Carolina Blue

Part 10

(Lukas POV)

I watched 'Lina walk away then stared blankly at the world around me.

Rhett was leaning on the post of the porch studying me. "What's with you and that girl?"

I could tell he was thinking that we were more than friends. I knew 'Lina loved Cope though, so we were really just friends. I shrugged, "We're friends."

"You two seemed awfully cozy out here far more than friends would look." Rhett pointed out with his eyes pointedly looking at me. "And she is dating one of your friends."

"Carolina is my friend too, and I met her first." The last part spilled out before I even thought twice of it. The whiskey was starting to change my judgement.

Rhett looked at me knowing my reputation of girls from the past, "So you two had a fling."

I shook my head before I let out sternly, "No, nothing like that, we met last summer at a rodeo."

Rhett all of sudden had a look on his face, like something finally clicked, "Wait is she the girl..."

He didn't have to finish. Rhett didn't know the whole story about the night I saved 'Lina from being assaulted. Just thinking about someone hurting her made my blood boil, I could feel my own hands start to clench into fists thinking of how my fists slammed into his face over and over again sending him a message. All Rhett knew was there was a guy I punched that night to help save a girl from a drunken guy. Typically Rhett and I always celebrated after each rodeo, sometimes with me bringing that night's girl along. That night though, although I won the ride, I was more concerned with saving Carolina than anyone else.

I nodded, "Yeah.."

Like all of sudden everything made sense to Rhett, "Oh that makes sense why you two seem close. You have that whole hero thing with her. Still is a little suspicious with you two out here sharing a bottle of jack close together and all, with her boyfriend right over there." He nodded his direction towards the garage, while keeping his eyes on me.

I rolled my eyes beginning to get annoyed with Rhett's accusations. "We're friends Rhett, and I was comforting her. If you must know, tomorrow mark's the one year mark from when it happened last year."

Rhett still looking like he didn't believe that was the whole story, "Yeah, but you have never seemed to care for any girl like this before. You like her don't ya?"

I looked Rhett in the eye and replied, "I like her as a friend, yes."

Rhett smirked, "Keep tellin' yourself that man," He added a slap on my back at the end.

"Whatever, let's go back inside."

I could tell the whole rest of the night Rhett kept studying me and 'Lina trying to figure out the two of us. Her and Cope were laughing over something, but I could tell she had a twang of anxiety still in her eyes.

(Carolina's POV)

Sometime after midnight, we decided to all head home. I knew Lukas offered I could stay here and Cope could too, but I knew my mama would not like if I didn't turn up at home.

As Cope drove me home he held my hand. He then looked at me like finally catching a glimpse of the sadness that felt like it would burst from me any second. "Are you okay?"

I held back the tears that were threatening to spill. It wouldn't have been the first time Cope had seen me cry, but I knew if I started I wouldn't be able to stop.

I smiled a tight smile, almost grimace like, and said, "I will be just tired." Adding a squeeze to Cope's hand.

Cope I could see was having an internal war with himself on whether to push it or not, luckily his tiredness must've won the fight. He nodded, "If you ever need anything you know I'm here right?"