The Vincent Brothers (The Vincent Boys #2)(2)
She really didn’t have a clue. “He won’t last long. He’s never been able to ignore you. Not even when he knew I was watching him. Right now, he’s dealing with a lot. And he’s dealing with it alone. Don’t push him away.”
Jumping down from the limb, Ashton stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around my neck for what I knew would be the last time. “Thank you. Your acceptance means the world to me. But right now, he needs you. You’re his brother. I’ll just be a hindrance to you two dealing with everything.”
The pain was almost unbearable now. Reaching out, I played with a lock of her hair. I’d been fascinated with the perfect golden color of it since we were five years old. She’d always reminded me of a fairy princess, even when she was baiting hooks with chicken liver. I’d lost my princess but the memory of her was worth every sharp pain in my heart.
“Even if I was wrong to take you without a thought to Beau’s feelings, I can’t make myself regret it. I’ve had three amazing years with you Ash.”
That was my goodbye. Beau was out there waiting on me to walk away. It was his time now. I’d royally screwed mine up. Dropping her hair, I stepped back, then turned and walked into the woods, toward my brother.
Chapter One
Six months later...
Sawyer
I’d known better than to come here but I couldn’t keep avoiding the field parties. It was time I started acting as if Beau and Ash being together didn’t bother me.
“Here, man,” Ethan shoved a red plastic cup full of beer into my hand. Frowning, I started to hand it back to him. “Drink it. You need it. Hell, I need it just watching the three of you.”
I was thankful he’d spoken low enough that no one else could hear him. I could feel everyone sneaking glances at me. They were all waiting to see how I would react. It’d been six months since I’d lost Ash to my brother. It was easier to see them together now but, normally, I kept my distance. This was the first time I’d had to witness Ashton snuggled up between Beau’s legs while my horny ass brother kissed her neck, hand, head and anything else he could get near his lips while he carried on a conversation with everyone else.
Ethan was right; I needed a drink. Touching the cup to my lips, I tilted my head back and took a very long gulp. Anything to distract me from the make-out session in front of me would be nice.
“I still can’t believe you two aren’t going to the same college. I always expected y’all to get signed on as a package deal.” Toby Horn almost sounded let down that I’d chosen to sign with the University of Florida instead of Alabama, like everyone expected me to. Beau and I had been planning to play for the Crimson Tide since we were five years old. But when Florida had offered me a full ride, I’d taken it. I needed the distance. Ashton was headed to Alabama with Beau and I just couldn’t do it.
“Florida offered him a sweet deal. Can’t blame him for taking it,” Beau explained. He got it. He never mentioned it but he knew why I’d gone with Florida. Beau had been careful for a long time not to shove my face in his relationship with Ashton but since graduation he’d put that behind him. Every time I saw them lately she was wrapped up in his arms and he was staring at her with that ridiculous worshipful expression he’d always reserved just for her.
“Alabama can’t handle two Vincent boys. I needed to share the love,” I replied, focusing my gaze on Toby before taking another swig of my beer.
“It’s going to be weird not having you around though.” Damn. Why’d she have to say anything? Couldn’t she sit over there quietly and let Beau paw all over her? Hearing Ashton’s voice made it impossible not to lift my eyes to meet her gaze.
The sad tilt to her full lips made that old familiar ache start up in my chest. Only Ashton could get to me this way. “You’ll survive. Besides, you two hardly come up for air to notice much of anything else.” I’d just sounded like an ass. Ashton’s flinch from my snide comment was just another strike against me.
“Careful, Sawyer.” The threat in Beau’s voice was unmistakable. Silence fell over the group. Everyone’s focus was on the two of us. The anger flashing in Beau’s glare just pissed me off. What did he have to be angry about? He had the girl.
“Why don’t you calm down? I was responding to her comment. Am I not allowed to speak to her now?”
Beau gripped Ashton’s waist and moved her away from him as he stood up. “You got a problem, Sawyer?”
Ashton scrambled to her feet, threw her arms around Beau’s neck and began begging him to ignore me. Telling him I didn’t mean anything by it, which we both knew I had. Beau’s eyes never left mine as he reached behind his neck to unlatch Ashton’s hold on him.
Setting my cup down on the bed of my truck, I took a step toward him. This was a fight I needed. Holding my aggression in was so damn hard at times. Ashton, however, wasn’t having it. She grabbed Beau’s shoulders and jumped up, wrapping her legs firmly around his waist. If seeing her wrapped around him didn’t piss me off so bad, I’d laugh at her determination to keep us from fighting. She’d been dealing with us since we were kids and she knew exactly how to keep us from coming to blows. Throwing herself in the line-of-fire was the only way.
Amusement lit Beau’s eyes as his angry snarl turned into a pleased grin and his eyes shifted from me to Ashton. “What ya doin’ baby?” he asked in a slow drawl I hated. He’d been using it on girls since we hit puberty.