Free Under the Lights by Abbi Glines

A simple, easy friendship I no longer knew. I wanted it back. Being with her hadn’t just been easy, it had made me feel good. It still did. My chest felt lighter, and I looked forward to being around her. No one calmed me and excited me at the same time the way Willa did.
    I took a long swig of my coffee and let it burn my throat on the way down before starting my truck and making my way to Ms. Ames’s house the long way in case anyone was watching.
    Willa was outside at the end of her driveway, with the brown backpack she carried on one shoulder and a bottle of water in her other hand. Her blond hair was dancing in the breeze as the early morning sun illuminated her. She really was gorgeous. It sucked that I needed her friendship too much to ruin it by getting to put my hands on her.
    I stopped beside her and watched as she climbed inside and looked at my uneaten muffin and three slices of bacon on the napkin on my seat. Her hand reached out, and she snatched a slice, then took a bite before smiling at me. “Next time get her to give you more. She expects me to eat cereal since she leaves so early.”
    I’d keep that in mind. “You can have the muffin. I’ve already eaten one of them. But leave me the rest of the bacon.”
    She took a muffin and began eating like she was starving. I wasn’t sure a girl had ever eaten like that in front of me. Most didn’t eat in front of me at all, or in front of any guys for that matter.
    â€œMs. Ames starving you this week?” I asked, amused.
    She nodded, then smiled. “I have a high metabolism, and I require food.”
    â€œSomeone needs to tell your nonna then. She should be sending you off with more than cereal for breakfast.”
    She shrugged. “Why would I do that if I have you tosmuggle it out to me from the big house? Y’all get the good stuff.”
    I knew she meant the more expensive meals. My mother required uppity healthy shit that cost money and was bought at that organic grocery in Franklin. “Fine. I’ll keep you fed. But you owe me. I’ll collect when the time is right.”
    She laughed, and although it didn’t fully touch her eyes, it was definitely a laugh. Something I wanted to hear more of. Willa had a really good laugh.

I Don’t Drink Alcohol
CHAPTER 15
    BRADY
    Taking Ivy to Asa’s birthday party didn’t help how she viewed our relationship. It also didn’t give me the opportunity to spend time with Willa. Who had shown up with Gunner. Not that they had stayed together. Gunner had taken off to the woods with Serena a few minutes ago, and Willa was currently talking to Maggie and West. Maggie appeared to like Willa, as did the birthday boy, who kept moving toward her wherever she went. Damn horny-ass Asa.
    Maybe I could get Maggie to invite Willa over so I could have time alone with her that Gunner couldn’t interrupt. He said he wanted friendship. I didn’t believe him, but Ithink he thought that was all he wanted. He just didn’t realize yet he wanted Willa like I did. I was just ready to face it. I was interested in getting to know the girl she’d become. When we were kids, I’d had a crush on her simply because she was different. Most girls I knew wouldn’t get dirty playing ball or go looking for lizards. She’d been fascinating to me as a kid. Now that she was all grown up, she was still different but beautiful. Willa was like this untouched flower that everyone wanted to see and get close to.
    â€œI want another beer,” Ivy said as she looped her arm through mine and held on to me like she needed me in order to stand up. She had drunk two Dixie cups full of the beer that we had sitting in a keg on the back of Nash’s truck. She was maybe 110 pounds soaking wet. She didn’t need another cup of beer. Soon she’d be vomiting on my feet and gross shit like that. I wasn’t taking her home trashed.
    â€œYou’ve had