I smiled as I pulled up to the creek, parking beside Bronson and shutting the car off.
I didn't get out right away, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and opened the text message Lanie had sent me on my way here.
*McKenzie's at the creek. She's all over some hot cowboy. Looks familiar, don't flip a lid.*
I sighed, getting out of the truck and tossing my phone to Bronson as soon as he saw me.
I climbed up the first step of his the passenger side of the huge red Chevy Duramax he drove and opened the cooler, smiling when I saw the bottle of Boone's farm.
I grabbed a solo cup from the glove compartment and filled my cup half way, taking a drink before I even stepped off the ladder.
"C'mon Mac, don't let her rain on yer parade. it's supposed to be a fun night." He said, finishing off te beer in his hand and slipping my phone in his pocket.
I sighed, drinking again. "Momma asked about you. She said she was concerned because you ain't been on our couch when she woke up for a whole week."
Bronson smiled. My mom was super close to most of my friends, Bronson especially. My mom, Bronson's mom (Jean), and Lanie's mom ( Laura) had all been best friends in high school.
Now the three of us were inseparable, especially me and Bronson.
"Tell her when she makes brownies I'll be over." He said, taking a beer from Lanie as she approached.
"So, where is the slut?" I asked, taking another drink of the sweet, blue liquid in my cup.
"Well, she may or may not be standing just to the right of my head on the other side of the creek with her hand on the bull rider from last night's arm." Lanie said, giving my outfit an appraising look.
I nearly choked on my drink as I heard her.
I stood, looking at her for seconds before I finally looked at the scene in front of me.
McKenzie Donovan was laughing hysterically at Bullet with her hand on his arm as she leaned against the tire of a black Ford Powerstroke.
I could feel the jealousy coming up in my throat as I looked back at my friends.
"Look, you said you didn't like him. Let it go." Lanie said, shrugging her shoulders.
I huffed. I didn't like him. Not like that. I was determined to have a good time tonight. Not just for me but for my friends as well.
"Here, Lanie, take a picture of me and Bron." I said, handing her my iPhone and wrapping an arm around Bronson's waist.
He slung his arm around my shoulders and we smiled as Lanie snapped the picture and then switched places with Bronson.
We side hugged and smiled as he took the picture.
Usually, after a creek party or a bonfire, we would wake up with 50 pictured or more from the night before of us doing just about anything. It got worse if we were super plastered.
"Slut." Bronson said under his breath, shaking his head as he looked across the creek.
I furrowed my brow as I followed his gaze and saw McKenzie grinding on Bullet completely out of rhythm to the music.
I sighed and leaned against the tire of Bronson's truck, feeling the vibrations the radio put out as the bass came through the speakers.
"Lilly and Josh are on their way, Shelbie and Briar are about to head this way." Lanie said, scrolling on her phone.
We stood around talking for several minutes before Shelbie and Briar pulled up, getting out and joining us as we all laughed and joked.
"Hold up! Ain't that McKenzie Donovan rubbin' her slut self all over that rider from the rodeo last night?!" Shelbie exclaimed as she took the cup of Boone's Farm I offered her.
I shook my head, running a hand through my hair and sighing.
"I would have already beat that girl 'till she was a rock at the bottom of this creek bed. You got somethin' I ain't got." She said, shaking her head as she took big gulp of the drink.
I laughed once, not replying other than that.
Luke Bryan began bouncing through the speakers with "Country Girl" about to start banging.
I smiled at Lanie as I handed my cup to Bronson, running to the back of the truck and using the tire to hoist myself up, grabbing onto the PBC pipe that held the rebel flag that had been in the back of Bronson's truck since I put it there my sophomore year.
I ran through the bed, Lanie following as we climbed up onto the bonnet and slid down the wind shield just in time as that deep, amazing voice began busting through the speakers.
I smiled at Lanie as Bronson turned the music up and Shelbie joined us on the hood. I knew Bronson and Briar would be taking so many pictures we'd never get past them but that just made it better as we began stomping and dancing to the beat of the music.
I smiled as we all three put our hands in our belt loops and did a turn around, jumping as our boots banged against the thick metal of the hood.
We danced and danced, our hands up and everyone yelling. We laughed and laughed as we got lower and then came back up, jumping and clapping when we landed, banging once more.
As the song began to come to an end we began to slow down, laughing again and not caring what anyone was saying. We were having fun and that was all that mattered to us.
We were still laughing when the song ended and everyone clapped and cheered. We all looked at each other and laughed again as I slid down onto the front bumper and turned around, reaching for Bronson as he helped he down from the hood.
He set my feet on the ground and I looked up at him, our eyes meeting. He didn't move his hands from my waist and I didn't move mine from his shoulders as we stood there, looking at each other.
"Dance baby." Clapping and a familiar voice snapped us out of the trance.
I turned to see Bullet, with McKenzie trailing after him.
