The Vincent Boys 1 [Extended & Uncut] (11 page)

A warm trickle fell from my chin and splashed against my hand. I reached up with my free hand and wiped at my face, but it was pointless. Tears were streaming down my cheeks now. I hadn’t even realized I was crying.

“I won’t leave you but you need to go on up and say your goodbyes. I’ll stand right here behind you,” Beau whispered from beside me.

Since I’d walked into those familiar double doors tonight I’d had a tight knot in my chest, making it hard to breathe deeply. Now, as I stood here getting ready to say goodbye to the woman I loved so dearly, a peace settled over me. I released the tight grip I had on Beau’s hand and stepped forward.

She was smiling. I was glad she was smiling. She smiled a lot. They’d used her make-up. I’d know that color of ripe raspberry lipstick anywhere. The smell of roses was thick, reminding me even more of the afternoons we’d sat outside her house talking.

“They dressed you in your favorite dress,” I whispered as I stared down at her still body. “And they used your make-up. Although you do a better job putting it on. The eye shadow is a little too dark. Whoever put it on apparently doesn’t know about the less is more rule.”

It was odd talking to her like this. She would have chuckled at the make-up comment. We’d have concocted a scheme to give the morgue beauticians or whoever put make-up on the recently deceased a lesson in the art of ‘putting on your face’. The corners of my mouth lifted.

“Remember when we talked about how we hoped we got to hang around earth long enough to be at our own funerals? Well, in case you convinced God of this idea and you’re here somewhere listening,” I paused and swallowed the sob threatening to escape, “if you’re here . . . I love you. I miss you. I’m going to think of you every day, and all those plans we had, I’m going to keep them. Just promise you’ll be there. Promise you’ll convince the big guy to let you come back down to visit.”

This time a sob made it past my lips. I covered my mouth and dropped my head as the memories washed over me. Knowing this was the last time I’d ever see her again tore through my chest. A comforting arm wrapped around me and pulled me up against his hard chest. Beau didn’t say anything to comfort me. He just let me get this last goodbye out the only way I knew how. When the tears subsided and the ache in my chest seemed to ease I lifted my head to stare up at him.

“I’m a firm believer God doesn’t snatch you right up and haul you off to heaven. I think he lets you say your goodbyes. And your Grana wouldn’t have gone anywhere until she got this goodbye in.” I let out a small laugh and nodded. He was right of course. Even God couldn’t have moved her if she wasn’t ready.

“Bye, Grana,” I whispered one last time.

“You ready?” Beau asked, lacing his fingers through mine.

I turned and walked back down the aisle while nodding and speaking to others who were making their way to pay their condolences. Beau stood quietly and patiently beside me. I noticed several people flick their gaze curiously up at the town’s black sheep stationed beside me. This would be all over town before the night was over. Somehow that didn’t matter right now. Beau had been my friend since he’d pulled my hair on the playground and I in return grabbed his hand and twisted his arm behind his back. After the preschool teacher corrected us both and threatened to call our parents Beau had looked over at me and asked, “Want to sit by me and my cousin at lunch?”

They could all talk. Beau had come to my rescue when I needed it the most. He might not be the perfect citizen but Grana always said perfect was boring. She would love that I’d snubbed my nose at the gossiping betties at her funeral. I glanced back over my shoulder, smiling. She was here somewhere and I could almost hear her laughter as I walked out of the church holding Beau’s hand.

Beau

“I don’t know that they will ever recover from that,” I said as I held open my truck door and helped Ashton inside.

“What?” she asked, frowning down at me.

Did she really not know what I was referring to or was she trying to act like it was no big deal? Because it was a big deal. My showing up tonight was a step I’d taken knowing Sawyer would find out about it. I hadn’t cared about the repercussions. I just couldn’t stand the idea of Ashton having no one but people who had no idea what she was going through or feeling surround her. She had needed me.

“They’ll talk, Ash,” I said carefully, waiting to see if she’d just been so broken over her Grana that she hadn’t thought about the statement we had made walking out of the church together.

She shrugged her shoulders. “So. That’s what they do, Beau. They talk. They’ll get over it.”

