The Vincent Boys Collection Page 22

  She really didn’t have a clue. “He won’t last long. He’s never been able to ignore you. Not even when he knew I was watching him. Right now he’s dealing with a lot. And he’s dealing with it alone. Don’t push him away.”

  Jumping down from the limb, Ashton stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around my neck for what I knew would be the last time. “Thank you. Your acceptance means the world to me. But right now he needs you. You’re his brother. I’ll just be a hindrance to you two dealing with everything.”

  The pain was almost unbearable now. Reaching out, I played with a lock of her hair. I’d been fascinated with its perfect golden color since we were five years old. She’d always reminded me of a fairy princess, even when she was baiting hooks with chicken livers. I’d lost my princess, but the memory of her was worth every sharp pain in my heart.

  “Even if I was wrong to take you without a thought to Beau’s feelings, I can’t make myself regret it. I’ve had three amazing years with you, Ash.”

  That was my good-bye. Beau was out there waiting on me to walk away. It was his time now. I’d royally screwed up mine. Dropping her hair, I stepped back, turned, and walked into the woods toward my brother.

  Chapter 1

  Six months later . . .

  SAWYER

  I’d known better than to come here, but I couldn’t keep avoiding the field parties. It was time I started acting as if Beau and Ash being together didn’t bother me.

  “Here, man.” Ethan shoved a red plastic cup full of beer into my hand. Frowning, I started to hand it back to him. “Drink it. You need it. Hell, I need it just watching the three of you.”

  I was thankful he’d spoken low enough so that no one else could hear him. I could feel everyone sneaking glances at me. They were all waiting to see how I would react. It’d been six months since I’d lost Ash to my brother. It was easier to see them together now, but normally, I kept my distance. This was the first time I’d had to witness my horny ass brother kiss her neck, hand, head, and anything else he could get near his lips while he carried on a conversation with everyone else and Ashton snuggled up between his legs.

  Ethan was right; I needed a drink. Touching the cup to my lips, I tilted my head back and took a very long gulp. Anything to distract me from the make-out session in front of me would be nice.

  “I still can’t believe you two aren’t going to the same college. I always expected y’all to get signed on as a package deal.” Toby Horn almost sounded letdown that I’d chosen to sign with the University of Florida instead of Alabama, like everyone expected me to. Beau and I had been planning to play for the Crimson Tide since we were five years old. But when Florida had offered me a full ride, I’d taken it. I needed the distance. Ashton was headed to Alabama with Beau, and I just couldn’t do it too.

  “Florida offered him a sweet deal. Can’t blame him for taking it,” Beau explained. He got it. He never mentioned it, but he knew why I’d gone with Florida. Beau had been careful for a long time not to shove his relationship with Ashton in my face, but since graduation he’d put that behind him. Every time I saw them lately, she was wrapped up in his arms and he was staring at her with that ridiculous worshipful expression he’d always reserved just for her.

  “Alabama can’t handle two Vincent boys. I needed to share the love,” I replied, focusing my gaze on Toby before taking another swig of my beer.

  “It’s going to be weird not having you around, though,” Ash said. Damn. Why’d she have to say anything? Couldn’t she sit over there quietly and let Beau paw all over her? Hearing Ashton’s voice made it impossible not to lift my eyes to meet her gaze.

  The sad tilt of her full lips made that old familiar ache start up in my chest. Only Ashton could get to me this way. “You’ll survive. Besides, you two hardly come up for air to notice much of anything else.” I’d just sounded like an ass. Ashton’s flinch from my snide comment was just another strike against me.

  “Careful, Sawyer.” The threat in Beau’s voice was unmistakable. Silence fell over the group. Everyone’s focus was on the two of us. The anger flashing in Beau’s glare just pissed me off more. What did he have to be angry about? He had the girl.

  “Why don’t you calm down? I was responding to her comment. Am I not allowed to speak to her now?”

  Beau gripped Ashton’s waist and moved her away from him as he stood up. “You got a problem, Sawyer?”

