The Vincent Boys 02 - The Vincent Brothers

focusing my gaze on Toby before taking another swig of my beer.
    “It’s going to be weird not having you around though.” Damn. Why’d she have to say anything? Couldn’t she sit over there quietly and let Beau paw all over her? Hearing Ashton’s voice made it impossible not to lift my eyes to meet her gaze.
    The sad tilt to her full lips made that old familiar ache start up in my chest. Only Ashton could get to me this way. “You’ll survive. Besides, you two hardly come up for air to notice much of anything else.” I’d just sounded like an ass. Ashton’s flinch from my snide comment was just another strike against me.
    “Careful, Sawyer.” The threat in Beau’s voice was unmistakable. Silence fell over the group. Everyone’s focus was on the two of us. The anger flashing in Beau’s glare just pissed me off. What did he have to be angry about? He had the girl.
    “Why don’t you calm down? I was responding to her comment. Am I not allowed to speak to her now?”
    Beau gripped Ashton’s waist and moved her away from him as he stood up. “You got a problem, Sawyer?”
    Ashton scrambled to her feet, threw her arms around Beau’s neck and began begging him to ignore me. Telling him I didn’t mean anything by it, which we both knew I had. Beau’s eyes never left mine as he reached behind his neck to unlatch Ashton’s hold on him.
    Setting my cup down on the bed of my truck, I took a step toward him. This was a fight I needed. Holding my aggression in was so damn hard at times. Ashton, however, wasn’t having it. She grabbed Beau’s shoulders and jumped up, wrapping her legs firmly around his waist. If seeing her wrapped around him didn’t piss me off so bad, I’d laugh at her determination to keep us from fighting. She’d been dealing with us since we were kids and she knew exactly how to keep us from coming to blows. Throwing herself in the line-of-fire was the only way.
    Amusement lit Beau’s eyes as his angry snarl turned into a pleased grin and his eyes shifted from me to Ashton. “What ya doin’ baby?” he asked in a slow drawl I hated. He’d been using it on girls since we hit puberty.
    “That’s the way to distract him, Ash,” Kayla Jenkins hooted from Toby’s lap.
    More catcalls and whistles started. Beau was smiling at her now like she was the most fascinating person in the world. That was it for me. I had to get out of here.
    “Let’s go get something to eat, I’m starved,” Ethan suggested and Jake North agreed.
    “You drive,” Ethan called out and climbed into the passenger seat of my truck. Without looking back at Ash and Beau, I walked around my truck and climbed in. If he hauled her off to his truck, I’d lose it. Leaving was the best idea.

    Lana

    Jewel flirted outrageously with the bartender. I knew her game and was willing to bet he did too. The brilliant scheme to flash cleavage and bat eyelashes while giggling wasn’t the most original idea ever concocted. Why she couldn’t just be happy with her soda while we waited on a table was beyond me. The ten-hour road trip I’d been on with her from Alpharetta, Georgia to south Alabama was my quota on quality time spent with my childhood friend and next-door neighbor. Jewel and I had grown up and become two completely different people but that bond from our childhood had somehow kept us from growing apart. However, Jewel could only be endured in small doses.
    “Come on Lana, flash him a view of those fabulous boobs you’ve finally decided to share with the world,” Jewel whispered as her gaze stayed on the young guy fixing drinks for another customer. Shaking my head at her ridiculous request, I picked up my soda and took a sip. I was happy with my soda. If she wanted to make a fool out of herself in hopes of getting a mixed drink, then fine, but I wasn’t about to join in. The last thing I needed was to get caught with an alcoholic drink only thirty minutes away from my aunt and uncle’s house. My uncle was a Baptist preacher and if he found out I’d been drinking alcohol, there was no way he’d let me stay with him and his family for the summer.
    “You’re such a party pooper, Lana,” Jewel whined and glared at my drink like it was offensive.
    I didn’t really care if she was upset at this point. I just wanted to get some dinner and then get to my aunt and uncle’s. The sight of Jewel’s taillights driving away was going to be a welcome event.
    “I don’t get you, Lana. You go and get all