Page 12 of Under the Lights (The Big Boys of BRU #2)

Eleven

Dom

What the hell was I even doing here? Why did I even bother to show up?

Oh yeah, that’s right, because I’m a fucking dumbass. A dumbass who values the promises he makes, and unfortunately, I had promised to show up.

“Yo, Kincaid! About time you got here,” someone hollered. I couldn’t even tell who it was, with the loud music blaring out of one of the vehicles.

I sighed, already worn down. The lake stretched out before me, the surface glittering in the sun. Tall pines lined the far shore, their needles rustling in the breeze, which carried the earthy scents of damp moss and sun-warmed pine bark.

The smell of pungent weed and sunscreen mixed thick in the humid air, mingling with the distant calls of cicadas and the splashes of careless swimmers.

Was that someone passed out by the water? Fucking hell . Senior Skip Day was supposed to be the highlight of our final weeks before graduation — drinking, swimming, spending time with friends when we were supposed to be in school.

But after weeks without seeing Sierra, I was more restless than excited. I’d been looking forward to this all year, but now? I just wanted to get out of here.

Climbing out of my truck, I forced a smile, determined to look as carefree and happy as I should on a day like this. I made my way to the lakeside, where cups were raised in my direction as I nodded at people in greeting.

“Hey,” I said, nudging the unmoving figure sprawled face-down on the ground with my sneaker. “Dude. Can you get up?”

Whoever it was didn’t move, and concern began welling up until an unintelligible groan rang out.

Not dead. Cool .

The sweltering heat pressed down hard, making the thick, humid air feel like a heavy blanket stuck to my skin. Sweat pooled at my hairline and trickled down my back, soaking through my shirt.

This guy had probably been lying there for a while, his skin slick with sweat, blending into the damp, sunbaked ground.

I wasn’t eager to get close to anyone in this mess. Glancing around, I realized the other idiots were too wasted to help or even notice the danger of him sprawled so close to the lakeshore.

Avoiding it wasn’t an option.

Crouching down, I slung my arms around his middle and drew in a deep breath. I was strong, but moving dead weight of almost my own size still wasn’t the easiest of tasks. With a grunt, I hoisted him over my shoulder, causing him to mumble incoherently and flail his arms drunkenly.

“Yeah, I know, buddy. Just getting you out of the way.” I walked a good distance away from the water and set him down in a safer spot. With a slight pat to his cheek, I took my leave.

I made my way to the plethora of coolers filled almost exclusively with cheap beer. After snagging one of the few sodas left, I found a place to sit on one of the logs around the fire pit.

Looking around, I cringed a little. I used to live for this kind of thing — used to feel a thrill of anticipation every weekend for all the possibilities that lay ahead. But tonight, it feels small. Like a curtain had been lifted.

A hand landed on my shoulder. “Fucking finally! Almost thought you wouldn’t show up.” I turned my head to see one of my closest friends, Mac, grinning at me, a slightly tipsy glaze to his eyes. “It’s just not the same without you!”

“Yeah, I’m definitely the life of the party. Can’t you tell?” I was trying to convince myself as much as him, but the words came out forced and kind of strained.

Luckily, he was too drunk to really take notice.

“Hell yeah, brother! It’s about to get lit in here.” He straightened up, let out a whoop, and yelled, “Who’s got the beer bong?! I’m fucking thirsty!”

As he bounded off, I was left alone again, sitting apart from the rest of the people around the fire. Unable to stop myself, I fished my phone out of my pocket, scrolled for a minute, and then gave in, pulling up her feed — as I did all day, every day at this point.

Her beauty was breathtaking, even through a fucking screen. The party was in full swing around me, and the noise was driving me insane. The chatter, the music, the splashing as people jumped into the lake — everything just seemed too loud, too much.

All I could think about was Sierra.

Her laugh, her voice, those blue eyes I wanted to drown in, and the expression on her face when she let me in, at least a fraction. We had connected that night. I was sure of it.

“Oh my God, Dom! There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you.” A figure plopped down on the log, right next to me, so close our thighs touched. Too close .

“Hey, Lucy.” I glanced at her and gave her a quick smile, which was met with a beaming one of her own, her pupils huge.

How much had she smoked? Rolling my lips together, I fixed my gaze on the dancing flames, trying to ignore the way she was staring at me.

