The Vincent Boys Collection

by Abbi Glines

  I didn’t want to talk about Sawyer. “I told you I don’t want to talk about him.”

  “Well, you’re going to because I just lied out my ass for you while the boy begged and pleaded with me to call him if I heard from you or had any idea where you might be.”

  He’d called Jewel?

  “When? Just now? He called you?” I asked, confused.

  “Yes, he called me. Sexy southern drawl and all. He was pitiful I tell you. Pi-ti-ful. What did you do? Can you give me lessons? ’Cause girl, you must have rocked his world.”

  Sinking down onto the bed behind me, I stared up at her, shaking my head. Why would he be calling me? He had Ashton now. Couldn’t he just be happy? Why would he be begging Jewel for help? For Ashton’s sake. That was the only thing that made any sense.

  “What did he say exactly?” I asked.

  Jewel propped one hand on her hip and shook her head. “Oh no. You don’t get to ask the questions first. I do. I ask and you answer. Then, and only then, will I tell you what was said between us.”

  Dang.

  “Please, don’t make me do this. I don’t want to talk about him.”

  “No more begging. I’ve had my fill for the night, thank you very much. Now talk.”

  Just thinking about him made me anxious. How was I supposed to talk about him? Standing up, I began to pace in front of the bed. I could do this. I wanted to know what he said to Jewel and what she said back, because if Jewel had let anything slip, I needed to pack up and leave. I didn’t want Ashton or my mom showing up here.

  “I’ve been in love with Sawyer Vincent since I was a kid. He has been in love with Ashton for just as long. They broke up about seven months ago because she fell in love with his cousin Beau. Don’t ask me why, because I can’t figure it out. Sawyer is perfect. Beau is . . . well, Beau is a heathen . . . but he is insanely in love with Ashton.”

  “Wait, both of these boys are in love with Ashton?” Jewel asked.

  “Yep. Always have been,” I replied, then took a deep breath before I went on. “I thought that once Sawyer had time to get over Ashton, I would step in and make a move. Try to get his attention.” The hurt, painful laugh that escaped me bordered on a sob. I hated my weakness when I mentioned his name.

  “I did this whole makeover thing in hopes of attracting Sawyer. It was well past time for me to stop looking like a mouse anyway. I did it because I wanted to be a girl who could catch Sawyer’s eye. And it worked. He noticed me. But it wasn’t enough.” Please, God, let that be enough for her. I didn’t want to talk about this anymore.

  “Okay, so if it wasn’t enough, then why is the boy begging me to help him find you? Because from the way he sounded, you got to him a lot more than you think,” Jewel assured me.

  I was going to have to tell her everything, or she’d end up assuming the wrong thing and tell him where I was.

  “I’m sure he did. Because when Ashton wants something, Sawyer will move mountains to get it for her.”

  “She’s with Beau, right?” Jewel asked.

  Turning from her so the tears stinging my eyes were hidden, I shook my head. “No. Beau cheated on her. I was really shocked, because he is so completely infatuated with her, but she had proof. Soon as she found out, she ran to Sawyer. He dropped me like I was on fire, and let her run straight into his arms.” Sniffling, I wiped at the tears that had managed to escape. Then I looked back at Jewel.

  “You mean he’s desperate to find you because Ashton is upset that you left?”

  All I could do was nod.

  “Damn,” Jewel muttered, and then an angry scowl came over her face. “I’m going to beat her pretty little face in.”

  “Jewel, no. Don’t blame Ashton. None of this is her fault. She can’t control the fact Sawyer loves her. They were a couple for three years. He’s her safe place.”

  “This sucks balls. You know that, right?” The disgust on her face almost made me smile. Almost.

  “Yes, it does. But I walked into this. I took a chance.” Shrugging, I walked over to sit back down beside her on the bed. “We both know it was time I started taking chances. I crashed and burned, but I learned from it.”

