I laugh as he turns off onto the road to Rock’s. I said I’d agreed to spend the evening with him, but since Luce called me earlier – no mention of pills, periods, or babies – I knew what was happening tonight and had arranged to meet her anyway. Reese is just saving my gas… but I’m not telling him that.
He opens the door for me after parking up and holds out his hand. I roll my eyes, but honestly, I love that he does this every time. It’s such a simple gesture, so casual, yet it makes me feel so loved and wanted. I guess the smallest things really are the best in life.
He nudges the door closed, locks it, and slings his arm across my shoulders. “Luce is here, right?”
I nod. “Is Adam?”
“Yeah…”
I can’t miss the wary note in his voice. “What?”
“Nothin’.”
“Reese.”
“He’s with Stacy.”
My step falters. “With Stacy?”
“Yeah. Like, with, with her.”
“As in a relationship with her?”
Reese sighs. “Yes.”
My face snaps toward his, and I stop in my tracks. “What the f**k?”
He shrugs. “I dunno. We’re not like you and Luce – we don’t dissect every single little detail of every conversation.” Do we do that? Really? Huh. I guess so… “We just tell it how it is, so when he told me he was with Stacy, all I said was, “Okay, dude.””
I stare at him, my eyes hard.
“What? It’s not like anything happened with him and Luce, right? They’re still stuck in their f**ked up non-relationship state.”
My hard stare turns to one of complete and utter shock. I know this because I almost scream out with that shock, so there’s no way it can’t be showing on my face. “You what?”
“Nothing happened with them, right?” He blinks. “Right?”
I hold up my hand for a second. “Shit, you really don’t talk, do you?” We both shake our heads, his in answer, mine in disbelief. “Nothing happened? Is that what he told you?”
“He didn’t tell me anything did, and ignored me when I said it joking around, so I assumed nothing happened.”
I half-cough, half-snort. “Reese. Your best friend f**ked my best friend on Saturday night.”
So. That came out sharper than I intended. And blunter. Oops.
“You what?”
I cover my mouth with my hand and bite back a giggle at the widening of his eyes. “Mhmm. And now he’s with Stacy.”
“And Luce is gonna be here.” He smirks wryly. “This could be awkward.”
I look in the direction of the bonfire even though I can’t see anyone yet. “This will be awkward,” I correct him. “We all know how subtle Luce is.”
Reese’s arm wraps itself around my shoulders again and pushes me toward the field. “Then we need to be there before all hell breaks loose. What time is Luce gonna be here?”
“In about ten minutes.”
“Shit.”
“Yup.”
We walk a little faster toward the field, pushing our way through overhanging branches and trees. The first thing I see when we get there is Stacy draped over Adam making it clear their relationship is official. And exclusive. Very exclusive.
“Wait.” I stop Reese. “I thought he finished everything with her?”
“He did. Like I said, Kia, we don’t talk about everything like that. I dunno what happened.”
Ugh. Not helpful.
I suck my bottom lip into my mouth as we approach them, my eyes scanning the people around us for Luce. The best friend part of me wants to text her and warn her, but the girl part of me says not to and to let her come here and kick Adam’s ass the way he deserves it to be kicked. Because she will – if anyone in this town has a pair of balls as big as their brain, its Lucia Hampton, and all bets are off when she starts.
That, and anyone knows if they mess with her, they’ll have all three brothers on their backs… Which means Adam’s actions make no sense to me.
Stacy smiles at me. “Kia. It’s been a while. And I see you two finally got it together.” Her eyes flit between us.
“Yep.” I force a smile. “I would have dropped by before,” not, “but you know how it is. I’ve been really busy.”
Of course you know. The whole town knows my damn business.
“Yeah, I heard about your dad. You poor thing.”
There it is.
“Thanks, but it’s all sorted now.” I force another smile and turn my attention to Adam.
He looks at me for a few beats, and I find myself searching for the guy I’ve known since kindergarten. I find myself searching for the nice guy I know, opposed to the complete and utter jackass he is today.
“What’s up?” he asks, shifting away from Stacy.
I look at his pants and back at his eyes. “I should ask you the same question.”
Stacy looks between us. “What-”
“Kia,” Adam starts.
I shake my head. “Don’t. Don’t, Adam. You don’t need me to tell you, surely?”
“I…” He stops. “No.”
“I’d wish you good luck, ‘cause you’re gonna need it, but you deserve every piece of shit you’re gonna get for this.”
“What are you talkin’ about?” Stacy asks. “Reese?”
“Don’t look at me,” he mutters, sliding his arm to my waist and pulling me into him. “Nothin’ to do with me.”
Adam drops his head back, before realization sets in. “Here?”
“Of course.” I smile wryly. “You know it, Adam. You have to know it would have been here. She’s gonna turn up, see you, and you’ll be lucky if you leave here tonight with your balls still attached instead of on the end of a skewer and being roasted on the fire.”
He winces, and Stacy opens her mouth again. I spin, making Reese let go of me, and walk over to the old barrels we use as seats. He follows after me.
“That was harsh.”
I sit down and glare up at him. “And what he’s done isn’t?”
“They had one night, Kia. It was just sex for them. He never promised her roses.”
“You don’t talk like we do. You don’t know anything about what may or may not have happened.”
He sighs, perching behind me on the barrel and wrapping his arms around my waist. I automatically lean back into him, melting into his touch.