Page 83 of Love Me Steadfast
“Says who?”
She gives me one of her trademark shrugs. “Plus it’s too far away. I want to be able to come home when I need to.”
I have a feeling this is about Morgan.
“Oh. Dad’s here,” she says.
When I glance over my shoulder, Ray is standing on the far edge of the crowd, talking to another guest. I check for Morgan and find her dancing with Jesse.
“He’s picking you guys up?” I ask. Theo shared that Charlottefailed her driving test again. If she fails it a third time, they make kids take the whole class all over again.
“Morgan’s got a strict curfew,” Charlotte says.
“Because of the biker guy?” According to Theo, Morgan gave her phone number to some random biker dude she met outside the gas station. She texted him pictures before her dad found out and confiscated her phone.
She sighs. “The family counselor we’re seeing told Dad Morgan needed more structure.”
I’ve hung out with Sofie enough to have an idea what they’re likely talking about in family therapy. Managing emotions. Distress tolerance. Communication skills. All good things, but…it must be bad if they’re all going. How does Charlotte feel about it?
“I could take you home,” I say. Because Zach and Sofie and the rest of them are staying the night at Wolf Creek, I drove myself, and Zach said I could take off whenever I was ready.
She tilts her head and studies me. “Why?”
I don’t have a good answer. “We could stop for milkshakes at the Snow Bunny.” They make the best wild blackberry shakes this time of year.
My stomach rumbles. Dinner was good but that was hours ago. Thanks to Charlotte’s voracious appetite, she’s likely hungry by now too. Something I secretly love about her.
Her face lights up. “You’re on, QB.”
Ten minutes later, after she’s put her things in Ray’s car and I’ve grabbed my bag from the groom’s cabin, I’m leading Charlotte to my truck, nerves ratcheting up inside me. I shouldn’t be this excited for a fucking milkshake. Especially when it means exactly nothing.
After, I’ll go home and fuck my fist until I stop thinking about Charlotte tonight in that dress, or worse, in that skirt and cowboy boots she wore the night Boxcar Doves performed.
When I unlock her door, I notice she’s carrying her panda bear wallet.
“I’m buying,” I say.
She scoffs. “Why?”
I laugh. Otherwise I might kiss her. “For playing so pretty tonight.”
Her expression stills and her eyes search mine, like she’s expecting to find a lie. “Thanks, William.”
She sets her wallet on the seat then hitches the hem of her dress, giving me a peek of her tanned thigh, then places her hand in mine for a boost. The contact between us sends a hot buzz beneath my skin. It’s a warning—one I should fucking heed.
Because whenever I’m alone with Charlotte, the reasons keeping me from kissing her feel a million miles away.
Chapter Twenty-Six
WILLIAM (AGE 16)
“Did you forget your flowers?”I ask while creeping down the gravel road behind Ray’s BMW.
She raises her eyebrows. “My first ever bouquet. You think I’d forget them?”
“Nobody’s ever given you flowers?”
“No. I put them in Dad’s car.” She cocks her head. “Don’t tell me you’re some secret romantic and you buy roses for all of your, uh, dates?” She saysdateswith distaste.
