Brady Remington Landed Me in Jail(38)

Not fun.

"Brady's girl! How are you?"

A sudden surge of water pushed my tube left while I slipped right. Someone jolted their way through the river to my side, but I couldn't look to see who spoke as I scrambled to keep from falling off my tube. Just as I was going in the river, I closed my eyes and gripped the mug tight, but a strong hand steadied me at the last second. When my legs were spread-eagle and my arms held the side, I peeked to see who'd come to my rescue.

Matt Krone stood in the water with his own foaming mug of beer. Instead of holding onto his tube, it looked like it was holding onto him.

"I'm not real good with the water sports stuff."

Matt blinked and then flashed a perfect smile. "Oh right. It was nicely done."

I frowned. "I have no idea what you're talking about." I gripped my mug tighter.

"Nothing," Matt chuckled. "What are you drinking?"

"I'm not drinking," I said quickly.

He looked at my hand.

I'm an idiot. "I mean, it's wine, but I haven't drunk anything. I'm not really a drinker."

"Sure about that?"

I opened my mouth to convince him of my normal boredom when I caught the grin at the corner of his mouth. "Oh. You're joking."

"Yeah," Matt laughed outright. "Trust me, Brady's girl, you've come around once and we all saw what a few drinks could do to you. Wine, not something you should be drinking. That stuff will go straight to your head."

I muttered, "I'm just holding it to fit in." A second passed and then—"I mean, I don't normally drink and Clarissa wanted me to…I'm just holding the mug. I'm not…I might, I don't know. I—"

Matt patted me on the shoulder. "It's okay, but does Brady know you're here? I saw him at Nellie's before school and he seemed worked up about something. You and him aren't my business, I shouldn't be saying anything."

I sat up straighter or tried. The tube started to slip away again. "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

Matt frowned and glanced to where Clarissa lounged on her tube. She looked like she did it every day as she idly held her own mug of wine and laughed with a guy. I recognized him from the hallway earlier that day.

"What?" I asked again.

"Look, Clarissa's after Kid. She likes challenges especially if they're male. We all saw it at the party, but you're here. Is Brady okay with this?"

"This what? What are you talking about?" I frowned as I remembered Clarissa raving about Kid, but I wasn't too concerned about it at the time. Now I was starting to be.

"Do the math, Brady's girl."

"I have a name. Learn it," I retorted as the feeling of being used was starting to settle in my stomach.

I turned, or the best I could with the tube, and twisted my neck to see Clarissa. She looked the same as she had a few days ago. She liked Kid. I knew this. Kid liked me. I knew this too. Brady really liked me since he was my best friend. I knew that Brady wouldn't want Kid around me…so… I asked, "What are you saying?"

Matt had been staring at me while I pondered between the lines. Now he just laughed and then laughed some more, but then he quieted while his shoulders jerked sporadically. When he hadn't regained control within a few seconds, I got impatient. "I'm not good at this stuff. I know that. Brady's usually around to help me, but he's not here. So don't think I'm dumb, just tell me what you're saying."

Matt's chuckles lessened enough so he leaned forward. "Look, just be careful. Brady might show up later."

"You think Kid will come too? Is that what you're trying to warn me about?" I leaned closer. The tube started to slip, but Matt shot out a hand and held it firm. "That would be disastrous."

He stared down at me.

The feeling that I needed to do something was starting to grow within me, but what? I had no idea. "Brady usually takes care of this stuff."

"He's not here. You gotta do it."

I squinted upwards. "Why not you? You figured it out. Could you do something?"

Matt backed up and shook his head. "Oh, hell no. You're Brady's girl."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know, but you gotta figure it out."

My mouth fell open.

"Rayna," Clarissa shouted and waved towards me. She grinned, looking a little too happy. "Come here. I want to introduce you to Derek."

The guy next to her grinned as he held a clear John Deere mug filled with green liquid. I wasn't knowledgeable about drinks, but I certain that was hard liquor. I knew I wasn't about to find out because there was no way I was going to ask. With wavy chestnut curls and chocolate eyes, something about Derek was screaming for me not to talk to him…at all.

"Come on," Clarissa called out again.

I looked over my shoulder, one more last ditch effort to see if Matt would help, but he'd already moved to another group of girls. I recognized some of them as the mean ones, Angela and what's her face.

I was on my own.

I moved towards Clarissa and Derek at a slow pace with only one hand in the river and my legs still spread-eagle over the tube. Then I squeaked when I saw Clarissa motion for Derek to help. He stood up and showed off a lean, slightly defined, body as he walked towards me. I breathed out in relief when I saw his reluctance. He had no interest in me. He wanted Clarissa and he was only trying to please her. When he got close enough and reached out to grab my tube, my voice squeaked, "Is there a rest stop on these things?"