Covering the Carolinas (34 page)

Cole drops me off at the house to get my truck.
Undoubtedly, he has other plans tonight that involve a case of
beer, friends, and probably a few of Pleasant Hill’s finest girls.
There’s one thing about Cole; he’s always had to work hard in life,
except in one area—girls. For as long as I can remember, he’s had
the best girls in town after him, but for some reason, he just
keeps them at a distance.

“
Hey, Emmett, here’s a couple of cold ones to
take with ya.”

“
Thanks,” I say as I reach for the
beers.

“
Just limit it to this, and
you should be fine. I’m sure there’ll be a keg, but be
careful.
The law will be watchin’ as y’all
leave tonight.”

“
Thanks,” I say, walking toward the
truck.

Backing out of the driveway, I
roll down the windows
and turn up the radio. I take my
time getting to the farm. You never want to be one of the first
people there. Before realizing where I’m going, I’m driving past
the Lowery farm. Raegan’s truck is missing, which makes me hit the
gas pedal a little harder. I can’t wait to lay my eyes on her
tonight.

Chapter 4

Raegan

After pulling into Jordyn’s driveway, I park and
grab my things. I should have changed at home, but we need a little
girl time before she’s swept away by Ridge all night. I knock as I
enter the foyer and make my way to her room.

“
Hey, J!”

“
Well, aren’t we a little happier than when I
dropped ya off?” she inquires smartly.

“
I’m just ready to cut loose a
little.”

“
Awesome! I told Ridge he could just pick us
up, so we wouldn’t have to worry about drivin’.”

Placing my hands on my hips, I turn to face her.
“Really? I thought you weren’t gonna be with him all night?”

“
Hey, we have now and when we get back later.”
She smirks.

Rolling my eyes, I go to my bag and grab a pair of
Daisy Duke cutoffs and a simple white tank top.

“
Please, tell me you brought
something
other than that?” Jordyn states
flatly.

“
What’s wrong with it?”

“
Never mind.” She says with an eye
roll.

“
No, really? Why not?”

“
Rae, I know you will look perfect in that,
but don’t you wanna step it up a little with Emmett?”

Laughing, I then pull out what I had actually
planned on wearing, a pair of cutoffs with a one-shoulder chevron
tank, complemented with a pair of boots.

“
Thank goodness! I was about to lose it, Rae!
Not to say you couldn’t pull that off. Hell, I’m sure half of the
school would come dressed like that on Monday since you’re the
official trendsetter of Cleveland High. I want to see Jace’s mouth
on the ground when he realizes you were serious.”

“
J, it’s not about Jace or Emmett; it’s about
me. I just want to have no worries for tonight. Did you get our
drinks?”

She grins, and I know her older brother has come
through, yet again. That’s why Ridge is driving. He barely drinks,
and if he decides to tonight, we can always call Cole to pick us
up.

“
I think it’s time to get tipsy and do some
tailgate kissin’. Whatcha think, Rae?”

“
I think that sounds like a perfect plan to
me,” I say as I put the finishing touches on my makeup. Within
twenty minutes, Ridge has arrived, and we are on our way to the
Phillips’ farm.

Stepping out of Ridge’s Chevy with a lift kit, I
take my time getting down, brush my hair with my fingers to remove
the windblown look, and partake in a little shine.

“
Is that one pink lemonade?” I ask
Jordyn.

“
Yup! It’s sooooo good! But, go easy, Rae.
That stuff will bite you in the ass if you’re not
careful.”

“
Thanks for lookin’ out for me,” I say as I
take a deep gulp of the chilled liquid that quenches my thirst,
hoping it hides the emotions that are lying underneath. My luck,
I’ll be a crying mess by the time the night is over. This charade
with Grandaddy has just begun, and I already feel like I’m
drowning.

“
Dang! Raegan, slow down, or
I’m gonna be carrying your ass back to the truck before the party
starts,” Ridge
says with sarcasm.

