The Vincent Boys Collection

by Abbi Glines

  “I want Ashton,” I repeated and glared down at her again before turning and heading outside to the field house.

  Asking for Ashton might be opening myself up to more pain, but the thought of her doing things for Sawyer was enough to drive me crazy. The thought of her having to bake cookies, decorate a locker, and make cards for another guy infuriated me. Besides, I wasn’t doing so great in chemistry. I needed some tutoring. The one-on-one kind where boyfriends weren’t allowed.

  * * *

  “That was one helluva catch,” Sawyer said as we picked up the discarded helmets we’d thrown on the sidelines before we ran suicides. I didn’t look at him as I turned and headed toward the fifty-yard line to grab the gloves I’d taken off earlier.

  “I was a little more focused today,” I replied, jogging out to grab my gloves. Sawyer followed me. I needed some distance from him. Today he’d pushed me a little too far with his affection toward Ashton. He, of course, didn’t know that.

  “I’d started to get worried about you. The last few practices you seemed off. But today you found your sweet spot.”

  A week ago his comment would have made me feel guilty. But after having to endure him kissing and touching Ashton daily, my guilty conscience was being replaced by rage. Why the hell should he get to have it all? Our entire lives he’d had it all, but I’d never cared, never wanted or asked him for anything. Now he has the one thing I want more than air, and he doesn’t even know her. The girl he loves doesn’t exist.

  “Guess I just got rusty this summer,” I mumbled.

  “Well, you’re back. Looked great out there.” Sawyer grinned.

  His phone beeped, and I forced myself to look away as he checked his text. I hated knowing it was probably Ashton. I hated how badly I wanted to know what she said to him. Did she tell him she loved him? Did she send him little texts asking him to meet her places? Did she make those sexy little moans? Stop it. I had to stop thinking about them together as a couple.

  “Hey, Beau, you and Ash got kind of close this summer. I mean, she unloaded on you the other day about her stress at home, and she no longer gets that pinched look on her face when I mention your name, which is a good thing. I’m glad the two people who mean the most to me finally remembered they were once friends.”

  How do I respond to this? I just nodded.

  “Would you, uh, mind doing me a favor? I mean, if you and Nic don’t have anything going on tonight. . . . It’s just I told Ashton I’d take her out to get something to eat and maybe go to a movie. You know, to get her out of the house and away from the crazy family members. But Dad just texted me, and he needs me to go with him to meet with a friend of his who’s in town for the evening and has connections at the university athletic department. It’s important, and Dad has worked really hard to set this meeting up. But I don’t want to let Ash down either. Could you take her out for me if you aren’t already doing something with Nic? Because we both know how she feels about her. I don’t want to throw Ash into a situation that makes her uncomfortable.”

  Did he really just ask me to take Ash out tonight? Was he insane? He didn’t deserve her. Any guy who would blow her off for something his daddy wanted shouldn’t get to have her.

  “Sure,” I replied, hearing the clipped tone in my voice. Stupid-ass cousin of mine had no clue what he was asking for. I was already headed for hell; I might as well enjoy the ride.

  “Great, thanks, man. Her favorite place to eat is the Seafood Shack. Just meet us there at six. I can grab a drink and spend a few minutes with you guys until I have to head out and meet Dad.”

  She hated the fried shrimp at the Seafood Shack, and their sweet tea always tasted bitter. It was Sawyer’s favorite place, and she had no doubt agreed with him that it was the best place to eat in town. He didn’t know her at all.

  “Since I’m agreeing to help out, let’s do this my way. I hate the Seafood Shack. I’m sure Princess Ashton won’t mind slumming it at Hank’s. The burgers there are better than anything the Seafood Shack has, and she really needs to taste their sweet tea.”

  Sawyer frowned a moment then he nodded. “Okay, Ash’s agreeable. I’m sure she’ll be fine with Hank’s. I’ve not taken her there but a couple of times, and I think she might agree with you on the burgers. I remember her scarfing one down.”

  With bacon and cheese on a toasted bun. She even makes these cute little sounds of pleasure as she eats one. One of the many things I couldn’t believe he didn’t know about her.

