Page 10 of The Corner of Heartbreak and Forever
“Hot women, cold beer, good music. Life is good,” Trace said, clinking his beer with JJ’s. He reached into a cooler at his feet and handed a cold bottle to Reed. “Here you go, brother.”
“Thanks.” He cracked it open and took a long swallow. “I forgot Sable played in a band. I thought she just owned that garage in town.”
“Surge,” Chet reminded him. “Her band has been together since high school.”
“I remember,” Reed said. “They played at halftime our senior year. Seems like a lifetime ago.”
“Cougars!” Trace hollered.
“Mustangs all the way,” Reed retorted.
Chet nodded in agreement. He was from Meadowside, too.
“Don’t start that high school crap,” JJ said. “The last thing I want to see is you two tumbling in the dirt over whose team is better. It sure seemed like everything back then, didn’t it?”
Trace bumped shoulders with Reed. “Anyway. Sable’s hot, right? She’s single, too. You should take a crack at her.”
Reed laughed under his breath and took another swig of his beer, noticing the way Chet’s eyes narrowed at Trace’s remark. “Thanks, but uh…”I’d rather find Grace.“I’m cool.”
“If I had a dollar for every time I heard that lie,” Beckett Wheeler said from behind him. Beckett was a bigwig investor and another of Reed’s former rivals—but then again, weren’t they all?
At six foot two, Reed and Beckett stood eye to eye. “Hey, Beck. How’s it hanging?”
“Long and straight. You?” He flashed an arrogant grin.
Reed laughed. It was hard to believe these were the same guys he’d stared down across the football field.
“Well, Reed Cross,” Beckett said in a hushed tone. “Don’t turn around, because there’s a whole lot of pretty women checking out thecoolguy.”
Reed turned, and a group of twentysomethings he didn’t recognize smiled flirtatiously, whispering to one another as they eyed him up. Reed smiled, but his eyes fell beyond the group to Grace, wearing the same summery dress she’d had on earlier in the day. She stood by the bonfire with her sisters Morgyn and Brindle, who were chatting, their gazes gliding over the crowd, while Grace fidgeted with her beer bottle. He recalled that nervous habit from when they were kids. It was a soda bottle back then, but the way she tapped her index finger on the glass told him she wasn’t comfortable.
He watched her for a few minutes, drinking in the way her hair kept falling in front of her eyes and the little shake of her head she used to brush it away, only for it to fall right back again. Another familiar mannerism. She used to do the same thing when she was younger.At least some things haven’t changed.
“Dude!” Trace hollered.
Reed turned just in time to see JJ shove Trace into the creek, then double over laughing. Trace reached up and hauled JJ into the water. Chaos ensued. Women screamed and shouts filled the air as people began kicking off their boots and shoes. Guys tore off their shirts, and girls egged them on, running barefoot into the water.
“Let’s go!” Brindle grabbed Morgyn’s hand, dragging her off the bank. “Come on, Grace!”
Reed’s attention homed in on Grace as she backed toward the woods. He remembered skinny-dipping with her in this very creek when they were alone at night, and it saddened him to see her trying to escape the fun.
“Woo-hoo!” A guy sprinted past and into the water. A group of women shrieked as he splashed them.
Seconds later the creek was full, leaving only a few stragglers on the banks. Reed tugged off his boots and socks, then closed the distance between him and Grace.
“Reed?” Her eyes widened as he reached for her arm. “No!”
“You’re not in the city anymore, Grace.” He hoisted her into his arms and she pushed at his chest. “It’s time to have some fun.”
“Put me down! What do you think you’re doing?” She fought and kicked as he neared the edge of the creek. “My shoes! My dress!”
He flipped her sandals off and they tumbled to the dirt. “I can take your dress off, too, if you’d like.” He laughed, lost in the feel of having her back in his arms.
“Put. Me. Down!” she demanded.
He ignored her pleas. She flailed and struggled to no avail as everyone around them laughed and splashed. “Stop fighting me, Gracie. You won’t win.”
She screamed and pleaded, and as he waded into deeper water, her arms and legs wrapped around him. She felt incredible, bringing back more sinful memories. Memories he’d like to relive.
