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With Cassie out of earshot, he muttered, “I feel kinda sorry for Griffin. He’s got himself a handful with that one.”
“He can handle her.” Kellan tossed back his beer.
“She’s a bitch. Shiloh’s the one I feel sorry for.” Getting out from under Kellan’s arm, Arien shifted her stance. “And why’d you say that?”
“Say what?”
“That I’m not going.”
Kellan drained the bottle of beer and folded his arms across his chest. “’Cause you ain’t.”
Uh-oh.
She pressed her lips together. Tanner could almost see the steam coming out of her ears. Arien looked over at him. Her hazel-green eyes locked on his, Tanner shook his head.
Her gaze returned to Kellan. “I have until the end of June to accept my award package.”
“That’s what was in that letter you got?”
“Yeah.” Her voice going soft, she stared down at her boots.
“And are you?” Gently lifting her chin with his finger, Tanner spoke just as softly.
“She ain’t.”
“I haven’t decided yet,” she admitted, chewing on her lip. “I’m so torn between…”
“You don’t need to be goin’ off to school.” Kellan’s fingers pressed into her arms. It almost sounded like he was pleading. “You can do that right here. This is where you belong, Arien. I love you.”
“We love you.”
“And I love you, but…” She looked up at the sky. “…this is just crazy. It isn’t real.”
He and Kellan exchanged a glance. After everything they’d shared with her, did she still not get it?
“Mumbo jumbo. Come on, you don’t really believe all this superstitious nonsense, do you? It’s bullshit.”
Kellan’s laugh was brisk. His pause was loaded. “Look around you, Arien. What do you see?”
Half turning, she gazed at the fire burning behind her, then slowly, her big eyes filling with tears, settled it back on them.
“There’s your answer.” He let go of her. “We take care of our own, and that includes you. Whether you believe our bullshit or not. Whether you accept our ways or not. We are your home. And you’re ours.”
Don’t do it, Kel.
But he did.
He walked away, got into his truck, and drove off.
He never came back to the party.
He wasn’t here when she and Tanner got home.
Jake had to give them a ride back to the house.
“Kellan just needs to cool off.” His fingers sweeping through her hair, Tanner softly kissed her lips. “Don’t worry, he’ll be okay.”
But will we be okay?
