Page 6 of Meet Me in the Valley (Oakwood Valley #2)

The party gets more lively and rowdy as the drinks keep flowing and the sun dips lower in the sky.

Audrey is no longer wearing the tiara veil that Isabel and I got her, but now it’s perched on Logan’s head as we face off with each other in a game of flip cup.

The round is about to start as Logan and I glare at each other with one hand behind our back while Kerry drunkenly announces the rules of the game.

“Since the old people are playing, everyone, listen up!”

Kerry gets a jab to the ribs by his dad, which sets off a chain of laughter down the long table.

Somehow, Logan convinced all our parents to join in on our game.

I look down the length of the table to see my mom standing behind my dad.

I don’t look into it too much, but my mom doesn’t seem annoyed she’s not playing.

She also hasn’t had a drink all evening.

Maybe she’s on a new juice cleanse I don’t know about or something.

My inner ramblings jolt when I hear Kerry yell, “Go!”

Audrey and Donovan face off first, both of them hastily chugging their beer then flipping their cup at the same time. No good. Logan and I are at the very end of the table, making us the last ones to go if this game gets close.

Audrey and Donovan are still struggling to flip their red Solo cups, so I shout, “Auds! Distract him! Distract the groom!” She squeals in laughter and squeezes her boobs together while jumping up and down.

Donovan is close to wasted at this point and stops flipping as he watches Audrey’s cleavage taunt him.

“Focus, D!” Logan shouts alongside Wyatt and Kerry, who are covering their eyes at their future sister-in-law’s deviant strategy. Audrey finds a gap and flips her cup, shrieking with glee as it lands perfectly on its brim. Our side cheers loudly as the next round goes to Isabel.

“Fucking shit,” Donovan mutters as he struggles to flip his cup. When he finally gets it, he grins at Audrey and shakes his head.

“Way to distract him, Audrey!” I yell out, getting the middle finger from Donovan as he leans across the table to his fiancé and plants a passionate kiss on her mouth.

Our side is winning and are only ahead by three people. Then Donovan’s mom gets stuck and starts panicking as Wyatt and Kerry easily flip their cups. She’s now facing off with her husband, laughing uncontrollably as he taunts his wife.

“Almost our turn, T. This is just like college. Think you still got it after all this time?” Logan wears a stupid grin on his face with the small train of the tiara veil draping down one shoulder. I can’t take him seriously. I’ve lost count of the amount of eye rolls I’ve cast his way tonight.

“I remember clearly how much better I am at this game than you.”

“Wanna bet?”

I squint my eyes at him before looking down the line. The game is neck and neck now, our turn coming up fast. Hell, I’m not one to back down from a challenge, and the asshole knows it. We’ve been playing this game for years. No time to chicken out now.

“Fine.” I state. “Name your bet.”

“Loser skinny dips at Torren’s spot. If I win, you take Audrey and Isabel down with you. If you win, I’ll take the boys. Deal?”

Oh, this is too good. I have full confidence that these boys will be jumping into the lake wearing nothing but their bruised egos.

I got this.

“You’re on, Harper.”

Hands and fists slam down on the table, spilled beer sloshes all around, and adrenaline courses through my veins.

One thing about Logan and me is that we are competitive—and not in a healthy way.

It makes our friendship whole. I feel the fire burning off of his skin as his eyes flicker back and forth between me and the rest of the game.

Audrey’s Pop is next to me, neck and neck with my dad across from him.

“C’mon, Pop! You got this!” I encourage.

In one cool swig of beer and a swift flick of his wrist, Pop flips his cup on his first try. The table erupts with a roar, and I take a second to register the fact that Audrey’s grandpa absolutely murdered his round.

“What the fuck?!” Logan’s eyes blow wide and his eyebrows shoot to his hairline. He grips his hair with both bands in utter disbelief, nearly knocking off his veil.

Pop gives me a wink, and I’m off to the races. The beer glides easily down my throat—a skill I gained during my college days—and I line the brim of the cup up with the edge of the table. Flip and a miss. Shit, I’m rusty.

I look up to see Logan’s beer already gone as he starts his flip. I stammer for a split second at the sight of excess beer dripping from the corner of his mouth, trailing down his chin.

Has he always had full, kissable lips?

“Tia! Go!” Audrey screams at me from down the table.

“Shit.”

Damn him with the distractions. There’s no way in hell I’m losing this bet. Logan looks so stupid with Audrey’s veil on I can’t hold back my laugh. Everyone is shouting, and the pressure is on as we flip and flip, failing every time.

“God, you suck at this,” Logan teases me with his contagious laugh that’s completely taken over my body.

My shoulders shake, my eyes leak with tears, and my face hurts from smiling so hard.

“You’re one to talk! You suck just as much!” It’s a weak comeback, but I’m having too much fun to care.

Just as my cup is in midair, a rowdy commotion erupts in front of me as Logan’s cup is already brim-side down.

Fuck.

I look up to see the boys jostling Logan back and forth.

Despite the chaos, his eyes stay playfully locked on mine.

The smug look on his face pisses me off, but I laugh anyway because …

well … it’s Logan. His face lights with mischief, raising his eyebrow at me in challenge.

My eyes zero in on his mouth again, mesmerized as those full lips tilt into his signature crooked grin that brings women to their knees. Literally.

With an effortless seduction, he mouths to me, “You. Naked. Tonight.”