  Ashton scrambled to her feet, threw her arms around Beau’s neck, and began begging him to ignore me, telling him I didn’t mean anything by it, although we both knew I did. Beau’s eyes never left mine as he reached behind his neck to unlatch Ashton’s hold on him.

  As I set my cup down on the bed of my truck, I took a step toward him. This was a fight I needed. Holding my aggression in was so damn hard at times. Ashton, however, wasn’t having it. She grabbed Beau’s shoulders and jumped up, wrapping her legs firmly around his waist. If seeing her wrapped around him didn’t piss me off so bad, I’d laugh at her determination to keep us from fighting. She’d been dealing with us since we were kids, and she knew exactly how to keep us from coming to blows. Throwing herself in the line of fire was the only way.

  Amusement lit Beau’s eyes as his angry snarl turned into a pleased grin and his eyes shifted from me to Ashton. “What ya doin’, baby?” he asked in that slow drawl I hated. He’d been using it on girls since we hit puberty.

  “That’s the way to distract him, Ash,” hooted Kayla Jenkins from Toby’s lap.

  More catcalls and whistles started. Beau was smiling at her now like she was the most fascinating person in the world. That was it for me. I had to get out of there.

  “Let’s go get something to eat—I’m starved,” Ethan suggested, and Jake North agreed.

  “You drive,” Ethan called out, and climbed into the passenger seat of my truck. Without looking back at Ash and Beau, I walked around my truck and hopped in. If he hauled her off to his truck, I’d lose it. Leaving was the best idea.

  LANA

  Jewel flirted outrageously with the bartender. I knew her game and was willing to bet he did too. The brilliant scheme to flash cleavage and bat eyelashes while giggling wasn’t the most original idea ever concocted. Why she couldn’t just be happy with her soda while we waited for a table was beyond me. The ten-hour road trip I’d been on with her from Alpharetta, Georgia, to southern Alabama fulfilled my quota on quality time spent with my childhood friend and next-door neighbor. Jewel and I had grown up and become two completely different people, but that bond from our childhood had somehow kept us from drifting apart. Still, Jewel could only be endured in small doses.

  “Come on, Lana, flash him a view of those fabulous boobs you’ve finally decided to share with the world,” Jewel whispered as her gaze stayed on the young guy fixing drinks for another customer. Shaking my head at her ridiculous request, I picked up my soda and took a sip. I was happy with my soda. If she wanted to make a fool out of herself in hopes of getting a mixed drink, then fine, but I wasn’t about to join in. The last thing I needed was to get caught with an alcoholic drink only thirty minutes away from my aunt and uncle’s house. My uncle was a Baptist preacher, and if he found out I’d been drinking alcohol, there was no way he’d let me stay with him and his family for the summer.

  “You’re such a party pooper, Lana,” Jewel whined, and glared at my drink like it was offensive.

  I didn’t really care if she was upset at this point. I just wanted to get some dinner and then get to my aunt and uncle’s. The sight of Jewel’s taillights driving away was going to be a welcome event.

  “I don’t get you, Lana. You go and get all gorgeous and finally decide to flaunt what your momma—okay, maybe not your momma because God knows she ain’t real attractive; how about flaunt what luck must have given you?—and for what? Nothing! That’s what! You buy yourself a new, sexy, cute wardrobe and get a hairstyle to show off that head of hair of yours, but you never flirt. It’s as if you did this for yourself,
and that’s just dumb. Guys notice you now, Lana. They turn their heads, but you just ignore them.”

  This was a familiar tirade of hers. It drove her nuts that I didn’t throw myself at any boy who looked my way. I wasn’t about to tell her the reason why. That kind of information would make Jewel dangerous. She’d find a way to ruin everything. She wouldn’t mean to, of course, but she would. Her loud mouth always seemed to bring a world of trouble with it.

  “I’ve told you that I’m just not interested in dating right now. We just graduated. I want a summer to prepare for college in the fall, enjoy being away from my insane mother, and just—relax.”

  Jewel sighed and bent her head down to nibble on her straw while her eyes zeroed in on the poor bartender who must have been about ready for us to be seated at a table.

