Page 49 of Keepsake
“Yeah?” He drained his beer.
“Just for variety, I’m going to hook up withherinstead.”
“Awesome,” Kyle said. “I can watch, right?”
I had to laugh, because I should have known he’d say that.
Surprising everyone, maybe including himself, Kyle didn’t ride home with us in the truck. He begged off to hook up with a college girl he met while drinking his third beer.
“How are you going to get home?” Griff asked him.
“Who fucking cares?” Kyle argued.
“Fair enough.” He leaned closer to Kyle. “There’s a box of condoms in the glove box of my truck.”
“I’m all set,” Kyle said before clapping Griff on the shoulder and heading out.
As a reflex, I checked Zach’s face to see what he thought of this amusing development. But his expression was locked down tight. He looked into the dregs of his beer as if the answers to all life’s questions were written at the bottom of the glass.
“Shall we head out?” Griff wondered. “Anyone object?”
At that, Zach drained his beer and set the empty glass on the table. “Let’s go,” he said, and then left the bar so fast I practically saw a contrail.
Uh-oh. Zach hadn’t said much at all since I’d kissed him. Now it occurred to me to wonder if I’d screwed up. Sometimes I forgot that not everyone liked to misbehave. I’d hate to think my antics made him uncomfortable.
“Shotgun!” Kieran called as the rest of us headed out.
But Zach was already in the passenger’s seat.
“I called it,” Kieran argued.
“Too bad,” Zach mumbled.
The ride home was quiet, and I worried some more. Zach had been so generous to me these past few weeks. It killed me to think that I’d screwed up our friendship.
“Hell,” Griff said as we pulled up the drive. “Did Dylan leave a light on in the dairy barn? Or maybe the timer is on the fritz again.”
“I’ll check it,” Zach murmured from the front seat.
“Thanks, man.” Griff stepped on the brakes, bringing the truck to a halt. Zach hopped out and shut his door. Then Griff drove the rest of the way up the drive and parked beside the farmhouse. “I’m gonna say goodnight to Dylan and Mom. Anyone need anything from the house?”
“I’ll go with you,” Kieran said. “Feel like raiding the cookie jar.”
That left only me. I took a few steps toward the bunkhouse. But then I reversed course, crossing the dark lawn toward the dairy barn, where the light was still on.
The moon was nearly full, which made it fairly easy to navigate across the grass. I’d gotten braver since coming to the farm last month. I could cross between the buildings at night without feeling panicky and unmoored. See? Even if progress was slow, I was behaving a little less like a head case.
“Zach?” I called when I reached the open door to the barn.
“Right here,” said a gruff voice just as the overhead lights went out, leaving only dim lighting near the ceiling.
I watched the darkened figure of Zach walk toward me, patting the rump of a Jersey cow or two on his way. “Something wrong?” he asked, not quite meeting my eyes.
“Well…” I leaned against the door frame, wondering what to say. Was I overreacting? “I think I screwed up tonight. If that kiss made you uncomfortable, then I’m really sorry. I’ll never do it again. It was overstepping. Maybe I offended you.”
“Offended me,” he echoed. When he finally lifted his chin, the heat in his expression was not what I’d expected.
“Y-yeah,” I stammered.
