He starts tossing tubes of something pink, which I can only assume are shots.
Dylan catches one. “Yesss.”
I check my watch.An hour and a half left.
I should just leave now. Fuck it.
“Want one, boss?” I hear someone say and raise my eyes to see Farrow holding a tube out for me.
Boss…
The gleam in his eyes meets the ire in mine, and I glance around, no one really noticing. Or registering any meaning to his choice in words.
When I don’t reply, he pulls the shot back with a small smile, everyone uncapping theirs and raising a toast.
“To no school and no books,” Kade announces.
“Oh, you love books,” Hunter fires back.
“Fuck off,” his twin gripes. “You know I can barely read.”
Everyone laughs, but I watch Quinn toss back her shot and pull another one out of Kade’s backpack. She’s the only one old enough to drink, other than me, but I watch her the closest. She’s going to be drunk in fifteen minutes.
“To Fallstown and the lake,” Dylan chimes in.
Followed by Farrow. “And a summer of fun!”
“Ow, ow, ow!” Kade and Hawke howl, everyone raising their drinks high and then swallowing them down.
And as Hawke and his girlfriend toss theirs back, extending their necks, I see them. The tattoos, just like Farrow’s.
My chest caves, the ink still on my back that Quinn noticed all those years ago suddenly burning.
They’re Green Street too? What the fuck is going on?
Quinn tosses the second empty tube back in Kade’s backpack and leaves, hopping over a low wall. I should talk to Hawke.
I debate for a moment, but then follow her over the wall and up another one, walking down a small slide. She hits the grass, finds her flip flops, and heads across the lawn, back toward the patio.
I dig in my heels, powering after her and tossing Noah his shirt as we pass. I see him look at me, but I don’t stop.
How much has Weston infiltrated Shelburne Falls? Hawke wouldn’t be doing anything illegal, would he? Jax raised him better, and these kids have choices.
Fuck.
Everyone is eating, drinking, and laughing, segregated into small groups around the pool as music spills out of thespeakers. I make my way straight for Quinn, but then Jared is there, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and tugging her in close.
I halt.
I should apologize. I want to leave her with a good memory of me, at least.
I can’t see Jared’s face, but he talks to her with a folded piece of her pizza in his hand. She nods, and they seem happy.
Just leave.She probably wants to stop looking at my fucking face anyway.
Gritting my teeth, I turn.
But Madoc is there, beaming at me. “Just in time.” He puts an arm around my shoulder and turns me back to face the crowd. “May I have your attention, please!”