  * * *

  The familiar smell of grease and burgers met me at the door as I stepped inside Hank’s. The red-checked Formica tables were already filling up. I nodded at Hank as I passed the grill and made my way to the back. There were more secluded booths in there. I didn’t want the whole place watching our every move. If I was going to have Ashton to myself, I wanted to enjoy her without a freaking audience.

  I went ahead and ordered Ash’s tea and the cheese dip she loved. When Sawyer had texted me to tell me they were on their way, I’d been surprised. Although I’d agreed to this, I hadn’t really thought Ashton would. The fact she’d gone along with this had put me in a very good mood.

  ASHTON

  “There he is,” Sawyer said, taking my hand and leading me to the back of Hank’s. My heart sped up at the thought of being in the secluded booth alone with Beau again.

  “Hey, man, sorry we’re late. I had to drop some flowers off at the nursing home,” Sawyer explained. He motioned for me to go in first. I scooted toward the wall and he slid in beside me. Beau slid a glass of sweet tea toward me.

  “I haven’t been here long. I went ahead and got mine and Ash’s drinks, but I didn’t order for you. I wasn’t sure what you wanted,” Beau said.

  My favorite cheese dip sat in front of him, and he moved it over toward me as well. “Go ahead and help yourself. I’ve had all I want of this.”

  My cheeks became warm remembering the last night we’d shared that cheese dip. It’d been on the way home from our day at the beach.

  “I’m good, but thanks. I only have a few minutes, then I’ve got to go meet Dad,” Sawyer said.

  Beau glanced at me briefly then turned his attention back to Sawyer.

  “Good luck with your meeting.”

  “Thanks. I’m pumped about it. I hate that I have to leave my girl, but this could be important for my future. I appreciate you hanging out with her tonight.”

  “Well, you owe me one. Actually, you owe me a few. I also took Ash as my spirit girl today. Someone else was going to get her if I didn’t, and I figured you wouldn’t want that.”

  He made it sound as if he were doing Sawyer some big favor. I wasn’t a child who needed to be babysat. I didn’t come tonight because I couldn’t bear to be at home. I’d come because I wanted to be with Beau.

  “Just let me know when you want to collect the favors,” Sawyer said. “And thanks for picking Ash. I know you could’ve picked someone else who would’ve made you happier, but I appreciate you having my back.” Sawyer made it seem like Beau hanging out with me and picking me as a spirit girl was some huge sacrifice. It took all my willpower to keep from telling them both to go to hell and storming out of the restaurant.

  “I’ll be sure to call them in when I need them,” Beau said with a grin on his face that I suddenly wanted to slap off.

  “All right, I need to head out,” Sawyer said, leaning down to kiss me. I turned my face and glared at the wall behind him, causing his lips to land on my cheek.

  “And I’ll try not to be too difficult for your cousin,” I said with unmistakable anger laced in my voice. Sawyer frowned from my tone. I faked a smile I knew he would believe. That seemed to be enough for him. He nodded and headed out. I waited until the door closed behind him before I turned back around to glower at Beau.

  “I’m not some kid who needs pacifying. I can take care of myself. As soon as he’s had time to leave the parking lot, I’m going to start walking home.”

  Beau sat
there grinning at me as if I’d just told him he’d won a million dollars.

  “God, how I’ve missed that,” he said.

  “What?”

  “Seeing the real you. You almost unleashed it right here in front of him. I could see the confusion on his face when you let that sexy snarl loose in your voice. Damn, it was hot.”

  I sat there staring at him, completely confused. Had he made me angry on purpose?

  “Are you telling me you baited me? You tried to get me to snap in front of him?” I asked, trying hard to control my temper.

  “Ah, and here it comes again, but this time Mr. Perfect isn’t here so I’m going to get to see it all full force.”

  Tears stung my eyes. I’d imagined tonight so much differently. Getting to be alone with Beau and having Sawyer know about it and be okay with it had sounded like a dream come true. Instead Beau decided to treat me like some kind of enjoyable sideshow.

