Under the Dusty Sky (Holloway Farms)

now. Normally, I’d be all over D, but as I pass him and he smiles, I can only think of Ben.
    I find my dad, who’s still talking to the librarian.
    “ Can we go, Dad?” I don’t even try to mask my tone. He frowns.
    “ You okay, Bug?”
    I nod. “Just tired. All the dancing.”
    “ Hi Graceland. It’s so nice to see you outside of school like this,” Ms. Trimble says, and I force a smile. I see her every year at this. But whatever. I’m too frustrated to be a smart ass.
    “ You too.” It comes out short, and Dad’s frown deepens. “I’ll be waiting in the truck.”
    I lay across the bench seat and watch the stars out the window until I fade into a dreamless sleep, barely noticing when Dad pulls me out and puts me in the back with Asher, I think, who brushes my hair off my face and lets me use his lap and jacket for a pillow.
    I hate how fast Asher is taking over Hunter’s role as responsible big brother. I hate how fast things are changing. But right now, everything is just too fuzzy. Another jacket is thrown over my body, and I curl into Asher as the truck begins to move.
    ***
    When I wake up, it’s still dark but I’m in my room. Under my covers with my dress still on. I pull it over my head and throw it across the room. Little good it did me.
    ***
    The boys let me sleep in Sunday morning, and when I wake up to the sun blazing through my window, my heart almost crawls out of my mouth. I sit straight up with that feeling that I’ve missed the bus for school. I scramble out of bed and throw on shorts and a tank over the underwear I slept in. My bare feet slap loudly on the wooden stairs as I fly down them. I push into a full run and stop dead when I enter the kitchen and there are five men and Emma sitting around our huge table.
    “ What’s the hurry, Bug?” Daddy laughs.
    “ Why didn’t anyone wake me up? Why didn’t my alarm go off?” And by alarm I mostly mean the twins banging on my door until I get up.
    “ We thought we’d let you sleep in. We each did a chore for you. I thought it might be nice for you to get a vacation, so you are excused from chores until your birthday. I suggest you make the most of it. It’s only because this is a special birthday, and you should have fun with your friends and hang out...or whatever it is you girls do,” Daddy says, and I throw my arms around him before leaning forward and stealing a strip of bacon off his plate.
    “ Just so ya know, this was not my idea.” Asher shoves a fork full of eggs into his mouth. The kind caring Asher from last night is gone, and this is the guy I’m used to.
    “ I love you, too, brother. So, where did you disappear to last night with my best friend , because that wasn’t my idea.” I stick out my tongue at him. I know the two things have no direct connection but watching his face get red is worth it.
    “ I, we, she—” Asher stutters as Dad’s eyes narrow in on him. Dad’s hard on my brothers about treatment of women and how, if they ever knock up some girl, they’ll be paying out the nose in time and money for it. But Daddy’s pretty young, so I kind of suspect that’s how Hunter happened.
    “ Uh, uh, uh…shut up.” I mock Asher.
    “ Graceland!” Hunter’s the one who speaks this time. Emma laughs and takes Bentley’s arm with the hand that isn’t planted on Hunter.
    “ You get used to it.” She winks at him, and he smiles, taking a sip of his coffee.
    I fill my plate and hop up onto the counter, as all the chairs are taken. I curl my legs up and hold my plate while shoveling food into my mouth. I notice Bentley watching me.
    “ What?” I say, mouth full. I’m still pissed at him, and it doesn’t help when he laughs at me.
    “ You up for working on the car today? The sooner we get it fixed, the sooner you can be driving.” He has on his neutral face, and I hate it more and more every time I see it. I can’t read it. I can’t tell if he just wants to get it done so he doesn’t have to spend time with me or if he still wants to help me. Genuinely. Post almost-kiss.
    Oh my god, am I analyzing?
    I push every feeling I have aside and shrug my shoulders. “Sure, why not.”
    Jumping off the counter, I give him one more quick, close-mouthed smile and head back to my room.
    This will give me a chance to do one of two things.
    Get my plan back on track and get my perfect memory.
    Or get back that piece of my heart he walked away with last night.

CHAPTER 13
    Graceland
    I wear surf shorts