Without You

Page 88

The relief that washed over Luke’s face showed that he must have been worried, too, even though he hadn’t let on that he was.
Lex: I’ll see you in less than twenty-four hours. I love you. Gotta run.
Me: I love you, too, baby. Bye!
I pushed my phone into my pocket and stood up. “I’m heading back to pack for this weekend.”
Luke nodded his head as he began to pack up his books. He looked around quickly, and I knew he was looking for Libby.
Our parents—Jeff and Ari, Gunner and Ellie, Scott and Jessie, and my dad and mom—had all chipped in to buy a house in College Station since Lex, Grace, Colt, and Lauren would all be here next year. Luke and I had moved out of the dorm and into the house this past weekend, but Libby was still in her dorm. I knew she didn’t want to move in because of the whole Zack thing.
“I’ll see ya later,” I said to Luke.
“Yeah. I’ve just got one class left, and then I think I’m heading home for the weekend.”
I looked at him. “Home? As in Mason?”
“No, home as in Timbuktu. Yes, Mason.”
“Why?” I asked.
He shrugged his shoulders. “Just want to go home.”
“Spring break is in a week, so we’ll see everyone then.”
He stood up and looked at me. “Jesus, Will. I just want to go home. I didn’t realize I had to fucking clear it with you.”
He stormed off as I stood there and watched him retreat away. He glanced over to look at something, and I followed his gaze. Libby and Zack were sitting at a table, completely engrossed with each other. After one quick look back at Luke, I knew exactly why he was going home. It was either home or Abigail.
Grace skipped by me and dropped something into her suitcase as she smiled. “Bikini, check. Sunscreen, check. Romance book to read on the beach, check. Hell, I’m all set and ready to go.”
I laughed and shut my suitcase. “I can’t believe we’re heading to the beach!”
“I know. There had better be some hot guys at the beach, that’s all I can say. I’ve been waiting weeks for spring break!”
“I thought you were through with guys? Have you had a change of heart?”
She motioned with her hand like I was crazy. “Pesh, I’ve given up dating guys. I’m totally open for a fling over spring break.”
My mouth dropped open. “You wouldn’t, Grace Johnson.”
“Why wouldn’t I? Why is it okay for guys to have one-night stands, but girls can’t? I’m going to pull out my inner Maegan and slut it up.”
I put my hand over my mouth and giggled. “You do know Maegan is all talk, right?”
She rolled her eyes. “She’s not all talk.”
I let out a gasp. “What do you know? And why haven’t you told me?”
Grace sat down and gave me an evil smile. “I just happened to walk up on Maegan and Josh Philips.”
I sat down on my bed and stared at her. “And?”
“And what?”
My whole body dropped as I looked at her. “And…what were Maegan and Josh doing?”
She tilted her head and looked at me like I had grown six heads. “Really, Alex? They were screwing. You know, having sex, getting it on, bumping uglies.”
“I know what screwing means, Grace! When did you see this?”
“New Year’s Eve party. I left my phone charger in Meg’s car, and she had parked it behind Grams and Gramps’s barn. I walked up and heard little Miss Meg crying out, and she wasn’t saying, ‘Oh God,’ ’cause she was praying.”
I slammed my hands over my mouth. “No way. Her parents were there. Everyone was there! She could have gotten caught.”
Grace rolled her eyes. “Please, I think Meg likes the thrill of having sex right under everyone’s nose.”
I shook my head. “Wow. Do you think Meg’s had sex with a lot of guys?” I stood back up and put my suitcase on the floor near the door.
“Nah. She told me she’s only been with three guys.”
“Only three guys? Gesh, that’s a lot if you ask me.”
Grace got up and put her suitcase next to mine. Then, she stopped and looked up, like she was thinking hard. “Considering we’ve only been with one guy each, I guess three probably seems like a lot, but it’s not. I knew some girls from Mason who slept with almost the whole football team.”
“That’s true.”
“Hey, Lex. Can I ask you something?”
The look on her face told me she was about to ask me something she had thought long and hard about. Grace wasn’t impulsive by any means. When she turned serious, it would usually be because she was about to talk about something serious.