  “You can still come with me, you know. Skip this living-with-the-preacher stuff and come party all summer at the beach. Corey would love you to join us. Her stepfather’s condo has three bedrooms and a killer view of the ocean.”

  A summer hanging out with a drunken Jewel and friends was not appealing at all. I had my plans, and so far everything I’d put into motion was running smoothly. But I couldn’t help but be nervous about the next step. It was the most crucial.

  Having my naturally red hair darkened to a deep copper and styled attractively instead of pulled back in a braid or ponytail had been step one. The darker red color had made my pale skin seem almost delicate. Then the cleaning out of my closet had been the next move. I’d bagged up every single piece of clothing I owned and dropped it off at the local Goodwill. My mother had been horrified, but after she’d seen the clothing style I intended to replace it with, she’d been very supportive. Unlike most mothers, my mother wanted to see me in shorts that showed off almost all my legs and tight tops that emphasized my c-cup boobs.

  Jewel had wanted to teach me how to apply makeup, but I’d kindly refused and went to the Clinique counter at Macy’s and had them teach me. Then I’d bought everything they’d used. Although I’d never been one for makeup, I had to agree that it did startling things to my eyes. I’d closed my bedroom door and stared at myself in fascination for hours after they’d put makeup on me.

  Convincing my mother to let me stay the summer with my aunt and uncle had been a little more difficult. My cousin Ashton had helped tremendously with this part. She’d talked to her mother who in return talked to mine. Our mothers are sisters, and once my aunt convinced my mother that Ashton truly wanted me to come spend our last summer before college together, I’d been so excited I’d momentarily forgotten about the last step in the plan, the reason why I’d made myself moderately attractive and begged to come stay the summer with my cousin. The goal sounded so simple, but when I allowed myself to dwell on it then, it became so incredibly complicated. Getting a boy to fall head-over-heels in love with you wasn’t easy—especially when he’d been in love with your cousin for as long as you could remember.

  Chapter 2

  SAWYER

  “You’ve got to curb the temper, man. If anyone could take on Beau, it would be you, but you’d still walk away beat-up,” Ethan announced as I pulled out onto the country road from the dirt one that led back to the field party.

  “It’s been six months, bro. How long you gonna be pissed over this?” Jake asked from the backseat.

  Why was this any of their business? Neither one of them knew what a committed relationship was like. They’d both been through so many girls during our four years of high school that I couldn’t even name them all. Explaining to them that from the time I was twelve years old, I’d planned my life with Ashton at the center wasn’t exactly easy. So instead I leaned forward and turned on the radio to drown out any more of their interrogations.

  “You can turn on music all you want, but the fact is you got to let this go,” Ethan said. “He’s your cousin and your best friend. A chick can’t come between that. Not for long.” Ethan was watching me from the passenger seat. I knew he was waiting for a response from me, but I didn’t give him one. His comment about Beau being my cousin was reminder enough that no one really knew me—except Beau and Ash. Beau wasn’t my cousin; he was my brother. But once he found out the truth from his mother, he’d decided to keep that information locked away where it’d been his whole life. He didn’t want to claim my dad as his own, and I couldn’t really blame him. It wasn’t like my dad had ever done anything to help Beau’s home situation growing up. Beau held nothing but disdain for my father—our father. He chose to remember our father’s brother as his dad. He’d been the only dad Beau had ever known. Even though he’d died when Beau was in first grade, he’d been a fond memory for Beau—unlike his real father.

  “Hey! You passed Hank’s,” Ethan announced, pointing his finger toward the burger place where we normally went to eat.

  “Not going to Hank’s” was my only response. They were the ones who jumped in my truck. If they didn’t like my need to get out of Grove, then they could walk back to town when we got to where I was headed.

  “You leaving Grove?” Jake asked.

  “Yep.”

  Ethan sighed and leaned back in his seat. “We may end up in Florida before he stops this damn truck.”

  “Florida? I’m starving, and a cheeseburger from Hank’s would’ve fixed that,” Jake grumbled.

  Slowing down the truck, I pulled over and glanced back at Jake. “You’re welcome to get out and walk back.”

