Past
Afew weeks later, Rachel and I are getting ready for a party at her house. I’m still mourning my lost chance to tell Linc how I feel but I continue to remind myself that it’s for the best.
“C’mon, Rach,” I whine again, stomping my foot.
She’s been teasing her hair to high heaven for more than thirty minutes now. The brown locks are more than perfect. The barrel curls falling flawlessly down her back.
“Hold your horses,” she says, smearing on some of her favorite nude gloss. She gives her hair one final coif before grabbing her purse. Then we hop inside her Honda Civic and drive to the edge of town.
“You’re tellin’ him tonight, right?” Rachel asks.
“Rachel,” I warn.
My hope has been crushed, devastated by fate’s blow. I’d decided being just friends is best for both of us. It’s safe. And the only absolute guarantee that I won’t lose him.
Rachel disagrees.
“He’s a guy, Sylvie, not a mind reader.”
“I don’t want it to change things between us.”
“Things have already changed. Ever since prom there’s been tension between you two, and it’s a little awkward. It’s upsetting the dynamic of the group.”
“Oh, my bad,” I say with a sarcastic laugh.
“You know what I mean. Have you seen the way he looks at you? You can see it all over his face. One of you needs to bite the bullet and just say it already before I lose my damn mind.”
Looking out my window as we arrive, I see cars parked everywhere. Field parties happen often in Grandeur, there’s not much else to do with time to waste and lots of open space. Usually, it’s just people we go to school with, but it’s my birthday, and Nelson, the guy responsible for planning these things, used that as an excuse to have a blowout. There are cars parked everywhere when we arrive. Some from three counties over.
“Holy shit!” I gasp when I spot a tag from Clarke County.
That’s an hour away.
“Nelson wasn’t bullshitting, was he?” Rachel is as shocked as I am. “Who are all of these people? And why would they come to a birthday party for someone they don’t even know?”
“They know Nelson, that’s enough I suppose.” Rachel shrugs. “You ready?”
I give her a nod and a smile as we exit the car.
Jeans are mandatory attire if you want to survive the mosquitos out here, but tonight I paired them with a tank top and flip flops to ward off the heat.
We greet people on our way to the circle of tailgates. There are probably twenty or more pickup trucks here tonight, whereas usually there is only about ten or less. And there must have been at least a hundred people standing around.
This is insane.
We spot Linc’s Ford right away.
“Ladies!” Will shouts as we approach, hopping down from the truck.
As usual, Linc is surrounded by people. Mostly girls. One girl in particular. She is constantly flirting with Linc. The other girls don’t stand a chance when Adele Hiller is around.
But then his eyes lift to mine and that incredible smile of his makes my belly dip as he abandons them all, including a sulking Adele, to come to me.
God.
And he looks ridiculously hot in my favorite pair of worn-out jeans, dirty boots, and a gray T-shirt that has been washed so generously.
“I didn’t think you’d ever get here.” He wraps his arms around me, blessing my body with the warmth of his embrace. I’d never be able to explain what his mere presence alone does to me but his hugs are like a warm blanket that was just pulled fresh from the dryer.
