Without You

Page 91

“Of course,” Luke said.
Brad took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Boys, we’re trusting you. Don’t make us regret this.”
“No, sir. We would never,” Colt said with that damn smile of his.
Anytime he was ever in trouble, that smile would work on everyone.
“You can camp a bit farther down the beach, if y’all want. Just know we can walk down the beach and check on y’all at any moment. No alcohol or any other…fun type of activities.” Gunner looked directly to me.
I swallowed hard and nodded my head.
“Yes, sir. We understand, sir,” Luke and I both said at the same time. We quickly looked at each other and then back to Gunner.
My father stood up and clapped his hands. “All right then. I guess since y’all will all be sharing a house this fall it’s time to let the trusting begin. Let’s get all the stuff y’all will need.”
I couldn’t help but smile. I had a feeling our parents wanted us gone tonight as much as we wanted to be gone.
The tents were set up, and the fire was going. Lex was driving me mad with the way she kept looking at me.
“Grab a stick and roast some marshmallows, y’all.” Luke passed out the sticks.
He sat down next to Libby and said something to her, but I couldn’t hear what it was. She nodded her head and stared straight into the fire.
Lex and Grace were giggling about something as they roasted their marshmallows. Colt started talking to me about school next year. He was going to be playing football for A&M, and Gunner couldn’t have been prouder of him. I glanced back at Luke and Libby, and they were talking—not arguing, but talking for once.
As I looked around our group of friends, everything felt right. No one was fighting. They were all just talking and laughing. It felt like…home.
I wasn’t sure how long we sat around the fire and just talked. We talked about school and the ranch. That led to Maegan mentioning how she never wanted to live in the country. Then, Taylor talked about her desire to study for a year in Italy, but her dad had said absolutely no way.
“Tay, you can’t blame him. If you were my daughter, there would be no way in hell I’d let you go to another country by yourself for a year.” Luke pushed a marshmallow in his mouth.
Taylor sighed. “I don’t see why.”
Luke looked at her and tilted his head. “Taylor, you’re a beautiful young woman. The problem is, you don’t know it, and that makes you even more beautiful. Those Italian bastards would stop at nothing to get in your pants. No. No way are you going to Italy for a year.”
We all started laughing.
Taylor stared at Luke. “You’re not my dad, Luke.”
He looked back over at her and smiled. “No, but I say one comment about you in front of your dad, and he’ll lock your ass away for the next five years.”
Maegan and Grace busted out laughing as the rest of us chuckled. Even Taylor giggled. When I looked over to Libby, she was staring at Luke until her phone went off. She pulled it out and smiled.
Must be Zack.
Luke was laughing, but when he glanced over to look at Libby, his smile instantly faded. Libby stood up and began walking off toward the water as Luke watched her.
“Do you want to sneak away?” Lex whispered.
I looked at her and grinned. “Do you even have to ask?”
She bit down on her lower lip and looked around. “When?”
“Once everyone starts heading to bed, we can go for a walk along the beach. I have a bag packed behind the guys’ tent.”
Her smile grew bigger. “Look at you thinking ahead.”
I winked. “Hell yeah.”
“Wow, I’m exhausted. Must be all the sun from today. I’m turning in, y’all. Isn’t that one girl we met today having a big beach party tomorrow at her place? What was her name? Cassidy? I’m down for a good beach party,” Grace said as she stood up and stretched.
“Oh yeah, I forgot that she mentioned having a big party.” Lauren jumped up. “I saw some really good-looking guys hanging around her place today.”
Grace made a little fist-pump action. “Good, I need to get laid.”
Luke jumped up. “What? What the hell did you just say, Grace?”
Grace rolled her eyes. “Please, don’t even go there. How many girls have you hooked up with during the two days we’ve been here?”
Luke looked back to where Libby was standing. She was now talking on the phone to someone and laughing.
“None,” Luke said.