The Vincent Boys 02 - The Vincent Brothers

Almost.
    “Yes, it does. But I walked into this. I took a chance.” Shrugging, I walked over to sit back down beside her on the bed. “We both know it was time I started taking chances. I crashed and burned but I learned from it.”
    Jewel wrapped her arm around my shoulder and pulled my head against her shoulder. “Ah, damn. This sucks,” she sighed. “I won’t tell him anything. He did beg and plead with me to call him if I heard from you or I thought of somewhere you could be. He said he ‘needed’ to find you. I was mistaken with his anxious tone. I figured you’d wrapped the boy around your finger and gotten angry with him and left him high and dry. I didn’t realize he was trying to ease some other girl’s guilt. She may be your cousin, but I am not a fan. Just sayin’.”
    We sat in silence for awhile. Finally, I sat back up. “Thank you for lying. I have complete faith in your acting abilities.”
    Jewel smirked, “So you wanna run off to LA with me? We could rock that town. Me and you.”
    A real laugh managed to bubble up and I shook my head, “Not right now. Maybe someday soon.”
    “Come out here and party. Forget everything. Drink one of my tropical drinks. I have one I make with coconut rum that is to die for.”
    I wasn’t ready. “Give me a few more days?”
    “Sure babe.”

    Sawyer

    Sawyer was always the Vincent boy worth fighting for. He’s the special one.
    I reread that last line for what felt like the hundredth time. I was packed up and headed to Florida. It had been over a week now and no Lana. No sign of her. No text. Her phone still went directly to voice mail. She’d called her mother again to check in but the number had been unknown and she hadn’t been able to trace it. All I knew was she was alive. That small amount of knowledge kept me from losing my mind. I lived for those calls from her mom telling me what Lana had said. It was my only connection to her and although I wasn’t a fan of her parents, I was starting to have an odd sort of affection for her crazy mother. She did love Lana even if she sucked at showing her. The woman was definitely controlling but Lana was doing a number on her right now and I was willing to bet that relationship would be forever changed for the better.
    Folding the note Lana had left Ash into the worn creases where I’d opened and read it and then folded it again, I slipped it into my pocket. I didn’t go anywhere without it. Having it close to me reminded me that when I found her, I could fix this. She’d misunderstood and it was my fault. If I’d have opened my eyes and realized I was in love with the girl this wouldn’t have happened. Unfortunately, Lana hadn’t known. She thought I still loved Ash.
    “Sawyer, you ready?” my dad called from the foyer. I wasn’t ready. I didn’t want to leave Grove. What if she came back and I was gone? Besides, how the hell was I supposed to concentrate enough to throw a football? This week was going to be a disaster.
    “Coming Dad,” I called back. I grabbed my phone so I could look again at the picture Ash had texted me from our trip to the mountains. Lana had been hiking up the rocks toward the waterfall in Cheaha and Ash had snapped a picture of her just as she’d glanced back laughing. It was the only picture I had of her. I’d had it printed and framed so I could keep it by my bed. Some nights staring at it was the only thing that kept me going. I slipped my phone into my pocket. I had my note and my picture. It would have to get me through the next few days.
    When I got to the bottom of the steps, Ethan was standing in the foyer talking to my dad. His eyes met mine and something felt off. There was something I was missing.
    “Ethan?”
    He shuffled his feet, “Hey Sawyer I, uh, forgot you were heading out today.”
    I hadn’t been to a field party, or anywhere else for that matter, since Lana left me. “Yeah, practice is starting up.”
    “I came by to ask you something but it can wait until you get back.”
    “You’re here now, might as well ask.” God help him if he asked me if Lana was available. I’d break his damn neck.
    “Uh, it’s about Lana,” he began.
    I looked over at my dad, “Can you give us a sec, Dad?”
    Frowning, my father nodded and grabbed one of my bags and before heading outside.
    “What about Lana?” I asked, making sure he heard the warning in my words.
    Ethan sighed, “Not sure how to ask this,” he began.
    “I’d choose my words