Under the Lights (The Field Party #2) - Abbi Glines Page 0,24

with Serena a few minutes ago, and Willa was currently talking to Maggie and West. Maggie appeared to like Willa, as did the birthday boy, who kept moving toward her wherever she went. Damn horny-ass Asa.

Maybe I could get Maggie to invite Willa over so I could have time alone with her that Gunner couldn’t interrupt. He said he wanted friendship. I didn’t believe him, but I think he thought that was all he wanted. He just didn’t realize yet he wanted Willa like I did. I was just ready to face it. I was interested in getting to know the girl she’d become. When we were kids, I’d had a crush on her simply because she was different. Most girls I knew wouldn’t get dirty playing ball or go looking for lizards. She’d been fascinating to me as a kid. Now that she was all grown up, she was still different but beautiful. Willa was like this untouched flower that everyone wanted to see and get close to.

“I want another beer,” Ivy said as she looped her arm through mine and held on to me like she needed me in order to stand up. She had drunk two Dixie cups full of the beer that we had sitting in a keg on the back of Nash’s truck. She was maybe 110 pounds soaking wet. She didn’t need another cup of beer. Soon she’d be vomiting on my feet and gross shit like that. I wasn’t taking her home trashed.

“You’ve had plenty. Grab a bottle of water out of the cooler. Or a diet soda or something.” Anything but more beer.

She pouted, and her lips stuck out in an annoying way. I never really liked the pouty-lip thing. It was meant to manipulate, and that got on my nerves. I didn’t want to be manipulated. “You’ll puke, then pass out, and I’ll be left to explain all that to your parents when I take you home.”

Sighing dramatically, she glanced over at Ginger, one of the girls on the cheerleading squad, who was snuggled up to Ryker Lee. Ginger had been after him for weeks. He’d finally given her a notice tonight.

“He’s no fun,” she whined. “Come on, Ginger. Let’s go dance!” she exclaimed, already too tipsy.

Ginger wiggled her body against Ryker. “Want to dance with me?”

He winked at her and nodded his head in the direction of the music someone had blaring on their Beats Pill. “Go on, and I’ll watch.”

Ginger beamed at him, excited about being able to show off. “M’kay,” she replied, and sauntered off, swaying her hips like she knew she was being watched.

“Dayum girl’s begging for it,” Ryker drawled.

I chuckled. “Seems that way.”

Ryker shook his head, then turned his attention toward Willa, who was now standing up from the log she’d been sitting on while talking to West and Maggie. She looked like she might be about to go somewhere. As much as I’d like to make sure she didn’t want Gunner, I also didn’t want her going looking for him and seeing him and Serena going at it.

“You enjoy your view,” I told him. “I’m gonna go check on something.”

Ryker laughed. “Sure you are. I’d check on that too.”

I didn’t respond or look back at him. He knew where I was headed, and he also didn’t blame me. I could see it in his eyes when he looked Willa’s way. She was beautiful, but there were several beautiful girls in Lawton. It was the fact she was new. They all were attracted to the newness of her. A girl they hadn’t made out with or wanted to since they were in junior high.

Willa was a fantasy they hadn’t worn out yet. She also had an air of mystery around her that appealed to guys. We wanted to get past her barriers. See her smile. Gunner could never be the guy she needed. Willa seemed fragile now. Gunner was terrible with fragile. He’d break her too easily. I could keep her safe and make her smile again.

Willa was walking away from my cousin and West when I walked up to her. She had made her getaway and was headed for the woods behind the clearing. Through the woods was where all the cars were parked. Which meant that was where she would find Gunner’s truck and Gunner in a probably compromising situation.

“Willa,” I called out, and she stopped, then turned around.

She was dressed warm for the chilly late-fall evening, unlike the other girls here, wearing jeans