  Jewel wrapped her arm around my shoulders and pulled my head against her. “Ah, damn. This sucks.” She sighed. “I won’t tell him anything. He did beg and plead with me to call him if I heard from you or I thought of somewhere you could be. He said he ‘needed’ to find you. I was mistaken with his anxious tone. I figured you’d wrapped the boy around your finger and gotten angry with him and left him high and dry. I didn’t realize he was trying to ease some other girl’s guilt. She may be your cousin, but I am not a fan. Just sayin’.”

  We sat in silence for a while. Finally I sat back up. “Thank you for lying. I have complete faith in your acting abilities.”

  Jewel smirked. “So you wanna run off to LA with me? We could rock that town. You and I.”

  A real laugh managed to bubble up, and I shook my head. “Not right now. Maybe someday soon.”

  “Come out here and party. Forget everything. Drink one of my tropical drinks. I have one I make with coconut rum that is to die for.”

  I wasn’t ready. “Give me a few more days?”

  “Sure, babe.”

  SAWYER

  Sawyer was always the Vincent boy worth fighting for. He’s the special one.

  I reread that last line for what felt like the hundredth time. I was packed up and headed to Florida. It had been over a week, and no Lana. No sign of her. No text. Her phone still went directly to voice mail. She’d called her mother again to check in, but the number had been unknown and her mother hadn’t been able to trace it. All I knew was she was alive. That small amount of knowledge kept me from losing my mind. I lived for those calls from her mom telling me what Lana had said. It was my only connection to her, and, although I wasn’t a fan of her parents, I was starting to have an odd sort of affection for her crazy mother. She did love Lana even if she sucked at showing her. The woman was definitely controlling, but Lana was doing a number on her then and I was willing to bet that relationship would be forever changed for the better.

  Folding the note Lana had left Ash into the worn creases where I’d opened and read it and then folded it again, I slipped it into my pocket. I didn’t go anywhere without it. Having it close to me reminded me that when I found her, I could fix this. She’d misunderstood, and it was my fault. If I’d have opened my eyes and realized I was in love with the girl, that wouldn’t have happened. Unfortunately, Lana hadn’t known. She thought I still loved Ash.

  “Sawyer, you ready?” my dad called from the foyer. I wasn’t ready. I didn’t want to leave Grove. What if she came back and I was gone? Besides, how the hell was I supposed to concentrate enough to throw a football? The week was going to be a disaster.

  “Coming, Dad,” I called back. I grabbed my phone so I could look again at the picture Ash had texted me from our trip to the mountains. Lana had been hiking up the rocks toward the waterfall in Cheaha, and Ash had snapped a picture of her just as she’d glanced back laughing. It was the only picture I had of her. I’d had it printed and framed so I could keep it by my bed. Some nights staring at it was the only thing that kept me going. I slipped my phone into my pocket. I had my note and my picture. It would have to get me through the next few days.

  When I got to the bottom of the steps, Ethan was standing in the foyer talking to my dad. His eyes met mine and something felt off. There was something I was missing.

  “Ethan?”

  He shuffled his feet. “Hey, Sawyer I, uh, forgot you were heading out today.”

  I hadn’t been to a field party, or anywhere else for that matter, since Lana left me. “Yeah, practice is starting up.”

  “I came by to ask you something, but it can wait until you get back.”

  “You’re here now, might as well ask.”

  God help him if he asked me if Lana was available. I’d break his damn neck.

  “Uh,
it’s about Lana . . . ,” he began.

  I looked over at my dad. “Can you give us a sec, Dad?”

  Frowning, my father nodded, grabbed one of my bags, and headed outside.

  “What about Lana?” I asked, making sure he heard the warning in my words.

  Ethan sighed. “Not sure how to ask this . . . ,” he began.

  “I’d choose my words carefully, bro,” I replied.

  He nodded. “Yeah, I’m getting that loud and clear.” Clearing his throat, he shifted his feet again. “Do you, uh, love her? Lana, that is.”

  The fact he’d felt the need to clarify it was Lana he was asking about pissed me off. I didn’t like her being compared to Ashton. She was so much more than what I’d had with Ashton. There was no comparison.

  “Yes,” I said in a clipped tone.

  “I mean, do you love her more than—”

  “Don’t you fucking say it,” I said with a snarl. That was a cliff Ethan didn’t want to step off. His eyes widened in surprise.

