“Jess, how much did you drink?” Grant sighed as Jessica began vomiting on the grass.
“I didn’t know what it was,” Jessica cried. “I didn’t know it would make me sick! I didn’t mean to get drunk!”
“It’s okay,” Grant said, tending to Jessica so lovingly that Hailey could not help but take notice of the ease with which he took over the situation and the demeanor of total confidence that he exuded so naturally. “You’re gonna be fine, Rockstar!” he smiled.
“Have you ever been drunk?” Jessica blurted.
“Loss of control is not my thing…not something I sacrifice easily; it’s overrated,” Grant replied, and Hailey made a mental note of his lack of an actual answer.
Jessica stared up at Grant. “Grant, you’re so pretty,” she mused.
Hailey rolled her eyes. “Jessica you are makin’ a fool of yourself,” she sighed. “The drunk, puking girl look is not a good one.”
“I must look a mess,” Jessica cried.
“Yes,” Hailey nodded.
“I’m sorry,” Jessica sobbed.
“You’ll be fine,” Grant laughed easily.
Hailey looked around at the vehicles parked in the field. “I, however, will not be fine if we get caught here!” she exclaimed, “Grant, I’m giving you permission to hotwire a car,” she sighed, not sure as she said it if she was joking or not. “Any car…take your pick.”
“I doubt we should add grand theft auto to the list of charges just yet,” Grant said as he looked around. “Look, those girls are leaving,” he pointed. “Let’s get a ride.”
“I met those two chicks earlier,” Jessica lamented. “Remember them, Emily? Gosh, such snobs! They’ve probably already made out with every guy here, and now they’re on their way to search for fresh meat in Memphis.”
Hailey shoved Grant. “What are you waiting for? They have a car; we need a car! You heard her…they like hot guys! Take your shirt off and make nice!” she insisted.
“What?” Grant laughed.
“Do it,” Hailey pointed, fixing his hair with one hand. “Go…get us a ride…do whatever you have to. I have to get out of here!”
“You are so darn cute when you’re freakin’ crazy,” Grant smiled.
“Can’t you see I’m panicking here?” Hailey fretted.
“Yes…I can see that,” Grant grinned calmly.
“There’s Dad! There’s Dad!” Jessica jumped as she pointed.
“Get down! Get down!” Grant said as he hit the grass, pulling her down beside him.
“My life is over,” Hailey gasped as she hid behind the tire of a red Chevy.
“My knees are getting dirty,” Jessica whined.
“You have bigger problems right now,” Hailey rolled her eyes.
Grant watched Jack as he walked back into the barn and the kids breathed a sign of relief. He looked around at the girls. “It’s less than two miles from here to Misty’s house,” he relayed. “We’re making a run for the truck!”
“Two miles?” Emily gasped.
“In these shoes?” Jessica exclaimed.
“Suck it up,” Hailey insisted.
“This was the worse party ever!” Jessica sighed as Grant pulled her to her feet!
When Grant and the girls got home, Jack’s truck wasn’t in the driveway. They hurried inside, Hailey still pulling her sweatshirt over her head.
Nora stopped pacing the living room floor when she heard the kids running up the front porch steps. “Kids!” she exclaimed as she bounded toward the opening door. “Where have you been? Jack is furious! He caught a couple players at the Harper place! Misty said y’all fell asleep at her house watching a movie, but…” Nora sniffed an odd mixture of alcohol, sweat and cigarette smoke. “Why do I smell beer?” she gulped, staring at Grant.
“I wasn’t drinking,” Grant insisted casually.
“Well, I’m drunk!” Jessica announced.
“Something got spilled all over my shirt,” Hailey blurted, raising her sweatshirt.
“Breathe!” Nora demanded, staring at Grant, and Grant did so, praying that the minimal sips of spiked punch he had consumed were more than sufficiently masked by the bag of sour cream and onion potato chips he had scarfed down on the way home.
Nora looked at Jessica. “What did you say?” she shook her head, the words just now registering. “Emily, why are you out of breath, Darlin’?” Nora asked, beginning to get nervous.
“They made us run two miles,” Emily gulped.
“Then Grant drove like ninety miles an hour trying to beat Daddy home,” Jessica added as she stumbled into him.
