ari gave Luke a look, and he quickly went to the men’s bathroom with Uncle Je
ff following him.
When he came back out, Colt busted out laughing as he shook his head.
Luke smacked Colt on the back of the head. “Shut up, you little bastard, or I’ll kick your ass.”
Aunt Ari walked up and smacked Luke on the back of the head. “Knock it off.” She turned and smiled. “Y’all have fun tonight, but don’t stay out too late.”
We all said good-bye to Aunt Ari and Uncle Jeff. After dinner, we decided to head on over to Will and Libby’s.
Taylor rode with us, and she told Will and me all about the trip she was planning to take to Italy next summer. She had been taking Italian for three years, and she had rapidly picked it up.
I was going to miss her so much. I was going to miss everyone so much. I looked at Will as he smiled and asked Taylor another question about Italy.
I had to quickly look away. I can’t do this. I can’t leave him.
I began to think back to orientation week at UT.
Grace smiled at me as we both sat down and looked around. “I can’t believe how freakin’ huge this campus is. I really wish I was going to A&M.”
My mouth dropped open as I stared at her. “Now, you want to go to A&M? Grace, if you had said that months ago, my dad would have probably let me go!”
Grace rolled her eyes. “Please, Alex, we both know our dads wanted us here at UT, but I already hate it.”
I glanced around again, and I had to admit, I hated it already, too.
My eyes stopped on the dark-haired hot guy who had opened the door for Grace and me. When he’d said hello to us, Grace had said his voice sounded like a Greek god. He was helping with the tour, and he’d mentioned he was a sophomore at UT.
He smiled when he saw me staring at him. I smiled back and then quickly looked away.
What in the hell, Alex? You have a boyfriend whom you love more than anything. Why are you staring at this guy?
I peeked back over to the Greek god, and he was watching me. My father’s voice popped into my head.
Alex, I want you to experience other things, other people.
The hot guy chuckled and winked. Then, he turned and headed over to talk to the other tour guide. I felt the heat move across my cheeks.
I love Will. I only want Will.
My stomach dropped as Will took my hand in his. I looked at him, and he smiled. Somehow, he always knew when I needed his touch.