  “Okay. I get it.” He backed away and moved toward the door.

  “That’s all you wanted to say? Find out if Lana was available? You know she left me, right? No one can find her.”

  Ethan swallowed hard and shook his head slowly. “Uh, no, I mean I heard something. I wasn’t sure.”

  “I gotta go if that’s all you needed.”

  Ethan turned and headed out the front door. “Good luck in Florida. I’ll, uh, see ya when you get back. Looking forward to hearing about it. The rest of us are going to have to live vicariously through you and Beau now. Since our football days are over.”

  His voice was still tense, but I could tell he was trying to calm me down. If I were a good friend, I’d apologize. Right then I couldn’t. I’d do it the next time I saw him. Slipping my hand in my pocket, I rubbed Lana’s letter gently between my fingers. I had to find her.

  Chapter 22

  LANA

  My freckles were just getting worse. SPF eighty wasn’t even helping. Sure, my skin wasn’t red, but my freckles were getting a tan. Not something I wanted. Even so, this was good therapy. Lying out here in my safe, shaded area made me feel like I was hidden from the world. I was hidden from everyone who had the power to hurt me. Too bad it was a fleeting thing. I’d have to leave at the end of the month and head back to Alpharetta and my mother. I did not want to think about that. Facing her, after hiding away for over a month, would be difficult. But I was still checking in.

  She kept trying to get me to talk about Sawyer. It always ended with me hanging up. I figured she’d eventually stop it. Maybe when we got the wedding invitation from Ashton in a few years, she’d finally let go of her hopes that Sawyer Vincent was interested in me. My stomach rolled, and I fought off the sick feeling that thought instigated.

  “Lana?” A familiar voice interrupted my thoughts, and I shifted around to see Ethan standing behind the chair in which Jewel normally lounged. She wasn’t there that day. She’d taken off on a shoe-buying splurge.

  “Ethan?” I replied in shock. I hadn’t expected to see him again.

  “Hey, uh, sorry to just show up, but you can’t exactly be reached by phone these days.”

  Oh. He’d tried to call. That surprised me. “It’s okay. Do you want to sit down?”

  He looked down at the chair beside me and thought about it a minute before he walked around and took a seat. He must have intended to stay awhile.

  “So what’s this about? Is there something you wanted to tell me?”

  Ethan didn’t lie back in the chair. He sat on the edge facing me, his elbows resting on his knees. His head was under the shade of the umbrella, and the serious expression on his face worried me. If this was about Sawyer, I wasn’t ready for that.

  “You, uh, enjoying yourself?” he asked.

  “Yes, but I have a feeling you didn’t just drive an hour and a half to ask me if I was enjoying myself.”

  Ethan chuckled and shook his head. “No, I didn’t.”

  “Didn’t think so. Spill it, Ethan.”

  “It’s about Sawyer—”

  “Never mind. Shut it, Ethan. I retract that. I don’t want to know what you have to say.” I reached for my bag and started to stand up. “If you want to visit and talk about the weather and try one of Jewel’s tropical drinks, you are more than welcome. But I will not talk about Sawyer.”

  “Wait. Please don’t go,” he begged, standing up with me.

  “Are you going to ignore my wishes?” I asked.

  His shoulders slumped and he shook his head. “No. I won’t bring him up.”

  Sitting back down, I put my bag beside me and reached inside to get a granola bar. I grabbed an extra one and handed it to Ethan, who had also sat down again.

  “Here, have a granola bar.”

  He reached for it and gave me a weak smile. “Thanks.”

  We sat in silence and ate our granola bars. Once I finished mine, I turned to look at him. His face was troubled, and I almost asked him if Sawyer was okay. The fear that Sawyer could be hurt or sick battled with the fear Ethan would tell me something I couldn’t handle.

  “So when do you leave for college?” I asked, trying to think of anything other than Sawyer.

  “Next month and you?”

  I hated admitting this to anyone. Nevertheless, it was time I faced the facts. “Not sure. I’ve had a change of plans due to my dad’s sudden lack of money. So I’ll be going to the local community college the next two years. I’ve got to figure out what to do after, but I have time. Plenty of it.” The sourness from speaking the words aloud settled in my mouth.

