19. Skylar
“Just one more, Mav,” I moan, my head laying on the bar.
“Nah, Sky. You’re drunk, go home and sleep it off.”
“But I don’t wanna!” I stick my bottom lip out in a pout, but I don’t think he cares.
“C’mon, you and Leslie are plastered. I could lose my license if I keep serving you two… Colt, can you take them home?”
“Yeah, I got them. C’mon girls, let’s get those sexy asses home.” Colt slaps my ass, earning himself a glare. “Oh, you don’t scare me when you’re this drunk, Skysky.”
“I don’t wanna go home with you… Where’s Tucker? I wanna see Tucker.”
I’m a total child when I”m drunk. I’ll do anything to get my way and normally make a fool out of myself doing it.
“We’ll go see Tuck, let’s take Leslie home first.” His voice softens, a gentle hand is placed on my lower back and I lean into Colt.
“You’re a good friend, Coltie.”
I sway a little too far to the side and almost faceplant. Colt grabs me just in time. He lets out a chuckle and shakes his head.
“Alright, Skysky, I see this is gonna be like old times.” He squats down in front of me, glancing over his shoulder when I don’t move. “Well, let’s go, climb on. You can piggyback like you used to.”
Somehow Colt’s able to carry me while still leading Leslie to the car and saving her from falling several times. I”m surprised he hasn’t picked her up fireman style and carried both of us by now.
“You still have this thing?” I howl with laughter when we get to his beat-up pickup truck. He got it when he turned sixteen, after working for years to save money for it.
“Hey, there! Don’t be hating on Bessy. She’s a good woman, treats me well. I”m never getting rid of her; Tuck fixes her the second there’s an issue. Bessy and I are in it for the long haul.”
He opens the passenger door, backing up against the seat so my butt lands softly. He helps Leslie in and buckles her up before closing the door and hopping in his seat.
“Now, Skysky, there’s no seatbelt for this center seat. So… deal with this.” He wraps an arm around my shoulders, yanking me into his side. “Safety first and shit.” He smirks down at me, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead just like he used to do in high school.
When we get to Leslie’s, Colt slides out and helps her into her house. I scoot over to the passenger seat, but after Colt climbs back in, he shakes his head with a chuckle and tugs me back to the center. His arm is around me and another kiss is placed on my forehead.
“I don’t trust you to not hop out while I”m driving, darling. I learned that lesson long ago.”
I was an only child, but Colt has always felt like an older brother to me. He protected me when I needed it, let me take things out on him when I needed to let off steam, and was by my side no matter what trouble I got into. My brows scrunch together, my drunken haze somehow making things clearer.
“I missed you, Colt. I never shoulda left.”
I stare up at him, seeing double… or maybe triple. I don’t know, counting is hard right now. I try to blink it away, but it doesn’t work. His brows form a deep v when he glances down at me before turning his attention back to the road.
“Why’d you leave, Skylar? What happened?”
“Uh oh, Skylar? I must be in trouble.” I roll my eyes, making myself dizzy. I sway in my seat as Colt tightens his grip on me without even glancing my way.
“Let me in. Once upon a time you told me everything, I miss that.”
I swallow the lump in my throat, trying to keep the tears at bay.
“The loss was too big. After it happened, I couldn’t stand the way Tucker looked at me. The sad smile and lingering looks. He kept trying to make me feel better, comfort me, but I didn’t wanna feel broken anymore. I needed to handle my loss in my own way.”
“What’d you lose, darling?”
“My entire future.” I choke out right as we pull up to Tucker’s house.
I jump out before the truck comes to a complete stop. Colt lets out a string of curses as he struggles to turn off the engine. He’s out of the truck and racing after me, but he isn”t fast enough.
My fist pounds into the door incessantly until it flings open. I”m not prepared for what I find on the other side.
Tucker’s barefoot with gray sweatpants hanging low on his hips, and his gorgeous torso is bare. There’s a light dusting of chest hair over his mouth-watering muscles. I reach out a hand to run my fingers over his skin, but right before I make contact, I start vomiting all over Tucker’s front porch.