The left corner of Luke's mouth raised in a smile. "Maybe. That's what I'd do."
Libby swallowed hard and slowly shook her head. "Well, you're in luck, Luke. With the way Claire is walking around with nothing on, you might just find yourself getting lucky tonight." Libby looked at me and Will as she squared her shoulders off. "Excuse me, y'all. Jason wanted a dance earlier. I think I'll go find him."
Libby started walking away.
Luke grabbed her arm. "Libby, wait. Don't … "
Libby bit down on her lower lip as she looked at Luke. "Don't what?"
Luke looked like he was struggling with something before he smirked. "Don't be sneaking off to fuck Jason."
Right as I was about to grab Luke and knock the hell out of him for saying that, Libby reached back and punched Luke in the jaw.
Lex let out a small scream as Luke shook his head and looked back at Libby.
Libby quickly wiped a tear away as she said, "You're right, Luke. There never was an us, and there never will be."
She turned and walked away as Luke stood there, speechless.
I stepped in front of him. "You ever talk to my sister like that again, and you're gonna regret it."
Luke nodded his head and downed the rest of his beer. "I'm sorry, Will. I'll apologize to her."
I put my hand on Luke's chest. "No. You're gonna leave her alone. Stay away from her, Luke."
Luke nodded his head and barely said, "Right."
My heart was racing a mile a minute as I tried to keep my anger down. I hated that he had just said that to my sister, but Libby had handled it. I was pretty sure her hit was far more impactful than mine would have been. I stepped to the side and let Luke walk by. I let out a sigh as Lex wrapped her arms around me.
"Will, what's happening? It feels like everything is starting to fall apart."
I placed my finger on her chin and lifted her eyes to mine. "As long as we don't fall apart, I don't care. Come on, baby. I have something to show you."
///
She smiled that beautiful smile as I began walking her back to my truck.
"Are we leaving?" Lex looked over her shoulder at everyone dancing on the makeshift dance area.
I stopped and looked down at Lex. "Do you want to stay?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't mind a dance or two."
I smiled and began leading her over. I pulled her into my arms and gently kissed her lips as "Still Fallin'" by Hunter Hayes began playing. I brought her in closer to me and held her as we danced.
She wrapped her arms around my neck and looked into my eyes. "I love you, Will."
My heart slammed against my chest as I looked into her beautiful blue eyes. "I love you, too, Lex, more than you will ever know."
Lex buried her face in my chest as we finished out the song. I looked over and saw Libby dancing with Jason. I quickly looked around, and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Luke. He was away from everyone, and he was holding Claire up against a tree as she had her legs wrapped around him. They were going to town, making out. I looked back toward my sister, and she was talking to Jason. I hated what was happening with everyone. I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer that Libby wouldn't look over there.
"What do you think happened between Lib and Luke?" I asked Lex.
She pulled back, and her eyes filled with sadness. "I think two friends fell in love with each other, and one of them is terrified of his feelings."
Lex looked around and must have seen Luke. She closed her eyes and shook her head.
"Lex, I want to make love to you so damn bad. Please, can we leave?"
She looked at me and smiled. "Where are we going?"
I grinned and said, "It's a surprise."
"Let's go," she whispered. She turned and began walking away.
I glanced over toward Libby. She was staring at Luke and Claire.
Shit.
She turned and said something to Jason, and they began walking to his truck.
What in the hell does she think she's doing?
I followed Lex to my truck, but I never took my eyes off my sister. Libby leaned against Jason's truck, and he began kissing her.
That motherfucker.
His hands started moving all over her body.
"Lex, hold on."
Lex turned and glanced over to where I was looking. "Will, no. She is a grown woman, and you can't keep interfering in what she is doing."
I looked back at Lex. "He's got his paws all over my sister."
Lex put her hands on her hips. "Will, let her be. She knows what she is doing and what she wants. Y'all don't have to keep jumping in every time. It's no wonder no one asks Taylor and Lauren out. Other boys are scared to death of you, Luke, and Colt."
I smiled. "Good. They should be." I turned back to see my sister was making out with Jason. My fists balled up, and I let out a sigh. "Lex, she's only doing it because she saw Luke. She doesn't want this."
I started to walk over there.
Lex grabbed my arm. "William Hayes, stop right now."
I turned back to see where Luke was. He was staring at Libby and Jason as he downed a beer. Things were not going to turn out good.
"Lex, I think we should take Luke home."
Lex stepped in front of me and followed my eyes to where I was looking. "Oh shit. Will, go get him before he goes after Jason."
I quickly began walking toward Luke. I looked over toward my sister, who was still kissing Jason. I stepped in front of Luke and smiled. "Dude, I think you've been drinking way too much. You don't want to stay here, so let me drive your truck home, and Lex will follow me."
Luke never took his eyes off Libby. "Claire wanted me to fuck her. I couldn't do it, Will. I have no desire to be with her-none."
I put my hand on his shoulder and said, "Good. Dude, you don't need to be with someone like Claire. She's slept with half the guys in my class. Come on, let's get you home."
Luke looked me in the eyes, and I couldn't believe how sad he looked.
"Yeah. This party sucks."
He started walking over to his truck, which unfortunately was parked next to Jason's. As he got closer, I began walking in between Luke and Jason and Libby.
Right before Luke got into his truck, he turned and looked at Libby and Jason. They were now just talking.
"Have fun tonight, Libby," Luke called out before he got in and slammed the hell out of his truck door.
I turned and looked at Libby and then Jason. As much as I wanted to go over there and threaten that bastard, I followed Lex's advice. "I sure hope you know what you're doing, Lib."
///
Libby just stared at me. She stepped away from Jason, said something to him, and began walking over to where Grace and Lauren were sitting.
I let out the breath I had been holding and glanced over to Lex. She smiled weakly, and we both got into the trucks and headed to Luke's house.
Luke didn't say a word to me the whole way back to his house. I parked his truck, and he got out and started walking to the barn.
"Luke, I'll leave the keys in the truck."
He raised his hand and called out, "Thanks, Will. I appreciate it."
I shook my head and made my way to my truck. Lex had jumped out and moved to the passenger side.
Once I got in, I looked at her and sighed. "Jesus, our friends are like a damn soap opera."
Lex giggled and grabbed my hand. "I'm just glad Libby came to her senses."
I ran my hand down my face. "God, so am I."
"So, what's this surprise?"
I put the truck in drive. I smiled at her, and then I headed toward my house.
"Will, where are we going? We're not even on the road anymore!"
I laughed. I had come through our property's back gate so that my parents wouldn't know we were back. I was driving on one of the old trails that Libby and I had made with our horses years ago when we would go to our secret fort. We'd spent three years building it. My father had helped us with a few of the things, but we'd mostly built it ourselves. It was our secret place that none of our friends even knew about. Libby and I had camped out there so many times that my parents had ended up buying us twin beds for it. Looking back now, I couldn't believe that we hadn't been afraid to stay there alone.
"Just a little bit more, and then we'll be there." As I pulled up, I could see the faint outline of the building.
"What is that?" Lex asked.
I put the truck in park. "Hold on, babe." I jumped out and opened the back door. I grabbed the two duffel bags that I had packed earlier today and a flashlight. I walked around and opened Lex's door. Then, I turned on the flashlight.
We made our way up, and Lex let out a gasp.
"Will, is this your and Lib's secret house?"
I stopped and looked at her. "What? How do you know about it? It's supposed to be a secret!" I felt betrayed by my own sister.
Lex giggled. "Libby accidentally let it slip about two years ago. She made Grace and me swear that we would never let you know that we knew. Oh my word … y'all built this, Will?"