“
I got it. No worries,” I say as I place the
lid back on top of the jar and pass it to Jordyn as we walk toward
the fire.

As we make our way through the moonlit field, I
smile as the sound of country music fill my ears, along with the
laughter of people who are now coming into view. It’s time to put
on my game face and be that all-American Southern Belle they claim
me to be.

I see the football team near
Jace’s Jeep and give a friendly wave as we approach them. As Jace
turns around, my eyes meet his, and I see the pleading look in
them.
Does he want me to continue this
game? Make him look like the guy he wants them to think he is,
instead of the arrogant ass I told off at the game?
Looking toward Jordyn, I try my best to get her
to move toward another crowd, but I know it’s hopeless with Ridge
by her side.

“
Hey, Jace,” I say pleasantly.

“
Hey, Raegan, are you coming
to tell me you’ve saved me a dance?” Rather than answering out
loud, I let my eyes do the
talking. “A’ight, I
see how it is.” He laughs.
Still cocky in
front of his friends, which is exactly why there is no
us.

Not wasting another minute, I grab
the jar from Jordyn, take another large gulp, and lick my lips to
get the last drop. As I begin to notice our surroundings, I smile
when I see Emmett staring directly at me. Instead of breaking our
stare like at the game, I hold it until he makes his way toward me.
My soul begins to tingle, and it’s
not
from the shine.

Keeping the jar in my right hand, I take a few
strides toward him.

“
You sure that stuff’s a good idea?” Emmett
asks.

“
It’s the best idea Jordyn’s had all night,” I
reply in my sweetest voice.

“
Look, I don’t know how you usually roll
’round here, but Cole is going to party elsewhere tonight. So, if
he’s your ride home tonight, you might want to rethink your
plan.”

“
That’s sweet of you to worry about me, but I
guess it’s a good thing Ridge doesn’t drink. You wanna sip?” I say,
as I bat my eyelashes.

“
Nah, I’m good. I have a beer, but thanks,” he
says before taking a swig.

I stand there like I should say
something else to him, but I’m clueless. As I turn to walk back
toward Jordyn, I hear his deep, rich voice. “Rae, if things get
outta hand, I’ll be glad to take you home tonight.”
I think I like the sound of that!

I stop mid-stride and look over my shoulder.
“Thanks.” I smile and walk back toward the crowd, when really all I
want to do is get lost in those perfectly chiseled arms.

Once I reach Jordyn, I pass the
jar back to her. I’m done for the night. No matter how much I would
love to lose myself in a bottle of shine,
I know
tonight’s not the night.

Emmett

As I approach the Phillips’ farm, I notice there
aren’t many people around. Then, I realize that only cars are
parked near the road. Not thinking too much about it, I continue
driving up the dirt road until it becomes obvious why the cars are
parked below. The dips and valleys in the road, along with the
steep incline, make it impossible for anything without four-wheel
drive to make it. I stop my truck, lock the wheels into four-wheel
drive, and then slowly make my way to the party.

As my truck reaches the peak of the road, I hear the
sounds of country music and people talking. I’m glad to know I’m
not the first one here. Once the ground begins to level, I see a
huge bonfire, trucks everywhere, and a small log cabin at the edge
of the woods. This honestly has to be the best place for a party,
ever. There’s no way the cops can make it up here, but I’m sure
they’ll be waiting as we leave.

I park my truck alongside some of
the others and take the beers with me as I sit on the tailgate. My
eyes scan the crowd for the girl with chocolate hair and long,
perfectly sculpted legs, but I don’t see her. Taking a beer, I pop
the top and try to relax while I wait for “Miss Southern
Perfection” to arrive, because
those are the textbook
words to describe Raegan Lowery.

To my right, I notice Jace and some of the team have
arrived. I toss my head back in a friendly nod as he makes his way
over.

“
What’d you think about that seventy-yard pass
straight to the end zone?”