“So … we’re almost done, huh? How crazy is that?”

We’d made out once or twice at random parties, and I was pretty sure I had a good idea of where she was going with this.

“Yeah, I mean, it’s just life. Things change.” I shrugged. People change, too. Exhibit A — me .

“But this is so exciting! Just think about it, in a couple of weeks we’ll be in a totally different place.” Lucy was facing me now, her upper body turned toward me.

“Where are you heading?” I asked casually, in an attempt to steer this conversation away from the direction I feared it was headed.

“Alabama. You’re going to Tennessee, right?”

“They gave me a scholarship and a hoodie. How could I say no?”

“OMG, you’re so funny!” Her high-pitched laugh made my ears ring, and her hand landed on my thigh.

Fuck my life . She was nice enough. Just not enough to make me forget the girl I actually wanted.

I opened my mouth, about to let her down gently, as she leaned uncomfortably close and whispered, “So, how about we have our own little farewell today? Who knows, could be our last chance, and I’d hate to let it slip.”

Her lips were curled in a suggestive smirk, one eyebrow slightly quirked. Just mere weeks ago, I would’ve been so into this.

But not now, not anymore.

I put some distance between us, just as she moved even closer, her intention to kiss me clearly written on her face. She almost lost her balance, and my hands shot out to steady her, before releasing her just as quickly.

“Look, Lucy, you’re great, but I don’t think I can do this today. I’m sorry.”

Hurt crossed her face, and I felt like a dick, even though I knew I hadn’t technically done anything wrong. That hurt transformed into anger in a flash.

“What’s your problem?”

“I don’t have a problem. You’re a really nice girl, but I’m not interested,” I said gently, while trying to drive home the point that I was completely serious.

Lucy scoffed, her eyes narrowing to slits. “What? You too good for me already?”

I recoiled. “No! Why’d you even think that? It’s nothing like that. I just met someone.”

“So? She’s not here, is she? What’s the problem with a little goodbye between two old friends?” She threw her hands up, as though she had just made the most reasonable suggestion in history.

My words were clipped. “The problem is, I’m not interested . The only person I’m interested in is, as you said, not here.” I rose to my full height, glowering down at her.

“Wow, you’re boring. What happened to you? You’re being like, so weird right now!” she accused me.

She was right. I had. Sierra had touched me on a deeper level, had put me under her spell so thoroughly, I was sure I’d never be able to snap out of it — nor did I want to.

Comparing what I had shared with Lucy to the night I had with Sierra was impossible . It was the complete lack of gravity, of heat.

When Lucy talked to me, she said what she thought she was supposed to say and laughed a second too late, as if she was looking for cues.

And the whole time, all I could think was Sierra wouldn’t do that .

She didn’t try to make you like her; she didn’t want you to like her just for the sake of it. She looked at you as if she already knew what you were about , and dared you to prove her wrong.

Talking to her was like stepping into a current — whether you were ready or not, you felt it.

This? This was still water. No ripples. And I’d already drowned in the deep end.

“Have a nice night, Lucy.” I turned and walked away without so much as a backward glance. Guess she wasn’t a nice girl after all.

Rounding the lake, I made my way to one of the docks anchored along its shore. It was deserted, the party-goers hadn’t spread out that far. My steps made hollow thumps as I walked to its end, lowering myself with a heavy sigh.

This thing had turned from bad to worse so fucking fast. I had never felt this distanced from every single person in my life, so lonely.

Was Sierra lonely too? Or had she forgotten about me already?

It was funny how you could feel so close to someone, as if you were sharing their secrets, even if it was just for one night. Only to then feel as if you had dreamed her up.

The sound of her laugh, the way her fingers curled in her sleep, was already fading.

And yet, she was all you could see.

What was my girl doing right now? Was she thinking about me, too? At least sometimes?

Once again, I pulled up her IG profile, tapping on the message button, like I’d done countless times already.

Just been thinking about you, Goddess. Miss you.

I stared at the words I’d typed out, mocking me.

“DOM!” I heard someone yell in the distance. Staring at the lit screen, my thumb hit the backspace, deleting the unsent message — as I did with all of them.

Looking up, I see the party raging in the background, people stumbling around drunkenly or horsing around in the cool water. I had zero desire to rejoin them.

Physically, I was still here, but part of me had already left, or rather had been left behind — and she was the reason.