Damn if I didn’t want to crawl in and press her back against the worn leather seats and kiss her until we were both begging for more. But even I didn’t do it in the church parking lot. Closing the truck door I made my way around the front of the truck and climbed inside.

I didn’t ask if she wanted to go home. I was taking her to my place instead. Mom was working tonight and I wanted Ash in my room. I wanted to see her in my space. Know what that felt like. Smell her close even after she’s gone.

Ashton scooted over until she was up against my side. “Where we going?”

“Does it matter?” I asked instead of answering her.

She let out a small, sad sigh. “No. Not really. Just so I’m with you.”

My chest thumped against my chest and the possessive beast inside me roared with pleasure. She was mine, dammit. I had to fix this. I couldn’t give her back to Sawyer.

“I want to see you in my room. I want my pillows to smell like you. I want to have the image of you laying back on my bed imprinted in my memory.”

Ashton tilted her head back to look up at me. I glanced down at her big green eyes before looking back at the road. “When did you get all sweet and charming?”

Since I’d been buried deep inside the only girl I’d ever loved. I didn’t tell her that though. She wasn’t ready for me to repeat my feelings again. She’d frozen up on me the last time I’d told her how I felt. “Don’t tell me you are just now figuring out how charming I am?”

She snickered and pressed her mouth against my arm to keep from laughing louder. I loved hearing her laugh. Especially after seeing her fall apart and listening to her weep earlier. That had torn me apart. I didn’t want her sad. I didn’t want her to have to feel any pain. I just wanted to protect her from everything. I knew it sounded ridiculous but I couldn’t help the way I felt.

Pulling my truck in between the oak trees that led into the trailer park where I’d lived my entire life, I leaned down and kissed the top of Ashton’s head. This was the way it should have been all along. Ashton beside me. It was meant to be this way.

“So what are we going to do in your room?” Ashton asked.

I opened the door and slipped my hand over her thigh and pulled her to me as I moved to get out.

“Monopoly?” I replied with a smirk.

Ashton put her hands on my shoulders and I pulled her against me and lowered her to the ground. “I stink at Monopoly. You know that.”

She sucked at Monopoly was more like it. Sawyer always let her beat him when we’d played as kids. Not me. I always took every dollar she had. Ashton didn’t like things to be easy. She liked the challenge. I recognized that even back then.

“Yeah, you do,” I agreed and put my hand on the small of her back, directing her to the front door. “We could play strip poker.”

Ashton laughed and shook her head. “You always beat me at that too. Well, poker at least. I’ll be naked in less than fifteen minutes.”

“Okay, you sold me. We’re playing strip poker,” I interrupted.

“If you want me naked you don’t have to beat me at cards,” she replied teasingly.

Hell, yeah. That was my girl. “Deal. Strip,” I demanded as I closed the door behind us.

Ashton threw her head back and laughed. The sadness lurking in her eyes was gone now. That’s what I’d wanted to accomplish. Well, I wanted her naked too, but it hadn’t been my top priority. That came in second.

“Can I have a drink first?” Ashton asked, running a hand up my chest.

“I guess if that’s what you really want,” I replied, lowering my mouth to drop kisses along her jawline before nuzzling the soft skin behind her ear.

Ashton’s hands slipped behind my neck and she arched against me. We might not make it to my bedroom if she kept this up.

“I changed my mind,” Ashton whispered, before slipping her hand down to my jeans and tugging on the button.

“You sure?” I asked, nipping at her earlobe.

She shivered in my arms and nodded.

This could never be wrong. It felt too right.

“I want these off,” she whispered as she unfastened my jeans and started tugging them down. I wanted them off too, but not in my living room. I wanted her back in my bedroom. On my sheets. So when she was gone I could smell her.

“To my room,” I replied as I kissed a trail down her neck. The small shiver that ran through her only excited me more. I reached down and grabbed the hem of her short dress and pulled it up so I could cup her ass. Both soft cheeks were bare. I froze and stared down at her while I slipped my hand down and found the thin strap.

“Holy shit, baby. You’re wearing a g-string?” I needed her dress off now. The sweet little pastor’s daughter was naughty as hell, and I loved every inch of her.

Ashton only nodded and pressed her lips together in an attempt to hide her amused smile. She loved knowing that she could drive me crazy.

