Without You (Love Wanted in Texas #1)(97)

I reached out for her hand and shook it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Trish looked back at Will and hit him in the stomach. “You didn’t tell me she was drop-dead gorgeous.”

I felt my cheeks blush as Will grinned bigger.

“You want something to drink, Lex?” Will asked.

Panic set in.

Stop this, Alex. It’s Will.

“Bottle of water if they have it.”

Will frowned, but then he smiled. “You got it, sweetheart.”

Grace walked up and started talking with Libby and Trish. I watched as Will walked over to a bunch of coolers. He opened each cooler, looking for water.

Claire walked up to Will and put her hand on his arm. She leaned in close and said something to him. Will shook his head as he dug through the cooler. She leaned in further and whispered into his ear. He stopped what he was doing and looked at her. I couldn’t tell what he said to her, but she put her finger in mouth and pouted.

Oh no, she didn’t! That little tramp.

Will shook his head again and went back to digging in the cooler. Claire shrugged her shoulders and began walking away.

“I’ll be right back!” I shouted to Grace.

“Where are you going?”

I turned and looked at her as I smiled. “To set Claire straight once and for all.”

Grace gave me a big smile and winked. “Go get her.”

I made my way across the makeshift dance floor. Claire was now trying to put the moves on Luke, and he was pushing her away from him. I placed my hand on her shoulder and spun her around.

“What the—” Claire looked at me and gave me a fake smile. “Alex, gesh, I thought you were someone else.”

“Who, Claire? Another girl whose boyfriend you’ve either slept with or hit on tonight?”

Her mouth dropped open. “Excuse me?”

I took a few steps closer to her and began poking my index finger in her chest. “Listen to me, and listen good. Will. Is. Mine. You so much as look his way again, and I’ll beat your ass from here to China. Luke is taken, too. So, bitch, just back the f*ck off.”

Claire swallowed hard and looked at Luke. I peeked over to him, and he smiled and nodded.

“Um…sorry, Alex. I was just asking Will to dance, that’s all.”

“Why don’t you focus on the guys who don’t have girlfriends?”

She pushed my hand away. “I’m leaving. I don’t need this shit.”

I picked up my hand and waved my fingers good-bye in her face. “See ya.”

She pushed past me and headed out of the barn to leave.

“Damn, little cousin. Where in the hell did that come from?” Luke grabbed me and pulled me in for a hug.

“I guess I got tired of hiding inside my own body.”

Luke looked at me and grinned. “Welcome back, Alex.”

“It feels good to be back. Hey, Luke?”

“Yeah?”

“Did Will tell you that Libby left Zack?”

Luke’s smile vanished. “Um…yeah, he did.”

“Stop hiding inside yourself, Luke. She’s not going to wait forever.”

He looked up and across the barn to Libby. “I know.”

I turned and made my way back over to Grace and Libby. Grace was laughing, and Libby was smiling.

Libby looked over at me and laughed. “What in the world did you say to Claire? She stormed out of here.”

“I told her to stay away from Will and Luke.”

Grace shook her head. “That’s it?”

“I might have hinted at her being a whore in a roundabout way.”

Libby and Grace both started laughing. Grace handed me a bottle of water.

I looked around for Will. “Where did Will go?”

“He said he had to go take care of something,” Libby said with a sly smile.

The moment he walked up behind me, I felt him. I turned to see Will standing there with the most gorgeous smile on his face. My heart skipped a beat.

I never want to live my life without Will in it.

Before the next song, the DJ got everyone’s attention. I pulled my eyes off of Will and looked over to the DJ.

“Hey, y’all. This next song goes out to one very special girl. Lex, this song is dedicated to you from Will.”

I looked back at Will and tilted my head as I raised my eyebrow. The moment I heard those familiar notes play, I started laughing. Will reached for my hand and led me to the dance floor. He pulled me into his arms, and we instantly became one. He moved me across the makeshift dance floor, and I felt like I was floating on air.

“Gramps?” I asked.

Will through his head back and laughed. He looked back at me. “I’m learning from the best.”

“Damn straight you are!” I said with a laugh.

Will and I danced to Nat King Cole’s “Send for Me.”

“You know, this is the song my dad plays for my mother after he has messed up,” I said.

Will pulled me closer. “Oh, I know. My dad plays the same song, and my mother melts. Is it working?”

I giggled. “Am I melting? Or is it working?”

“Both!”

“You don’t have anything to apologize for. I do. I didn’t mean to push you away, Will. I love you, and I just wasn’t ready to talk yet.”