Hometown Girls: Beginnings (Hometown Girls Series Book 1) by Tressa Messenger

first, but he was right. It didn’t burn as bad and quickly she was beginning to feel the effects. She felt exuberated and sexy, like she could take on the world.
    “So, like, love is crazy, right? Everyone wants to love, but no one knows how to. Oh, except for me. I definitely know how to,” Marissa Lou rambled on a few minutes later, in a serious tone.  “Isn’t that right R-Dogg.”
    Randy and Ian looked at each other and laughed.
    “M-Dogg, you may be tore up, but you are right,” Ian said still laughing.
    Randy finished his beer and grabbed her hand. “All right, Professor Aphrodite, we gotta go if we’re going to make that dinner before it’s over.”
    “Oh shoot, Katie’s dinner.”
    Marissa Lou put down her bottle of beer and stood up quickly and before Randy could say anything else, she grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the trailer and into his truck.
    Sliding to the passenger side she turned to him with a serious look on her face and said, “Do you think they’ll be mad?”
    “For what?”
    “For being late.”
    “Shh, don’t think about that, you’ll ruin your buzz. You’ll be fine. Just relax. I’ll make an excuse for us.”
    “‘Kay,” she said smiling then turned to him again with another serious look. “Do you think they’ll know what we were doing tonight?”
    “Nah, we’ll keep it as our little secret.”
    “‘Kay,” she said smiling again.
    The restaurant wasn’t very far away, but by the time they got there, the group already had their food.
    “Hey y’all, sorry we’re late,” Marissa Lou said when she reached the table. The group looked up at the sound of her voice and stared between her and Randy.
    “Oh, Maris, you made it,” Katie said standing and giving her a hug.
    “I know, umm,” Marissa Lou began before Randy cut her off.
    “It was my fault. I wanted her alone for a few minutes before coming here. I couldn’t help myself. You know how it is,” Randy continued for her then looked at Daniel with a victorious grin and a wink.
    “Unbelievable,” Daniel said with an annoyed chuckle and turned his back to the couple.
    “Here, have a seat,” Becca said to them patting the chair beside her, and thankfully at the opposite end of the table from Katie and Daniel.
    “Shoot, y’all are already eating,” Marissa Lou said with a pout.
    “Oh, we weren’t sure you were coming,” Katie said apologetically.
    “That’s okay, I’m not really that hungry. Are you?” Marissa Lou asked Randy.
    “Nope, I’m good,” Randy said picking up a hush puppy and taking a bite. “I could use a drink though.” He waved down the waitress and ordered them both a sweet tea before devouring another hush puppy.
    “I’m really glad you could all come,” Katie said with lingering glances at Daniel and Marissa Lou.
    “Here, here,” Becca said holding up her glass. “Let’s toast.”
    “What should we toast to?” Jess asked curiously. She was smiling so wide you’d think it were her birthday.
    “To friends,” Marissa Lou answered and held her glass high then looked at the others, waiting for more.
    “To good food,” Becca followed.
    “To Katie,” Jess said smiling affectionately at her friend.
    “To the future and whatever may come of it,” Daniel said looking up at Marissa Lou then quickly turned to look at Katie. It was a look Randy didn’t miss.
    “To great sex,” Randy retorted.
    “Man, what the hell is your problem?” Daniel said glaring at Randy.
    “What?” he asked innocently.
    “Have some respect, will ya?”
    “To us all,” Katie said feeling the need to stop the boy’s pissing contest. “I ahh, really wanted you all here to celebrate this day with me because I love you all so much,” she continued, pausing briefly to look each person in attendance in the eye, except for Randy. “We knew at the start of the school year that things were going to change. We are seniors and some of us will be going away to college or starting whatever job