I shook my head, trying to think back to that day. I had drunk a lot at the party Joe took me to, but I didn't think I had been drunk. I tried to remember what had happened.
"Shit. I don't even remember that whole night. I was at the party, and some girl kept flirting with me, but I know I didn't hook up with anyone. I remember talking to Joe and walking back here with him. I think Callie might have been with us. Yeah, she was."
"Did you hug her?"
I pushed my hands through my hair. "Fuck, I don't know. Why in the hell would I hug Callie?"
Luke pushed off my truck and turned to face me. "Dude, just come home and talk to Alex."
I swallowed hard. "I can't see her right now. I know the moment I see her, I'll just want to take her in my arms, but I can't erase what my eyes saw and what my ears heard that day."
Luke closed his eyes. "Let her explain it, Will. Just give her a chance. She's not even seeing the guy. She hasn't seen him since she told him she loved you and asked him to leave her alone. Grace said he pretty much stalked Alex for a bit before finally leaving her be."
I smiled and shook my head. "Gunner wanted her to experience life away from Mason. Maybe this is what we both need. Maybe we need a break from the familiar. If our love is truly meant to be, then … it will be."
"Can't be if you won't let it."
I didn't say a word. Luke turned and walked toward his truck. Libby walked up, and Luke said something to her. She looked at me with such sadness on her face as she began walking over to me.
"Where are you going?"
I looked at my beautiful sister and smiled. "Oklahoma."
"You're really going to go there and not be home with your family? Mom is going to be devastated. Alex is going to be devastated."
"I need to do this. I'm sorry, Lib. I need time to think."
"'Cause you haven't had enough time in the last month?"
I stepped away from my truck. I leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. "I love you, Lib. Give Mom and Dad a hug and kiss for me."
"What about Alex? What am I supposed to tell her?"
"Tell her I love her."
I walked over to the driver's side, opened the door, and climbed up into my truck. I started it and began backing up. I looked at Luke standing behind Libby as they both watched me drive away.
I need this. I need time away from everyone. I need to learn to breathe again.
I sat down on the bed of my truck and began eating my turkey sandwich. I couldn't help but notice Allison, Callie's cousin, walking over to me. I sighed inwardly and wished like hell that she would get the hint that I wasn't interested in her.
"Hey, Will. How are you today?"
I shrugged my shoulders and took another bite. I looked her up and down. I couldn't figure out how in the hell she was wearing short-ass shorts and a tight T-shirt when it was forty-two degrees outside.
"Aren't you cold?" I asked.
She giggled and jumped up next to me. "A little, but you could warm me up."
"I have a girlfriend, Allison."
She frowned. "You do?"
My heart instantly began to hurt. I shook my head and looked at her. "I, um … well, we broke up … I guess."
She laughed. "You either broke up, or you didn't. If you did, then I have a hotel room key here for you. I'm pretty sure you want to know that I'm not wearing any panties right now, and my pussy is dripping wet for you."
My mouth dropped open. "Uh … "
She began moving her tongue along her upper lip as she raised her eyebrows. "Will, tell me you don't want to fuck me, and I'll walk away, but I'm pretty sure if I were to touch your dick right now, you'd be rock-hard."
///
What the hell?
I couldn't help it, but I started laughing. "You're kidding with me right now, right?"
She smiled and shook her head.
"What type of guy would actually go back to your hotel room after you just said all of that?"
Her smile instantly faded. "Excuse me?"
I jumped off the tailgate of my truck. "No, Allison. Excuse me. I need to be somewhere, and it certainly is not in your hotel room."
She jumped down and glared at me. "Fuck off, douche bag. You have no idea what you're missing."
I watched as she began walking over to a group of guys who had driven in this morning from Arkansas.
Good Lord, I feel sorry for those boys.
I looked around for Callie or Joe. I found Joe talking to an older gentleman. I took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. The sooner I did this, the better.
