Page 13 of Send It

Lincoln

We rode all day long and, just before the sun started to fade behind the lake, we pulled back into the house.

I opened the door and stepped inside and echoes of “Happy Birthday” filled the room.

There were people everywhere. People I knew from the track, some I barely knew at all, and a huge birthday cake on the counter.

It was green with orange flowers on it, a cute little seventies vibe, and it had a giant eighteen sticking from the top. It was really elaborate, too elaborate for me, and it had Stassie written all over it.

“Did you do this?” I ask Stassie, who is grinning from ear to ear, covered in dirt and dust.

“The idiots helped,” she smirks, pointing over her shoulder with her thumb at Reiss and Colson.

“Thank you,” I say, directing it at all of them, but Colson doesn’t look at me. Not really.

In fact, he didn’t really look at me all day.

I heard him talking with my brother this morning and everything just felt a little off, but I won’t lie and say I haven’t thought all day about what birthday present he was talking about.

If that was just some lie he told my brother or if he really did get me something.

I mingle with the guests for an hour, and by the time I’ve talked to everyone, I’m exhausted. I round the corner of the deck and see Colson pressed up against the wall with a girl in front of him.

She throws her head back laughing, and I feel my stomach knot with jealousy. I stand there for a moment watching them, and my heart sinks further when he smiles back.

I step back and start to take off but just before I get to the edge of the water I hear Colson calling my name.

“Lincoln, wait up!”

I keep stomping, aggravated with myself. Why the fuck did I think I was special? I’m not special to him.

“Linc, what’s wrong?” He asks, tugging me back by my arm. I turn, tears threatening to escape. “Lincoln, stop. What is wrong?”

He asks me again, and I just stare at him. What do I say? That I’m jealous? That the thought of him talking to another girl makes me want to burn the lake house to the ground?

I can’t say that shit. Not without sounding like a crazy obsessed eighteen year old baby.

“Tell me what happened,” he rasps, out of breath from chasing me down the hill. “Did someone upset you?”

I shake my head, “Just go back and talk to that girl, Colson. We both know that’s what is best.”

His face turns to stone, his lips tightening in a fine line. “I don’t want her, Lincoln. If I did I’d be upstairs fucking her. We were just talking.”

I don’t respond, knowing that I sound like a crazy obsessed teenager. He takes the hint and turns my face toward him with his thumb and forefinger, “Are you jealous, baby Bane?”

I cross my arms, and push my hip out with attitude. “No.”

A wicked grin takes over as he pulls me closer to him, his hand placed firmly against the small of my back.

“I get jealous, too.”

His words are raspy and honestly, they turn me on.

He gets jealous too.

I don’t know why those four words make me feel giddy inside , but they do. They solidify that maybe I’m not crazy for fantasizing about chopping that girl’s ponytail off for speaking to Colson, if he’s thinking the same thing.

His fingers trail a soft line down my jaw and collarbone. The simplicity of it is so intimate and sweet, and it’s not something I’m used to seeing in Colson. He’s been so different with me the past couple weeks, it’s strange.

“Lincoln, I don’t want anyone here but you.”

I bop him on the nose and smile, “You don’t have to feed me a bunch of bullshit just because it’s my birthday.”

“It’s your birthday?” He teases.

I shove him hard against his shoulder and laugh. “I’m a legal adult.” I brag. “I can…”

I stop, trying to come up with a list of things I can do now that I couldn’t before. I’m having trouble.

“You can play the lottery,” he chirps. “Or get a credit card.”

I nod, “Yep. I could even get called for jury duty.”

He side eyes me suspiciously, “Why do you sound so excited for jury duty?”

I chuckle, “I’m not, I’m just saying the possibilities are endless.”

His smile is perfect and so damn intoxicating, “For you they are. You can do anything, Lincoln.”

I swoon over his words, I’m not used to seeing this side of Colson. Hell, before the past couple weeks I thought he looked at me as Reiss’ annoying little sister.

“Except race,” I snap, remembering what he said to me. “Because I don’t belong out there.”

His eyes turn from their normal shade of slate grey to dark. “Don’t get it twisted, Lincoln. You are one hundred percent capable of beating any of those fuckers out there.”

His words shock me silent as he continues.

“I said that because I know what would happen if one of those guys hurt you.”

“What?” I breathe, barely above a whisper.

He leans down to my lips, planting a soft peck on them and pulling back, “I’d make sure they fucking regretted it.”

The way he says it sends a chill down my spine. I love the protective side of him.

Reiss walks around the corner, and Colson steps back fast. Instantly pouring a bucket of ice water on the moment, and just like that we’re back to that place I hate.

“Lincoln, it’s time to cut the cake.”

I nod, following him into the kitchen. I appreciated the thought that everyone put into this but I would’ve been fine with a cupcake and the four of them. Right now, I really just want to be alone with Colson.

Stassie breaks the silence and thanks everyone for coming, waving her hands like a composer as everyone sings to me. It’s embarrassing and I can feel my cheeks turning pink before the song is even over.

I close my eyes tightly, and wish as hard as I can before blowing out my candles.

Spoiler Alert: I wished for Colson.