The Vincent Boys (The Vincent Boys #1)(28)
“Holy shit, baby. You’re wearing a g-string?” I needed her dress off now. The sweet little pastor’s daughter was naughty as hell, and I loved every inch of her.
Ashton only nodded and pressed her lips together in an attempt to hide her amused smile. She loved knowing that she could drive me crazy.
“Off. I want this dress off,” I demanded. I didn’t wait for her to help me. I found the zipper and slid it down to the curve of her hips then pushed it off her shoulders. The forgotten fabric fell to the floor as I stood taking in the sight of Ashton in a black lace bra and matching barely-there panties. I didn’t see the point in wearing panties that covered so very little but I wasn’t complaining. They were doing very good things for my imagination.
“I’m sorry, baby, but I can’t make it to my room,” I apologized as I picked her up and pressed her against the wall in the hallway.
Chapter 10
Ashton
Ashton,
You haven’t written me back so either this means my email never got through, which is believable with the unreliable internet access here, or something is wrong. I tried calling several times but I can’t seem to get any signal out here no matter where I am.
I’ve got good news and bad news. Bad news is Catherine had an allergic reaction to some unknown plant and she broke out in hives and Dad had to rush her to the nearest town. He just got back an hour ago and she’s going to be fine, but Mom is ready to go home.
That leads me to the good news. I’m coming home. We are packing as I write this and as soon as I’m in cell phone reception range I’m going to call you. Keep your phone on you. I need to hear your voice. Also, call Beau for me and tell him I’m coming home. He and I can hit the weight room a week early to get ready for football practice. Also tell him to lay off the beer. I need my best receiver in shape.
Love ya,
Sawyer
I stared at the screen on my laptop for a long time. I wasn’t sure what to do. Who to tell. Where to go. Slowly I closed the computer and shoved it off my lap onto the bed. I’d woke up knowing I was going to have to deal with my parents’ questions this morning about my leaving with Beau from the church last night. It was something I dreaded, but this was much worse. The screen on my phone lit up before Eye of the Tiger began to play for the first time in three weeks. Sawyer had put Eye of the Tiger on my phone to be his special ring. Numbly I reached for it and pressed the accept button before lifting it to my ear.
“Hello.”
“AHHH, man, baby, is it good to hear your voice! Did you get my email? I waited until I thought you might be awake to call. We’re about two hours away. I’m having Dad drop me off at your house. I can’t wait to see you.”
Guilt, frustration, anger, panic all seemed to whirl around inside me at once. My grip on the phone tightened as I took several deep breaths.
“Um, hey, yeah, I just got your email. I can’t believe y’all are coming home early.” The lack of enthusiasm in my voice was unmistakable. A second of silence ticked by and I knew Sawyer’s brain was working overtime.
“Did you just wake up? You don’t sound real happy about my coming home. I expected squeals of delight or something.”
Perfect, make him suspicious before he even gets here. I needed to fix this. I couldn’t come between Beau and Sawyer. They’d been as close as brothers all their life. I’d never be able to forgive myself if I caused a rift between them. The fact I was worried about Beau and Sawyer’s relationship instead of mine and Sawyer’s surprised me.
“Sorry, I’m thrilled. I just woke up. Last night was Grana’s viewing and her funeral is this afternoon. It’s been a rough few days.”
“What? Ash, baby. Your Grana passed away? Oh baby, I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me?” I’d forgotten he didn’t know. The email I never wrote him flashed in my memory. Instead of telling him about Grana I’d run to Beau. Would any of this have happened if I’d just emailed Sawyer and gone with Mom to deal with funeral arrangements that day? Did I wish things had happened differently?
“It wasn’t something I wanted to write in an email,” I explained, hoping he understood or at the very least accepted my excuse.
“I’m coming home. I’ll rush to the house and change before I come over so I won’t have to leave before the funeral. I can drive you there. It’s going to be okay. I’ll be there soon. I promise.”
How would he feel if I told him things were okay? Beau had helped me say my goodbye already. Beau had held me while I cried. My tears were dried up now. I knew my Grana was happy with those fancy streets of gold and a fabulous mansion. She always said God would have her a big ol’ rose garden she could tend to up there.
“Ash, you okay?”
“I’m sorry, I was thinking about the funeral. I’ll see you when you get here.”
“Okay. I love you.” Those were the words we always said when we hung up the phone. Normally I was the one who said them first. This time I’d completely forgotten.
“Love you too,” I replied dutifully before hanging up.
I did love him. I always had, just not the way I should. Deep down I’d always known something was wrong between us. Until these last few weeks with Beau I hadn’t really been able to put my finger on what was missing in our relationship. With Beau, I could be me and he loved me. Sawyer loved the me I worked very hard to be. If Sawyer knew the real me, the girl he thought I’d left behind with my childhood, he’d never love me. He couldn’t. But I couldn’t be with Beau. I could never choose him over Sawyer. It would rip apart a lifelong friendship. Sawyer had been the one to take care of Beau as a kid. He looked out for him and shared his wealth with him. Even now Sawyer guarded Beau from so many things. Just last year the coach was going to kick Beau off the football team for showing up to practice with a hangover. Sawyer had begged the coach and promised to personally make sure Beau walked the straight and narrow on practice and game days. Beau needed Sawyer. I couldn’t get between them.