Page 31 of Resisting the Fall

“How about you?” she asked.

“Yeah. Absolutely.” Why did this conversation with Maven seem so awkward? Over the last few years, she’d kind of become one of the guys. Well, clearly not a guy, but she’d been around constantly, and I’d never found it difficult to speak to her. Even when we’d found ourselves alone from time to time. “Are you and Levi doing anything after the dance?”

She shook her head. “My curfew’s eleven, so I have to go straight home.”

It took every bit of restraint within me to not smile. Or to not applaud Ms. Price on her excellent parenting.

“There you are!” Levi came strutting out of the open barn door like he owned the place, then wrapped his arm around Maven’s waist like he also owned her. A buzzing vibrated through me at the sight. “You ready to come back inside?” he asked her.

She glanced at me, and it was only then that he seemed to notice I was standing there. “Hey, Bennett.” He tugged on my tie. “You look sharp.”

If by sharp he meant I looked ready to punch him in that pretty face of his, I could see it. “Thanks, man.”

“Not that I expect you’ll look this put together by the end of the night.” He grinned. “Katie likes to end her dates up at The Ridge.”

“Make-Out Ridge?” Maven asked, her glare shooting to me like I’d been the one to suggest it.

“Yep.” Levi smirked. “Have you been?”

“Only with my mom and brother to see the view.”

Levi leaned in close. “If you want the real experience, I’d be happy to take you.”

Maven’s cheeks grew even pinker, and she glanced at me. Was she uncomfortable with his insinuation or just that I was standing here for it?

What was I talking about? It didn’t matter. There was no way Carson would be okay with this guy taking his sister to The Ridge.

“Her curfew’s eleven,” I said.

Levi’s eyes narrowed, like he was trying to make sense of my overly protective comment. “I was just teasing. Ease up.” He turned his attention back to Maven. “Ready?”

Maven drained the cup in her hand and tossed it in the garbage. “Ready.”

Levi clasped Maven’s hand in his, making my own hands fist at my sides. “Have fun with Katie tonight, Benny-boy.”

Maven met my gaze for only a second. “See you, Ben,” she said, her voice clipped.

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out before the two of them disappeared back into the barn.

For the next fifteen minutes, while also having to engage in an occasional conversation with peers coming outside to get drinks, I envisioned different scenarios where I confronted Levi. Every single one of them would unfortunately get me suspended, if not expelled with a battery charge.

“Sorry that took so long,” Katie said, making her way to where I was standing. “Brynn is a complete mess.”

“If you need to stay with her, you can.”

She gave a seductive little pout and stepped in front of me. “I’d rather be with you. In fact, I was thinking we could leave early and take a drive. Maybe head up to The Ridge?”

I stared at her. Levi hadn’t been kidding.

When I didn’t respond, she slid her hands down my arms, then intertwined her fingers with mine. “It’s such a pretty view, and I figured we could talk. You know, get to know each other a little better.”

With the way she was looking at me, that was definitely not all she had in mind.

Katie was stunning. A senior. And the head cheerleader. She was the stuff of every high school guy’s dreams. So why did I want to run in the opposite direction?

“Katie, you’re an amazing girl. It’s just that I…” I gave a hard swallow, not sure how to say what I needed to.

Katie’s fingers went stiff in mine. Then she pulled her hands free. “Are you serious right now?”