“Off. I want this dress off,” I demanded. I didn’t wait for her to help me. I found the zipper and slid it down to the curve of her hips then pushed it off her shoulders. The forgotten fabric fell to the floor as I stood taking in the sight of Ashton in a black lace bra and matching barely-there panties. I didn’t see the point in wearing panties that covered so very little but I wasn’t complaining. They were doing very good things for my imagination.

“I’m sorry, baby, but I can’t make it to my room,” I apologized as I picked her up and pressed her against the wall in the hallway.

Chapter 10

Ashton

Ashton,

You haven’t written me back so either this means my email never got through, which is believable with the unreliable internet access here, or something is wrong. I tried calling several times but I can’t seem to get any signal out here no matter where I am.

I’ve got good news and bad news. Bad news is Catherine had an allergic reaction to some unknown plant and she broke out in hives and Dad had to rush her to the nearest town. He just got back an hour ago and she’s going to be fine, but Mom is ready to go home.

That leads me to the good news. I’m coming home. We are packing as I write this and as soon as I’m in cell phone reception range I’m going to call you. Keep your phone on you. I need to hear your voice. Also, call Beau for me and tell him I’m coming home. He and I can hit the weight room a week early to get ready for football practice. Also tell him to lay off the beer. I need my best receiver in shape.

Love ya,

Sawyer

I stared at the screen on my laptop for a long time. I wasn’t sure what to do. Who to tell. Where to go. Slowly I closed the computer and shoved it off my lap onto the bed. I’d woke up knowing I was going to have to deal with my parents’ questions this morning about my leaving with Beau from the church last night. It was something I dreaded, but this was much worse. The screen on my phone lit up before
Eye of the Tiger
began to play for the first time in three weeks. Sawyer had put
Eye of the Tiger
on my phone to be his special ring. Numbly I reached for it and pressed the accept button before lifting it to my ear.

“Hello.”

“AHHH, man, baby, is it good to hear your voice! Did you get my email? I waited until I thought you might be awake to call. We’re about two hours away. I’m having Dad drop me off at your house. I can’t wait to see you.”

Guilt, frustration, anger, panic all seemed to whirl around inside me at once. My grip on the phone tightened as I took several deep breaths.

“Um, hey, yeah, I just got your email. I can’t believe y’all are coming home early.” The lack of enthusiasm in my voice was unmistakable. A second of silence ticked by and I knew Sawyer’s brain was working overtime.

“Did you just wake up? You don’t sound real happy about my coming home. I expected squeals of delight or something.”

Perfect, make him suspicious before he even gets here. I needed to fix this. I couldn’t come between Beau and Sawyer. They’d been as close as brothers all their life. I’d never be able to forgive myself if I caused a rift between them. The fact I was worried about Beau and Sawyer’s relationship instead of mine and Sawyer’s surprised me.

“Sorry, I’m thrilled. I just woke up. Last night was Grana’s viewing and her funeral is this afternoon. It’s been a rough few days.”

“What? Ash, baby. Your Grana passed away? Oh baby, I’m so sorry. Why didn’t you tell me?” I’d forgotten he didn’t know. The email I never wrote him flashed in my memory. Instead of telling him about Grana I’d run to Beau. Would any of this have happened if I’d just emailed Sawyer and gone with Mom to deal with funeral arrangements that day? Did I wish things had happened differently?

“It wasn’t something I wanted to write in an email,” I explained, hoping he understood or at the very least accepted my excuse.

“I’m coming home. I’ll rush to the house and change before I come over so I won’t have to leave before the funeral. I can drive you there. It’s going to be okay. I’ll be there soon. I promise.”

How would he feel if I told him things were okay? Beau had helped me say my goodbye already. Beau had held me while I cried. My tears were dried up now. I knew my Grana was happy with those fancy streets of gold and a fabulous mansion. She always said God would have her a big ol’ rose garden she could tend to up there.

“Ash, you okay?”

“I’m sorry, I was thinking about the funeral. I’ll see you when you get here.”

“Okay. I love you.” Those were the words we always said when we hung up the phone. Normally I was the one who said them first. This time I’d completely forgotten.