Letting You Go (Stone Lake 1)

“Just a bunch of my friends.”

“Like Luna Marshall?” I press.

“Maybe. Why in the hell do you care?”

“She’s out of your league. You try to tangle with her and you’re asking for trouble,” I warn him.

“Is that why you haven’t made a move?”

“Don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lie, flopping down on the bed, opening the top of the old zippo lighter I carry around. I strike it, watch the flame, shut it, and then repeat the motion.

“Liar. You’ve had a hard-on for Luna since day one. You’re just too much of a pussy to do anything about it.”

“You should be glad I haven’t.”

“What does that mean?”

“Exactly what I said, little brother. If I made my move on Luna, you wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“In your dreams. Luna Marshall doesn’t want anything to do with you.”

“Maybe I’ll show up at your party and prove you’re a liar.”

“You show up tonight, Luna won’t have a thing to do with you,” he says. He doesn’t look at me, instead he stuffs the rest of his junk in the bag and heads to the window.

He might not be looking at me, but I’m keeping my eyes on him, and I can see the fear and nervousness that moves over his face. He’s worried. He’d rather kill me than have me show up at the campground tonight.

I really shouldn’t. It’s stupid. I actually agree with Atticus. Luna Marshall is way out of my league too. I don’t want her hooking up with my brother though. Luna might not be meant for me, and I’ve come to terms with that. I can live with it.

I don’t think I could live with the fact she hooked up with my brother.

I don’t care if that does make me a dick.

As the window slams and Atticus disappears down the willow tree, there’s a voice in my head warning me not to do something stupid.

I ignore it.

Chapter Four

Luna

It was a mistake.

A big one.

I look around at all of my friends sitting around the fire, laughing and drinking, having fun, while I mainly want to leave. Jules is wasted and sitting in some guy’s lap. I’ve seen him before, but I don’t really know him, and I don’t think Jules does either. If I had my own vehicle, I’d hit the road now. Heck, if I had my license, I’d take Jules’ car. That’s how desperate I am. I’m not having fun, and I keep looking at the road, scared my parents will show up at any moment.

Okay, I realize I’m a goody-two shoes. I do, but, that’s just who I am. I like pleasing my parents. They’re good to me. I like cheerleading and making good grades. I enjoy being hopelessly boring. The only time I’ve ever wanted to take a chance and color outside the lines, to be wild… was when I saw Gavin.

Gavin makes me feel reckless. He makes me want to be something else—someone else. He makes me want to throw caution to the wind and enjoy every minute of it. Gavin might be worth it. I’d risk having my parents show up in the middle of the night, mad, yelling at me, and grounding me for the rest of my life for Gavin.

Not for this.

“Here ya’ go, Luna,” Atticus says, coming to sit beside me and handing me a beer.

I don’t drink. Jules and I had some wine coolers a couple of times when her parents were out of town. It was fruity and I liked them. They were also purple, which is my favorite color. Beer tastes gross. I’m pretty sure my dog could pee in a beer and it wouldn’t change the taste at all. Still, I take it with a fake half-smile.

“Thanks, Attie.”

“It’s a good night, right?”

“Yeah.”

“It doesn’t sound like you’re having fun,” he says.

“I am. Just a little worried about my parents, I guess.”

“Parents are a drag.”

“Mine aren’t. Not really. They’re cool, which is probably why I don’t like lying to them.”

“Relax. It’s not like they’ll find out. You and Jules already called them, right? And she called hers?”

“Well, yeah. But I keep worrying. Like, what if one of my parents or Jules’s is in an accident? What if the house catches on fire? So, they try to find us and discover we lied. My father could have a heart attack or something. My mom would be a worried mess, and then she’d know I wasn’t where I said I was, and she’d panic while already being upset…”

“You’re a freak, Luna. Breathe. None of that’s going to happen,” he reassures.

“Yeah, probably not,” I tell him. “But that doesn’t make me forget the possibility is there.”

“At least your parents care about you. My father won’t even notice I’m gone and wouldn’t for days, if then.”

“Of course, he would.”

“No. I don’t have your kind of life, Luna. Dad barely talks to me. He’s drinking from the time I get home from school until he passes out. I don’t know how he manages to keep his job at the garage. Old Mr. Gilroy threatens to fire him at least once a week. He just never follows through.”