Without You

As we walked down the street, making our way to Desserted Island Ice Cream, I listened to Luke and Libby arguing about where to have dinner. I rolled my eyes and looked down at Lex.

“I don’t want to go where our parents are all going, Lib,” Luke said.

“Then, don’t, Luke. I haven’t seen my parents since New Year’s, and I want to spend time with them.”

“I have to agree. I’d like to have dinner with my mom and dad,” I said.

Lex nodded her head. “Me, too, Luke.”

“I’m with Luke. I say ditch the parents,” Colt said as he and Luke slapped hands.

“We can just go pick up a few girls then,” Luke said as he winked at Colt.

“Nice. Don’t you have a girlfriend, jerk-off?” Lauren asked as she pushed Colt.

Colt smiled. “Why, no, Lauren, I do not. I happened to walk in on her and some dick football player from Fredericksburg getting it on at a party a few weeks ago.”

Lauren frowned. “Oh…I’m really sorry, Colt.”

Colt shrugged his shoulders and looked straight ahead. “Doesn’t matter. I’m done with the whole bullshit thing called relationships. All women do is fuck with your head…and heart.”

“Amen,” Luke said.

Libby peeked over to him and then looked straight ahead. Lauren peeked up at Colt and then looked down and away with a sad expression on her face.

After we walked into the ice cream parlor, I held Lex back. I kissed her sweetly on the lips. “I love you, Lex.”

She smiled. “I love you more, Will.”

I smiled bigger, and my heart melted.

“I’m so blessed to have you in my life. I just wanted you to know that. Thank you for loving me.”

My stomach did a weird little flop, and I looked down at my thumb rubbing across her promise ring on her left ring finger. We hadn’t told anyone we were secretly engaged. For now, we were using the promise ring as an engagement ring.

She placed her hand on the side of my face. “I’m just as blessed, Will.”

I leaned down and kissed her again.

“Dude, that’s my sister you’re sucking face with, and it kind of grosses me out. Stop, please,” Colt called out from across the room.

I pulled back just a bit and smiled.

She smiled back and whispered, “He’s just jealous.”

I laughed and shook my head. “Probably.”

I took her hand as we walked up and ordered.

Libby and Luke each ordered the espresso-soaked brownie sundae. For the last five years, they’d been ordering it to share with one another after declaring it to be the best sundae they had ever eaten. This was the first time they hadn’t split it.

I sat down next to Libby and smiled as I took a drink from my chocolate milkshake.

“I say we camp on the beach tonight. Throw up two tents and build a fire,” Luke said.

“Oh my gosh, yes!” Lauren hopped up and down.

“Totally sounds like a good time,” Meg said with a smile.

“We can make s’mores,” Colt said as he looked at Lex and winked.

“We have to have s’mores!” Lex said with a giggle before turning to me.

I looked at her and gave her my panty-melting smile. She gave me a sexy smirk as she bit her bottom lip. I already knew what she was thinking because I was thinking the same thing.

“Taylor, you in?” Colt asked.

She nodded her head. “I’m in. Sounds like fun.”

Luke looked at Libby. “Lib? You down for some camping?”

She smiled weakly and nodded her head. “Why not? Sounds like fun.”

“Grace? You down?” Luke asked as he gently hit her on the side of the arm.

“Hell yes, I’m down for that!” Grace said with a laugh.

“Then, it’s a plan. We’re camping on the beach tonight,” Luke said as he glanced around the table and smiled.

Colt, Luke, and I all sat on the sofa while our fathers just stared at us.

“Camping on the beach, huh?” Jeff asked.

I glanced over to Gunner. He was looking at me. It was almost as if he had read my thoughts from earlier.

“Yes, sir. We have two tents. One for the guys, and one for the girls.”

My father nodded his head. “Where at on the beach?”

“We can pitch them right out front, if y’all want,” Luke said.

I wanted to look at him like he had lost his damn mind, but I kept my eyes forward and my mouth shut.

“You boys will make sure the girls stay with you. No one outside of your group is allowed to hang with y’all,” Scott said as he looked at each of us.