Without You (Love Wanted in Texas 1)

I got up, made my way to the kitchen, and grabbed a root beer. Not two minutes later, Luke was coming down the stairs. He looked at me, and the sadness in his eyes surprised me. I figured Libby had gone up there to talk to him, but here he was, leaving.

“Luke…dude, where are you going?”

He stopped and looked at me. “Home. I have no idea after that.” He opened the front door and left.

I stood there, stunned. I wanted to run upstairs and ask Libby what had happened, but my phone rang. I looked down to see Grace was calling me.

“Hello?” All I could hear was commotion. “Hello? Grace! Can you hear me?”

“Will!” she screamed.

I dropped the root beer and held on to the counter. Something happened. Lex is hurt. Oh God, please let her be okay.

“Grace…”

The front door flew open, and Luke looked at me.

“Get in my fucking truck now. Libby!” Luke yelled out.

Libby came running down the stairs. “I just got a text from Grace. Something about Lex being taken away in an ambulance?”

Luke grabbed her and said, “Go get in my truck. We’re going to Austin.”

I stood there, still on the phone with Grace. All I could hear was Grace’s muffled voice.

“Grace! Tell me what the fuck is going on.”

Grace was crying. “I found her, Will. I found her, but he was hitting her. I screamed, and…oh God, Will. Blake was about to…he had Alex. Oh God! He was trying to…when we walked into the room, he was hitting her while she was trying to fight him off. I think he might have given her something. Will…I’m so sorry I didn’t keep an eye on her. We’re on the way to Brackenridge Hospital.”

“I’m on my way.” I ran out the door and jumped into Luke’s truck.

He took off like a bolt of lightning. The only things I could hear were Libby crying in t

he backseat and Lex’s voice repeating over and over in my head.

I love you, Will.

A Few Hours Earlier

Chrissie walked up and handed me a bottle of Bud Light. “I’m going to miss you, Alex!” she yelled over the music.

Chrissie and I had been lab partners in chemistry class. She was a sweet girl, but she was hell-bent on getting into some sorority. She still was crushing on Blake pretty hard as well.

“I’m going to miss you, too!” I yelled back.

We were at Chrissie’s brother’s house. The party was mostly frat guys and sorority girls, but Chrissie had begged Grace and me to come since we wouldn’t be back next year.

I took a drink of the beer and looked around. Grace was talking to some guy who was attempting to make a move on her. She gave him that smile of hers, and I swore he was eating out of the palm of her hand.

“So, are you excited about A&M next year?” Chrissie asked.

I took another drink of my beer. I smiled and nodded my head. “I’m really excited. The fact that I get to be with Will just makes it all the more sweeter.”

Chrissie’s smile faded for a brief second as she looked around, and then she looked back at me. We talked for a bit more about our plans for this summer. I took another sip of beer, and then some guy ran smack into me, causing me to drop the bottle.

“Shit,” I mumbled.

“Damn it!” Chrissie said.