Page 47 of Faking Summer
Reese gestured behind us, and I glanced back to find a sleek black SUV idling at the curb. It was the same SUV that usually drove his dad around town, and sometimes picked and dropped Reese off.
"You had your driver following us this whole time? We didn’t have to walk?"
A smirk tugged at his lips, easing the sharp edge of his jaw.
"What fun would that be?"
I let out a huff as I marched toward my house. The staccato beat of my heels on the concrete punctuated the silence.
"Hey, you going to Taillight Tapout tomorrow?" Reese yelled after me.
"Only if you aren't," I yelled back, not bothering to look at him.
"See you there," he called out, the amusement clear in his tone. I didn't need to look to know he was smiling that half-cocked grin that threatened to unravel me.
twenty
Reese
My truck rolled slowly through the field of people and other trucks when I arrived. I slid out, opened my tailgate and grabbed a beer from my cooler. Taking a seat, my gaze skimmed over the crowd as I watched the pre-show rituals. Country music played through speakers, and laughter echoed through the field.
Crew ran over and took a seat next to me, already with a beer in hand. He flicked a glance toward the assembling crowd. "So, who's your money on for snatching up the crown this year?"
"Couldn't tell you," I shrugged. "Just here to watch it all go down." And we knew the first match would begin any minute as the last rays of sunlight began to fade. Taillight Tapout was one of my favorite rituals. Drunk men wrestle, we drink beer out of our tailgates, and women dance. What else could you ask for?
Bailey pulled in and parked next to me, settling in. And just when I didn’t expect it, Caroline came into view. The fading light framed her as she stepped out of the passenger seat of Sam’s car, almost making her glow. My eyes were drawn to her rhinestone-studded cowgirl boots and the way her hips swayed in those perfectlyfitted denim shorts—almost like there was no one in the world that could fit into them the way she did. The top she wore hugged her curves, and I took a long sip, trying to process the sight of her. She was stunning, and it made my mind incapable of forming coherent thoughts. In all the years I'd known her, I had never truly realized how beautiful she was.
I tried to keep my breathing steady as she embraced her friends, fighting off a smile on my own face as she laughed. Without my approval, heat seemed to be traveling south from her presence.
"Reese, you alright there, man?" Crew nudged me, but his voice sounded miles away. I nodded absentmindedly, my attention still clinging to Caroline as she brushed strands of blonde hair out of her face.
"Damn, Reese," Bailey added "You’ve got that look on your face—It’s the same way I look at pizza. It’s adorable, really… but spill it. Who the fuck are you looking at like that?" Both of them narrowed their eyes trying to figure it out.
"No idea what you’re talking about," I smirked, my focus unwavering. Each pull from my beer was an attempt to quench a thirst that had nothing to do with dehydration.
"Can I get your attention, please?" A loud, deep voice grabbed our attention. He stood in the center. "Let the annual Tail Light Tapout begin," he bellowed. "Last man standing at the end of the night will be crowned Taillight King."
Excitement crackled through the field with hollers and cheers as two girls strutted into the circle. They wore tiny outfits, almost like swimsuits. They hoisted signs above their heads with the names of the first contenders.
"First up is Hunter the Havoc against The Angry Ben-ver!" the announcer added. The wrestlers entered the middle. Bodies clashed with grunts and thuds beneath the stars. Parker and Bailey surged closer to the chaos, but I stayed back watching, detached but still somewhat entertained.
Then I noticed Caroline again as she hurried past me, on her wayto speak to a group of her friends parked on the other side of Bailey’s truck.
"Nice boots," I drawled, leaning casually against the tailgate, unable to resist getting her attention.
She barely spared me a glance, her long blonde hair swaying with every step. "Thanks," she called over her shoulder, sharp but teasing. "But not sure they’d fit you."
"Probably not," I shot back, flashing her a dimple with no remorse. "But they do wonders for your legs."
That earned me an unamused look from her. With a can gripped tight in her hand, she turned away, dismissing me. The wrestling match continued as one opponent finally wiggled free from a headlock. It was then I noticed a sign girl darting between the spectators, making a beeline for Caroline and her entourage.
"Hey!" I heard the girl call out, breathless, her hands gesturing wildly. "So sorry, I have to go, but you got this, girl!"
Caroline reluctantly took the sign into her hands with an eye roll. Shaking her head slightly, as if to clear it of doubts or annoyances, she stepped forward, shoulders held high as she made her way toward all the attention. When she got close to the ring, I saw her pull up her tank top and tie it up to show off more of her slender stomach.
The crowd’s anticipation hung thick in the air as the dust settled from the last match. Caroline, sign in hand, made her way to the middle of the makeshift ring, not one trace of nervousness showing on her face.
Bailey and crew shuffled back, reclaiming their spots on my tailgate. And then Bailey's gaze locked onto Caroline.
