Page 5

Smiling, I reach for one of the Cokes. “I’ll take care of our drinks.”

Sally turns up the music, and together we belt out off-pitch lyrics to Coldplay as we head across the ranch. She parks in our usual spot on a bluff overlooking the river and kills the engine. The clean, cool scent of the water fills my head as I hand Sally a bottle of Coke. I drank a few sips of it on the drive over to make room for the whiskey. I was careful not to pour too much into Sally’s bottle; she likes to get her buzz on, but she hates feeling out of control.

I make a mental note to text Sawyer or, if he doesn’t answer, Cash. One of them will give us a ride home so no one’s drinking and driving.

Sally sips her drink and falls back into her seat with a sigh of contentment. “I’ve missed this.”

The view through the windshield is spectacular, especially at this time of day. The Colorado River winds its way through the Hill Country landscape, a thick blue-green ribbon of quiet, slow-moving water. It reflects the light of the dying sun, which sets the sky on fire in shades of pink and orange, tinged with purple at the edges.

A hazy half-moon is just visible above our heads.

“Ain’t been the same around here without you.” The Jack Daniel’s hits my bloodstream. Maybe that’s why I’m suddenly aware of the throb in my lips.

Sally lifts her hips and tugs at her teeny-tiny denim shorts, adjusting the hem so it doesn’t ride up. My eyes graze over her bare thighs. Her skin is milky white, a startling contrast to my own. Mom used to joke her sons were born tan. We have alifetime spent outdoors in the South Texas sun to thank for that.

Sally, though, spent most of her time indoors, studying so she could make her plans for the future happen. Reason number five million why I can’t be checking her out like this. My life is here in Hartsville. Hers is gonna be in some big, fancy place where all the big, fancy jobs are.

And, yeah, Sally is also my best friend. Has been since she punched Billy Hanover in the face for bullying me in second grade. I’m no genius like her, but even I know the friendship we have is special. As her friend, I’d never want to hold her back or keep her from chasing her dreams.

I need her now more than ever. Which means I absolutely, positively can’t fuck this up by wanting her likethat.

Like I very much want to down this Jack and Coke and get to swimming so I can pull her against me in the water. Wrap her legs around my waist?—

Stop.

Reaching for the pack of Marlboros, I ask, “School still goin’ okay?”

“School’s going great. My classes are anyway. I love my professors.”

“But?”

“But I still feel pretty homesick sometimes.”

“You do have deep roots here. I get that.” I put a cigarette in my mouth and dig a lighter out of my pocket.

She furrows her brow. “Since when do you smoke?”

“Since all the cool kids started doing it.”

“Gross.”

My thumb stills on the strike of the lighter. I meet her eyes. “This really gonna bother you?”

“Yes, you killing yourself one cancer stick at a time really does bother me.”

There’s a catch in my chest. Sallycares. Now that myparents are gone, she might be the only person in the world who cares about me so deeply. So sincerely.

I pluck the cigarette out of my mouth and put it back in the pack. My hand shakes a little.What the fuck?

I’m gripped by the acute need for space. Air. Downing the rest of my drink, I put the empty glass in the cupholder and reach for the door. “I’m goin’ in.”

Her eyes follow me as I hop out of the truck and reach over my head for my shirt collar.

She sticks her head out the window. “You’re not getting, like, totally naked, are you?”

“Nah.” I yank off my shirt and smirk. “Just mostly.”

Her eyes flick over my bare torso before locking on mine. She holds my gaze for a beat too long.