  His eyes widened and he slowly shook his head. “No, man, that’s okay. I’m good.”

  I pulled back onto the road and ignored the exchange between the guys. They both thought I was nursing a broken heart. Well, they were right.

  * * *

  No one said another word until I pulled the truck into the parking lot of Wings. I’d driven about twenty miles south to the next town big enough for decent restaurants.

  “You should’ve told me you were headed to Wings. I’d have shut up.” Jake made an excited whoop as he jerked open the back door of the truck and jumped out.

  This was somewhere I’d never eaten with Ash. There weren’t many places where I didn’t have a memory of her, so my choices were limited. Tonight I needed to get my mind off her and focus on my future—or at least my summer.

  “I’m gonna eat my weight in some wings,” Ethan said in reply to Jake’s excitement over my choice of restaurant. At least I’d made them happy. Not that it mattered.

  Opening the door, I went inside and stopped at the hostess stand. A tall girl with long, blond hair pulled back in a ponytail smiled up at me with an appreciative gleam in her eye that I was used to. It had been habit for me to ignore that look in other girls’ eyes for so long that I automatically brushed it off. Tonight I wasn’t going to do that. It was time I started flirting back.

  I flashed a grin that I knew was pretty damn impressive because it was the one Ashton always commented on. “Three please,” I told her, and watched as her brown eyes got bigger and she blinked several times. She wasn’t exceptionally pretty, but seeing her get all flustered was a nice boost to my ego.

  “Oh . . . um . . . okay . . . y-yes . . . uh,” she stammered, reaching for the menus and instead knocking them to the floor.

  I bent down beside her to help pick them up.

  “I’m sorry. I’m not normally so clumsy,” she explained, two bright red splotches of color staining her cheeks.

  “So it’s just me then?” I teased.

  A nervous giggle erupted from her, and I realized she’d never do. I didn’t like giggles. Ash wasn’t a giggler.

  Handing her the menus, I stood back up and pointedly shifted my attention elsewhere. I didn’t need to flirt with her anymore. She’d get the wrong idea.

  “Okay, um, this way,” I heard her say. Both Ethan and Jake quickly fell in behind her. I started to follow when my gaze stopped its uninterested appraisal of the bar to focus in on a female I would happily let giggle all she wanted.

  Auburn hair hung down her ba
ck and curled on the ends. Two very long, bare legs were crossed as she sat on the bar stool and a silver, backless, high-heeled sandal dangled off the toe of a very dainty foot. I hadn’t seen the face of this one yet but from the back, she was a head-turner. She had major potential.

  “You coming or what?” Jake yelled, but I didn’t turn my head to see how far they’d gone or where they were being seated. Instead I stood, frozen, watching her. Jake’s loud voice caught her attention, and she turned in her seat and glanced over her shoulder toward him. Her creamy, smooth complexion was dotted with freckles. Normally, I wasn’t a fan of a lot of freckles, but the bedroom look to her green eyes and the full, almost unreal-looking lips made it all work. She started to turn back around after seeing what the yelling had been about when she stopped and her eyes locked with mine.

  Surprise, pleasure, and anxiety all flittered across her face as she studied me. I was fascinated. The bartender came up behind her and said something. She glanced back at him.

  “Sawyer, man, come on,” Ethan called out this time. Tearing my gaze from the redhead, I made my way to the table where the hostess was standing with our menus.

  “Sawyer, wait.” A familiar voice stopped me in my tracks. Disbelief settled over me as I turned back around to see the pretty redhead making her way toward me. As I made my way up her body, appreciating the view, I noticed a short, denim skirt that stopped several inches above her knees. The white top she was wearing tied at her waist in some sort of loose knot and small glimpses of a flat, smooth stomach peeked out as she moved. Finally I managed to get my focus off the impressive cleavage the shirt displayed in order to see her face. A small smile tugged on those ridiculously plump lips and recognition dawned on me.

  No fucking way.

  “Lana?” The incredulity in my voice was unmistakable. The last person I’d expected to see was Ashton’s cousin. The fact she was the girl I’d been checking out was even more shocking.