  “I’m not here for entertainment purposes, Beau. I agreed to this tonight because, foolishly, I wanted to spend the evening with you. I miss you. And I thought . . . I thought you agreed to it because you missed me, too.”

  A lump formed in my throat and I grabbed my purse. I needed to get out before I made an idiot of myself and started crying. I was an emotional wreck. I couldn’t take Beau hurting me. It was just too much.

  “Ash, wait.” Beau’s words caused me to pause, but I didn’t glance back. I would cave in, and then I would be opening myself up to getting hurt some more. I hurried for the door.

  Chapter 15

  ASHTON

  My house was seven miles away, and in the dark, walking very far wouldn’t be smart. Besides, Beau would just find me and drive alongside me, trying to get me to get in his stupid truck. I turned and ran down the narrow, paved road leading to the high school. The streetlights lit up the tree-lined road enough to keep it from being spooky. It was less than a mile from Hank’s and I could go sit on the bleachers at the football field and have Sawyer pick me up there when he was finished.

  My phone dinged, and I glanced at the text message.

  Beau: Ash, I’m sorry. Please tell me where ur at.

  I clicked ignore and kept heading toward the football field.

  Right before I reached the gate entrance, headlights illuminated the darkness behind me. I didn’t stop walking. If it was Beau, and I was pretty sure it was, I needed to get away from him. I wanted to cry, and I couldn’t cry with him around to watch. His truck door slammed, and I heard his feet running on the gravel. I’d never be able to outrun him, but I could try.

  “Ash, I’m sorry.” His arms came around me before I could break into a run.

  “Beau, let me go. I want to be alone. I’ll call Sawyer, and he can pick me up later and take me home.”

  “No,” he replied.

  “That wasn’t a yes or no question. It was a demand. Now leave.”

  “Ash, you’ve got to listen to me. I didn’t mean anything I said. I was just trying to see the fire behind your eyes. I’ve missed it, and I selfishly lashed out knowing you’d get angry. I was wrong, and I’m so, so sorry. Please.”

  He buried his head in the crook of my neck and took a deep breath. If I had any intention of staying mad at him, it flew right out the window when he did something so vulnerable as nuzzling my neck.

  “So you don’t consider this a babysitting job in which Sawyer ‘owes you one’?” I asked in a much softer tone than I’d been using.

  “God no, you know that,” he replied, still nuzzling my neck. He threaded his fingers through mine.

  “And asking for me as your spirit girl wasn’t some great service you did for him? Because I can refuse to do it, and you can ask for another girl.”

  He stilled, then made a trail of kisses up my neck to my ear.

  “The thought of you doing things for Sawyer on game day is hard enough. I couldn’t imagine you making cookies for some other guy and decorating his locker and kissing his cheek at the pep rally. The only spirit girl I’ll ever want is you.”

  I turned around in his arms and stared up at him.

  “I’m not real strong emotionally right now. With everything going on at home and then coming to school and seeing you. . . .” I stopped explaining. Telling him how much I hated seeing Nicole in his arms and hanging on him wasn’t fair. He cupped my face in his hands.

  “And I’m the biggest asshole in the world for not thinking about that before treating you the way I did. I’m so sorry, Ash. Please forgive me.”

  I stood up on my tiptoes and kissed him. “You’re forgiven,” I whispered, then reluctantly took a step back.

  “We should go,” I said, then turned to go to his truck.

  I didn’t scoot over to sit beside him as he pulled out of the parking lot. I glanced down at his hand and noticed the tight grip he had on the stick shift. This wasn’t how tonight was supposed to go. I was in Beau’s truck again. We were alone and it was okay with Sawyer. I sighed and turned my head to stare out the window and watch the trees pass by as Beau drove back to Hank’s.

  “Wait here. I’ll be right back,” he said, then jumped out of the truck and went inside.

  He returned seconds later with a takeout bag in his hand.

  I watched as he climbed back in the truck and gave me his crooked grin.

  “Bacon cheeseburger on a toasted bun,” he explained as he held it out to me.

