I stepped away from my truck. I leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “I love you, Lib. Give Mom and Dad a hug and kiss for me.”

“What about Alex? What am I supposed to tell her?”

“Tell her I love her.”

I walked over to the driver’s side, opened the door, and climbed up into my truck. I started it and began backing up. I looked at Luke standing behind Libby as they both watched me drive away.

I need this. I need time away from everyone. I need to learn to breathe again.

I sat down on the bed of my truck and began eating my turkey sandwich. I couldn’t help but notice Allison, Callie’s cousin, walking over to me. I sighed inwardly and wished like hell that she would get the hint that I wasn’t interested in her.

“Hey, Will. How are you today?”

I shrugged my shoulders and took another bite. I looked her up and down. I couldn’t figure out how in the hell she was wearing short-ass shorts and a tight T-shirt when it was forty-two degrees outside.

“Aren’t you cold?” I asked.

She giggled and jumped up next to me. “A little, but you could warm me up.”

“I have a girlfriend, Allison.”

She frowned. “You do?”

My heart instantly began to hurt. I shook my head and looked at her. “I, um…well, we broke up…I guess.”

She laughed. “You either broke up, or you didn’t. If you did, then I have a hotel room key here for you. I’m pretty sure you want to know that I’m not wearing any panties right now, and my pussy is dripping wet for you.”

My mouth dropped open. “Uh…”

She began moving her tongue along her upper lip as she raised her eyebrows. “Will, tell me you don’t want to fuck me, and I’ll walk away, but I’m pretty sure if I were to touch your dick right now, you’d be rock-hard.”

What the hell?

I couldn’t help it, but I started laughing. “You’re kidding with me right now, right?”

She smiled and shook her head.

“What type of guy would actually go back to your hotel room after you just said all of that?”

Her smile instantly faded. “Excuse me?”

I jumped off the tailgate of my truck. “No, Allison. Excuse me. I need to be somewhere, and it certainly is not in your hotel room.”

She jumped down and glared at me. “Fuck off, douche bag. You have no idea what you’re missing.”

I watched as she began walking over to a group of guys who had driven in this morning from Arkansas.

Good Lord, I feel sorry for those boys.

I looked around for Callie or Joe. I found Joe talking to an older gentleman. I took in a deep breath and slowly let it out. The sooner I did this, the better.

The temperature had warmed up some, so I took advantage of it. I went down to the barn to get Banjo and go for a ride. It was Christmas morning, but it didn’t feel like it. Everyone was planning on coming to our house this evening for dinner. It was a tradition among all my parents’ friends to spend Christmas day together in some way. They had been doing it since I could remember.

I walked into Banjo’s stall, and he greeted me with his low rumbling nicker, like he always did.

I smiled and hugged his massive neck. “Please don’t ever leave me, boy. I don’t think I could bear the thought of losing you and Will.”

Banjo rested his head on my shoulder, causing me to giggle.

“Boy, do you realize how big you are?” I turned and started getting his saddle ready for a ride.

Once I was up and on him, we slowly made our way outside the barn. We walked along the trail for a good two miles before I stopped in an open field. I jumped down, and I just let him graze for a while. I walked over to a fallen tree, sat down on it, and closed my eyes.

“Will…”

I wasn’t sure how long I’d been sitting there, thinking about Will and all the times we had been together. I thought about the first time I’d known I wanted to kiss him, the first time I’d known I loved him, and the first time he’d held me in his arms, making me feel so safe.

Now, all I feel is emptiness.

Banjo made a noise, and I opened my eyes to see my mother.

I smiled at her and stood up. “How did you find me?”

She laughed. “Mary Lou here has a thing for Banjo. I just told her to find him, and she did.”

I smiled bigger and started walking toward her when I felt something stinging me on the ass. “Ouch! Oh, holy hell! Motherfucking son of a bitch!”

“Alexandra Eryn Mathews!”