“
Not as good as what I’d done, but it was
a’ight,” I say without a care as I take another swig of my
beer.

“
I guess I’ll just have to wait around until
next year to find out.”

“
Yeah, I guess.”

“
Cole didn’t
come
with ya?” I shake my head no. “Too bad, I
hate you’re gonna have to leave here alone tonight.” He laughs, and
I realize the more and more I see of Jace, the less and less I want
to call him my friend.

I take another long pull on my
beer and try to ignore Jace, as headlights appear on the
horizon.
Ridge.
Knowing there’s a possibility of Raegan, I try my best to get
rid of Jace. That’s a losing battle, because he’s thinking exactly
what I’m thinking.

Jace removes the beer from his mouth, and I wait for
him to make some smart-ass comment, just like any prick would do to
stake claim on something that has never been his.

“
I don’t know what crawled up her ass today at
the game, but she basically told me to go to hell,” he says with
irritation in his voice.

I spew the contents from my
mouth.
That wasn’t what I thought he’d
say.
“Sorry, man, I just wasn’t expectin’
that.”

“
Yeah, me either. I don’t know what it is
about that girl, but she’s got my mind all messed up. Hell, I sound
like a girl, don’t I?” he questions, and I smile. “Well, shit, just
forget this even happened. She’s gonna come ’round. Once she gets a
little taste, she won’t be able to stop.”

“
Dude, don’t talk about her like she’s a piece
of meat. She’s a good girl and way too good for you.”

Jace looks at me as he tightens the grip on his can
while stepping forward. “You listen, Emmett. She’s gonna be with me
one day, and you better not try to get in the way.”

I ignore him and push myself off
the tailgate as I make my way to the other guys from the team, but
that’s not before the back passenger side door of Ridge’s truck
opens, and I see
flawless, sun-kissed legs exiting,
and I know exactly who has arrived. The question is, will she even
realize I’m around?

Watching Raegan walk toward the
fire is like watching a swimsuit model run down the beach in slow
motion. Her legs move with ease as her long chocolate hair waves
behind her. Shaking my head, I try to get her out of my mind, but
it is no use, especially with her right in front of me. Too bad she
walks up to Jace instead of me, but the look in his eyes shows
defeat rather than victory. I know it’s my time to move, but I’m
frozen as I watch those perfectly
voluptuous lips
press against that jar, and I have to take a minute to adjust
myself.

Once her eyes fall upon mine
again, I make her hold her stare until I can’t stand it any longer.
There is no doubt she feels what I feel, but it’s a matter of
whether or not she
acts
on
it. I don’t do well with coming in second place. I never have and
never will.

I stand confidently and make my way to her,
but I’m surprised when she meets me in
the
middle. I decide a warning about Cole is what she needs, because
quite honestly, I
want her to keep her head clear and
away from Jace.

Before I can control what’s happening, she turns to
leave. I do the only thing that feels right. I offer to give her a
ride, just like she did me. Hopefully, she sees it as an
opportunity like I did, but at this point, I’m unsure.

I retreat to my truck for another
beer as I watch her give Jordyn the jar.
Interesting. She’s quit drinking. Either she feels guilty or
there is a reason she doesn’t want the drunken truth to come
out
.

Over the next few minutes, I watch her make her way
around to all the different groups of people. She is honestly the
most breathtaking creature I’ve ever seen, but the fact she cares
about everyone is beyond hot. It’s almost as if she knows all eyes
are focused on her; she knows her reputation, her expectations, and
it’s almost routine.

With each group of people, she gets closer to me.
The thought of going to talk to some guys has now fled my brain.
There’s no way in hell I’m skipping a little one-on-one with Raegan
Lowery.

“
Hey, Raegan,” I say.

“
Hey, havin’ fun yet?” she asks.

“
Tons,” I say sarcastically. “It’s a lot
better, now,” I answer with a half-smile.

“
Emmett Bridges! Are you flirting with me?”
she asks as she crosses her arms.