Chasing Castles (Finding Focus #2) by Jiffy Kate Read Free Book Online Page A

has dwindled down with only those that are drunk remaining. It’s not as loud as it was earlier, but there’s still the occasional sound of laughter ringing across the yard. Stacey’s brother picked her up a few minutes ago, so I’ve been wandering around, moving from group to group, socializing more than I normally do. Boone’s Farm will do that to you, I guess. I finished my first bottle about an hour ago, but there’s another one still in the bathroom in case I need it.
    I’ve seen Deacon from time to time being the usual life of the party. He seems to handle his liquor well, even though I know he’s pretty drunk right now. The opposite is true for our brothers, though.
    They decided to forget about the bet and go ahead and strip for everyone. Tucker claimed it was a “win-win” for everyone before he and Micah started strutting around the fire. They eventually realized they were putting their manhood at risk of being burned to a crisp and declared it was more important to protect their “goods” than to show them off. They’re now both passed out on the porch swings, wearing each other’s underwear because they were too drunk to tell which pair was which.
    A high-pitched giggle carries across the lawn, and when I see that it’s Lacy Monroe, the girl Deacon took to prom, my stomach twists.
    I’d heard that she’s been crushing on Deacon pretty hard all summer, but if they’ve been dating, I’ve seen no evidence of it. Of course, Deacon could be dating her and not telling me about it, but I’d like to think he wouldn’t keep something like that from me, even though it’d hurt like hell to hear it.
    I watch the two of them interact, and I don’t know how to feel.
    Deacon doesn’t seem to be very interested, but he’s not pushing her away either. She keeps touching him, and it’s making me want to claw her face off. Her hands are in his hair and on his chest, and I swear I’ll lose my shit if she touches his ass. His resolve is crumbling; I can see it. I have to act fast. I run into the house and straight for the guest bathroom. Thankfully, it’s empty, so I go inside and pull out my second bottle of Strawberry Hill. This time, before leaving, I don’t just fluff my hair. I also pinch my cheeks, lick my lips, and pull the neck of my shirt down a bit to reveal a little bit of cleavage.
    I don’t care anymore if someone sees me drinking or what they might think or say. I only care about one thing: getting Deacon away from that skank.
    When I find them again, they’re still playing the same game. Lacy is trying to lure him away from the party and Deacon’s trying to placate her, not wanting to hurt her feelings. He’s too nice. He needs to tell her to back the hell off before I do it. She grabs his hand and tries to pull him toward the cottages, but he doesn’t budge. Even after being turned down, she doesn’t give up. Instead, she giggles and tries to tickle his side. She calls him “silly”, but really, she’s the silly one. If she knew anything about him, she’d know he’s only ticklish on the bottoms of his feet.
    Why do girls act like this just because of a boy? I want to scream at her to have some dignity before I remember how I’ve been sneaking cheap wine from a bathroom all night.
    Deciding enough is enough, I call out to Deacon. “Hey, Deke! Can you come over here for a second?”
    He looks over at me and his eyes go wide briefly before he notices the bottle in my hand. “Sure, Cami. Whatcha need?”
    Shit, what do I say? “You, inside me” always works in the romance novels I read, but I have a feeling Deacon would have a stroke if I said that. Against my better judgment, I say the first thing that pops into my mind.
    Okay, the second thing.
    “Can you open this bottle for me? Apparently, booze makes me weak.”
    He walks over to me, and I can tell he’s trying not to look at my boobs. He frowns when I hand him the bottle. “Have you been drinkin’ this shit all