Free Under the Lights by Abbi Glines Page A

plenty. Grab a bottle of water out of the cooler. Or a diet soda or something.” Anything but more beer.
    She pouted, and her lips stuck out in an annoying way. I never really liked the pouty-lip thing. It was meant to manipulate, and that got on my nerves. I didn’t want to be manipulated. “You’ll puke, then pass out, and I’ll be left to explain all that to your parents when I take you home.”
    Sighing dramatically, she glanced over at Ginger, one ofthe girls on the cheerleading squad, who was snuggled up to Ryker Lee. Ginger had been after him for weeks. He’d finally given her a notice tonight.
    â€œHe’s no fun,” she whined. “Come on, Ginger. Let’s go dance!” she exclaimed, already too tipsy.
    Ginger wiggled her body against Ryker. “Want to dance with me?”
    He winked at her and nodded his head in the direction of the music someone had blaring on their Beats Pill. “Go on, and I’ll watch.”
    Ginger beamed at him, excited about being able to show off. “M’kay,” she replied, and sauntered off, swaying her hips like she knew she was being watched.
    â€œDayum girl’s begging for it,” Ryker drawled.
    I chuckled. “Seems that way.”
    Ryker shook his head, then turned his attention toward Willa, who was now standing up from the log she’d been sitting on while talking to West and Maggie. She looked like she might be about to go somewhere. As much as I’d like to make sure she didn’t want Gunner, I also didn’t want her going looking for him and seeing him and Serena going at it.
    â€œYou enjoy your view,” I told him. “I’m gonna go check on something.”
    Ryker laughed. “Sure you are. I’d check on that too.”
    I didn’t respond or look back at him. He knew where I was headed, and he also didn’t blame me. I could see it in his eyes when he looked Willa’s way. She was beautiful, but there were several beautiful girls in Lawton. It was the fact she was new. They all were attracted to the newness of her. A girl they hadn’t made out with or wanted to since they were in junior high.
    Willa was a fantasy they hadn’t worn out yet. She also had an air of mystery around her that appealed to guys. We wanted to get past her barriers. See her smile. Gunner could never be the guy she needed. Willa seemed fragile now. Gunner was terrible with fragile. He’d break her too easily. I could keep her safe and make her smile again.
    Willa was walking away from my cousin and West when I walked up to her. She had made her getaway and was headed for the woods behind the clearing. Through the woods was where all the cars were parked. Which meant that was where she would find Gunner’s truck and Gunner in a probably compromising situation.
    â€œWilla,” I called out, and she stopped, then turned around.
    She was dressed warm for the chilly late-fall evening, unlike the other girls here, wearing jeans and a dark blue hoodie. Willa hadn’t come to draw attention to herself. “Hey,” she replied with a small smile.
    â€œYou leaving?” I asked, hoping that wasn’t what shewanted to do, because her ride was definitely busy.
    â€œUh, well, it’s late, and I’m tired. I saw Gunner head back here earlier, and I was hoping I could find him and see if he’d mind giving me a ride back to Nonna’s.”
    Uh, yeah. Bad idea.
    â€œI could use some company. It’ll be hard to find him out there, and he did take Serena with him. Might not want to walk up on that,” I said with an apologetic smile.
    Her eyes widened like she hadn’t thought of that.
    â€œOh, yeah. No I don’t.”
    I could take her home, but that would mean leaving Ivy to get hammered on her own. I’d picked her up at her house, and her dad had met me at the door. Made me promise to take care of her and have her home on time. I couldn’t