  “Wow, I’m sorry, Lana. I always imagined you going to an Ivy League or something.”

  “Nope, not me.” I’d been worried about things other than my education. Bad move.

  “Have you talked to Ash?” he asked.

  “Don’t want to talk about her either if you don’t mind. And the answer is no.”

  He was determined to discuss Sawyer with me. Did he want to know if it was clear for him to ask me out? Surely, he didn’t want to give that train wreck another try. I’d been a horrible date.

  “Beau didn’t cheat,” he blurted out quickly.

  Why did that news hurt? Why the heck did I care that Sawyer had been dissed for Beau yet again? If Beau hadn’t cheated, then Ash was still with him. She was crazy in love with the guy. Why, why, why? I shouldn’t have cared that Sawyer was alone. I shouldn’t have cared that he got what was coming to him. I shouldn’t have.

  It does not matter. If not this time, there will be a next and a next and a next, and each time, Sawyer will go running back to her—hoping, waiting, and breaking his heart and mine in the process.

  “Let’s not talk about Beau, either, okay. Actually, let’s not talk about anyone in Grove, except you,” I replied with a stern tone that I felt guilty for using. Ethan was nothing but nice.

  “Just thought you’d like to know,” he replied, shifting in his seat.

  “Don’t care. I closed that door. Or rather it was slammed in my face and I walked away after adding a padlock.”

  “You know, sometimes things aren’t what they seem—” he began, and I held up my hand to stop him.

  “Stop. I don’t know why you’re here. But if it’s because Sawyer or Asthon put you up to it, I’m asking you as a friend to please leave.”

  Ethan let out a weary sigh. “No one knows where you are. I kept your secret. Like I promised. I just thought maybe I could come explain some things for them.”

  “Why? Why would you explain anything for them? If I’m not mistaken, you were interested in me, and Sawyer came and swooped in and took me right out of your grasp. Am I wrong about that?”

  Ethan let out a hard laugh and shook his head. “No, you got it right.”

  “Okay, then why are you here trying to help Sawyer smooth things over?”

  “Because he’s my friend,” Ethan replied. “And so are you.”

  He was such a nice guy
. Bless his heart; he had no idea what he was mixed up in. This was not fixable.

  “Well, then, you need better friends,” I muttered.

  “Sawyer had never poached on any girl he thought his friends might be interested in. When he acted the way he did with you, I didn’t like it, but I knew something was different. You must’ve gotten to him in a way no one else did because he was not acting like himself.”

  “I was a means to get back at Ashton,” I replied sourly.

  “Maybe in the beginning you were, Lana. I thought that too at one point. I know now that it changed. It became something more.”

  “Not enough. Whatever it became, it wasn’t enough. No one will be able to compete with her.” The tears blurring my eyes just pissed me off. I was not going to cry again.

  “There’s no competition,” he said softly, and I refused to cry in front of him.

  “Just go, Ethan. Please.” I turned my head away from him and closed my eyes. After a minute of silence, I heard him stand up and walk away.

  Silent tears streamed down my face as the words “There’s no competition” replayed over and over again in my head. I already knew there was no competition. I couldn’t compete with Ashton. Sawyer’s heart belonged to her. It always would.

  SAWYER

  I hadn’t been home an hour when Beau called me. He asked me to meet him down at the bar for a game of pool. I’d tried to tell him I just wanted to take a hot shower, two Tylenol, and get in bed. My body ached. How the heck did he not want to curl up and crash too? Besides, what about Ashton? Didn’t he want to go see her?

  Pulling into the gravel parking lot, I looked around for Beau’s truck. I found it over by the far end of the building. Ethan’s Jeep was right beside it. I needed to apologize to him anyway. I stepped out of my truck and headed for the door.

  It was a slow night, but then not many people came to the bar on a Wednesday. Thursday through Sunday was the busy time there. I’d been only a few times with Beau, but I’d passed the place several times. I knew which nights had a full parking lot.

  “Well, if it ain’t my favorite nephew,” Aunt Honey called out from behind the bar.