  “Thank you,” I replied, feeling my heart swell up from the simple fact that he remembered what I liked to eat there.

  “I couldn’t let you go home tonight without feeding you. Especially after I’d made sure we would be eating somewhere you actually liked. I didn’t save you from the Shrimp Shack for nothing.”

  So that was why Sawyer had changed the location. I grinned and opened the bag.

  “Well, you still owe me your company while I eat.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Really? You think so?”

  “Definitely. I’ll feel gypped if I’m forced to eat alone.”

  He nodded and turned his truck toward the outskirts of town. It looked like we would be ending our night with a game of pool.

  “You think you can remember those skills I taught you? Because I’d really like to see you bent over a pool table the rest of the evening.” The teasing tone in Beau’s voice did little to distract me from his words. My face felt warm and I cut my eyes over toward him.

  “Damn. My imagination got away with me,” Beau said in a tight voice as he shook his head. “I need to think of something else. Fast.”

  I needed to think of something else too, but my mind kept replaying the night in the back of his truck. Every sound. Every touch. My body tingled from the memory.

  “Please, Ash. Don’t look at me like that. I’m going to drive us to the bar. We’re going to play pool. That’s all. I can’t think about anything else. If I do . . . well, I just can’t.”

  My breathing was a little shallow but I nodded, then forced my mouth to open so I could take a bite of my burger. Anything to get my mind off how good it had felt wrapped up in Beau’s arms.

  Neither of us spoke again until he pulled into the parking lot of the bar. I opened my truck door before he could do it for me and jumped down. Having Beau touch me while my body was on high alert from the knowledge of just how good he could make me feel was a bad idea.

  * * *

  “With Sawyer back in town, I didn’t expect to see you walking back in here with her,” Honey Vincent said when Beau and I walked into the bar.

  “I’m entertaining her for Sawyer, Mom. Leave it alone.”

  Her eyebrows shot up and she glanced back at me. “So Sawyer’s okay with you hanging out with Beau, huh? Well, I’ll be damned. I was sure he’d have a shit fit once he found out about the two of ya running around town together.”

  “Beau and I’ve been friends for as long as Sawyer and I’ve been. Sawyer is glad we’re rekindling our friendship,” I explained before Beau could say something snide.

>   “I’m bettin’ he ain’t got a clue you’re slumming it at a bar with Beau. If he finds out that Beau drags you out here, then he ain’t gonna be none too happy about the two of you hangin’ out.”

  “Stay out of it, Mama. We’re here to play pool.”

  I let Beau pull me away from Honey before the two of them got into an argument over whether or not Sawyer would approve of me being here. I was almost positive he would be against it, but it had become my and Beau’s thing. I wasn’t willing to give this up too. I glanced back at Honey as Beau led me to the pool table. The disapproval in her eyes was obvious. She studied me for a moment before shaking her head and turning to walk back to the bar.

  “Sorry about her. She has warmed up to you some, but she still isn’t crazy about Sawyer’s family, and you being Sawyer’s girlfriend makes you a part of it.”

  I understood the unsaid words. Staying with Sawyer and not choosing Beau over Sawyer had been a mark against me. In her eyes, I was betraying her and Beau.

  “That’s okay. I get it,” I assured Beau, and picked up my cue stick.

  “All right, Ash, it’s time for me to kick your hot little ass.”

  “In your dreams, buddy,” I replied, knowing good and well he would beat me. I’d gotten better, but not good enough to beat Beau.

  Two games later I got a text message from Sawyer.

  Sawyer: Are you at home?

  I slowly lifted my eyes to meet Beau’s. “It’s Sawyer asking if I’m at home.”

  Beau put his cue stick up and reached for mine.

  “Tell him I’m taking you home now.”

  I didn’t want to go home right then, but there was no other explanation I could give Sawyer.

  I texted him back.

  Me: Beau’s taking me home now.

  Beau nodded toward the door. “Come on, let’s go.”

  He didn’t reach for my hand or touch my back the way he used to when we left the bar. Instead he walked beside me, not touching me or looking at me.

  I got another text message.