Page 37 of Meet Me in the Valley
And now I can’t shake the feeling that everyone sees it but us. Like we’re the punchline of a joke we don’t even know we’re in.
“I’m into Tia?”
“I don’t know, Logan. Are you?”
“You’re confusing me.”
“You’re stoned.”
“So are you.”
Isabel waves a dismissive hand in my face. “All I was trying to say is you two need to quit dancing around each other and just be together. You’re into her. She’s into you. Stop fighting it.”
Everything spins a little, just enough to knock me off-kilter. I turn around, anchoring my sights on the steadily burning fire. Distant laughter from the group floats through the air. Even from here, I can make out the stark beauty of Tia’s raven hair.Of course I can.
“See? See! You look for her no matter where you are. You were doing it that night at the lake. It’s actually so cute, Logan. You’re so into her!”
Fuck.Idolook for her.
It’s like I can’t breathe right until my eyes find her—like everything inside me holds its breath until it knows she’s there.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Okay, alright. I get it,” I mutter, rubbing the back of my neck like that’ll scrub the panic off me. “We good, Iz? Friends?”
Isabel giggles, light and airy. “We’re good.” She wraps her tiny arms around my middle, giving me one big squeeze. “Friends.”
Isabel and I call our truce and make our way back toward the group. Once I feel the warmth from the fire hit my skin, the pull toward Tia hits me just as hard as the weed did.
She’s still in the same spot as when I left. Our eyes find each other easily, like two magnets. I stand at the edge of the fire, once again landing myself in this intense, wordless staring match.
I can let panic sink in and allow my inner thoughts to eat me alive, cloaking me in shame and guilt and whatever other ugly thing I might feel when I’m forced to face this thing that’s happening with Tia.
Or I can surrender to the pull. Use tonight to explore something that might be worth exploring.
My feet carry me toward her on their own volition, and the next thing I know I’m kneeling beside her, watching her breath hitch as I lean in close.
I’m hit with her intoxicating scent, laced with smoke and her tantalizing perfume—citrus and sweet. I want to bury my nose in it, but not yet. Not here.
“You gonna keep looking at me like that all night?” My voice drops, low and rough with gravel. Her lips part, releasing a soft, breathy sigh. It stirs something feral in me I can barely contain.
“Mhmm.” She all but moans the word, and it hits me like a straight shot to my lower region.
I don’t know what’s happening between us. I just know I don’t want to fight it right now. Fighting it would kill my buzz.
And I just want to ride this high.
Chapter Eleven
TIA
Stomachs full, the moon blazing overhead, and not a sober soul in sight. We are absolutely wrecked in the best way.
A tequila bottle made its rounds like a sacred ritual, body shots turned into a full-on sport, and Kerry’s pound of weed sealed our fate:tomorrow is going to hurt like hell.
The fire’s still going strong—just like my friends, scattered across the lawn, screaming and laughing like it’s the end of the world and we’re just lucky to witness it. Somehow, we’ve all caught a second wind, skimming the edge of chaos with red-rimmed eyes and absolutely no brakes.
I am properly shit-faced, sitting in the soft grass while my hands thread through the cool blades. The warm and fuzzy feeling of being higher than a kite keeps me happy and giddy as I watch Donovan and Logan wrestling in the distance. It isn’t until Audrey’s head rests on my shoulder that I notice she’s been sitting next to me this whole time.