The temperature had warmed up some, so I took advantage of it. I went down to the barn to get Banjo and go for a ride. It was Christmas morning, but it didn't feel like it. Everyone was planning on coming to our house this evening for dinner. It was a tradition among all my parents' friends to spend Christmas day together in some way. They had been doing it since I could remember.
I walked into Banjo's stall, and he greeted me with his low rumbling nicker, like he always did.
I smiled and hugged his massive neck. "Please don't ever leave me, boy. I don't think I could bear the thought of losing you and Will."
Banjo rested his head on my shoulder, causing me to giggle.
"Boy, do you realize how big you are?" I turned and started getting his saddle ready for a ride.
Once I was up and on him, we slowly made our way outside the barn. We walked along the trail for a good two miles before I stopped in an open field. I jumped down, and I just let him graze for a while. I walked over to a fallen tree, sat down on it, and closed my eyes.
"Will … "
I wasn't sure how long I'd been sitting there, thinking about Will and all the times we had been together. I thought about the first time I'd known I wanted to kiss him, the first time I'd known I loved him, and the first time he'd held me in his arms, making me feel so safe.
Now, all I feel is emptiness.
Banjo made a noise, and I opened my eyes to see my mother.
I smiled at her and stood up. "How did you find me?"
She laughed. "Mary Lou here has a thing for Banjo. I just told her to find him, and she did."
I smiled bigger and started walking toward her when I felt something stinging me on the ass. "Ouch! Oh, holy hell! Motherfucking son of a bitch!"
"Alexandra Eryn Mathews!"
"Mom! Something is stinging me!" I turned around and tried to look at my behind.
I was just about to run my hand across my ass when my mother screamed.
"Oh God! Don't put your hand back there. Oh shit … oh … I might actually faint!"
"What? Mother! What in the hell is it?"
"Take off your pants. Oh my! Now, Alex!"
I stripped out of my boots and began taking off my riding pants. "Ouch. Fucker! Oh … oh!" I screamed over and over as I pulled my pants down.
My mother began stomping on something. "Get away, and watch where you step! Put your boots back on."
I grabbed my boots and ran over to Banjo. My ass and the top of my leg were stinging like a bitch. I looked back at my mother, who was screaming like a mad person while stomping on something. I walked over and saw a scorpion that was dead on the ground from her stomping on it. I instantly felt sick to my stomach. Then, I saw another one.
"Mom, how many were on me?"
She turned and looked at me. " Three," she whispered.
Three? Did she say three?
I swallowed hard and looked over at the log I had been sitting on. Scorpions were all over it.
"Mom … Mom … I'm gonna throw up. I'm gonna faint."
"Okay, well, which one are you going to do, so I can prepare myself?"
I had to turn away. The sight of all those scorpions was making it worse.
"Throw up!" I shouted.
She ran over and grabbed my hair. "Go for it, baby."
"No, I'm dizzy. I'm gonna faint."
"Okay, I'm ready." She positioned herself in front of me and dug her feet in as she held out her hands.
I heard someone riding up on a horse, and I looked up to see Colt and Luke.
Colt looked down at my bare legs and said, "What in the hell?"
That was when I knew for sure what I was going to do next. I looked at my mom and went to tell her to move, but instead, I threw up all over her.
"Gross! That was nasty!" Colt shouted.
///
Luke jumped off his horse and started throwing up.
Colt started laughing as he pointed at Luke.
"Mom … oh, Mom, I didn't mean-"
My mother held up her hand for me to stop talking. "Colt, give me your T-shirt."
Colt jumped off his horse and ripped his shirt off before handing it to her. She began cleaning off the puke. Luke turned and looked, and then he turned back around and started throwing up again.
"Colt, get your sister back right away. She's been stung a few times by scorpions."
Colt looked at me and then over to my pants. That was when he must have seen the log.
"Holy crap. Did you sit on that, Alex?" He turned back to me. "Um, Mom? Alex doesn't look so good."