“A lot can happen in forty-five minutes,” Sommer adds with a giggle.
“All right, friends, let’s go pee,” Oaklee states, reaching for Charli’s hand. The three of them link arms and head off into the darkness, the sounds of their giggles barely heard over the music and talking.
It’s not a long walk to the barn, maybe a hundred yards are so, but I wish they’d have let me take them on the Mule. Wyatt brings it down here for that very purpose, to easily transport people from the barn and the bonfire, but some of the women do walk.
Once they fall farther than the glow of the fire, I almost go after them. What if one of them trips and falls? What if a wild critter attacks them? What if they get lost?
I’m being completely ridiculous, and I know it.
Nothing is going to get close to the ladies, not with the size of the fire. And if one of them fell and needed help, they’d call. And getting lost?
Fuck, I’ve lost my mind.
I chug half the beer I’m holding just to give myself something to do. I’m drinking a lot slower tonight than I usually do, and I’m not going to lie to myself about the reason why. It’s Oaklee. I’m constantly making sure she’s all right and having fun, making sure her drink is full, and no one is bothering her. I’ve paid more attention to her in the last few hours than I ever have for a woman—maybe even all of them combined.
“You all right? You look like you’re about to run off into the night and slay dragons.”
I glance at my youngest brother, Camden, and raise an eyebrow. “Slay dragons?”
“Yeah, you have this don’t fuck with her look on your face or you’ll stab someone with a damn sword,” he states.
I snort. “I don’t have a sword. At least not a metal one,” I joke.
My brother shakes his head. “Definitely not what I was talking about.”
I glance toward the barn, catching sight of the trio of giggling women as they reach the building. There’s enough light outside to see as they slip inside the wide-open doors and disappear. When Wyatt bought the property from his parents, he remodeled the old studio apartment in the hayloft, as well as updated the bathroom. The old one had a tiny shower stall, a pedestal sink, and an avocado green toilet. Since he didn’t need the apartment for a farmhand, he opted to make the bathroom bigger and take out the wall between the kitchenette and living and bedroom space. It wasn’t very functional anyway, and now he uses it for these kinds of gatherings. The extra fridge space comes in handy, as does the old couch and recliner. There have been plenty of times one of us would crash up there, so we didn’t have to drive home at the end of a long night of either working or playing or both.
After a few seconds, I ask, “Having fun?”
“Yeah. You?”
“Sure,” I state, watching as Wyatt pulls out his guitar. I can’t help but smile. “Things are about to get musical.”
Camden chuckles and takes a drink of his beer, finishing it off. “Want another?” he asks, but I shake my head.
“I’m good.” I don’t mention the fact I’ve been nursing this one for a bit now, trying to make sure I have my wits about me. “You driving?”
“Nope,” he replies, twisting the top off a beer and taking a drink. I recognize the brand instantly as the one Lizzie’s dad and uncles own. “My tent’s up.”
“Good,” I reply.
“Oaklee staying with you? Or did you throw a tent up for Charli and Sommer, and she’s staying with them?” he asks.
I’m barely able to bite back my groan. Shit. Charli and Sommer. I usually let my sister and her friend crash with me. My tent could easily fit all four of us, but to be honest, four’s a crowd. The last thing I want is my sister and her friend lying right next to me and Oaklee while I’m holding her in my arms for the very first time.
My asshole brother snickers. “They can crash with me and Q.”
That makes me smile. Charli hates Q for whatever reason or at least loves to give him shit. Maybe hate isn’t the right word, but he definitely gets under her skin regularly. He’s like the annoying little brother who knows exactly which buttons to push and does it as often as humanly possible.
“I bet Charli’s gonna love that.”
Cam laughs. “For sure, but my tent is a little bigger than yours, so it’ll be easier to fit four in there.”
“I’ve got an extra blanket in mine, or we can run up to the barn and grab a few from the apartment.” I know Wyatt keeps some up there for times like this.
“No, it’s good.”
“Thanks, man,” I say as the music from the speakers is killed and Wyatt starts strumming his guitar strings.
