The Keeneston Roses Read Free Page B

enough to drink, but there seemed to be a lot of empty beer bottles scattered around for those few legal drinkers. Music blared from the car speakers. She’d only heard some snippets from Elvis Presley before, but she knew her mother thought rock n’ roll would corrupt them.
    “What are you doing bringing a square to our place?” Rex yelled from his car as he lifted his face from the neck of a junior with a very fast reputation, which was apparently well earned.
    “Cool it. She’s with me,” Frank said with a sternness that made her feel protected.
    “It’s all right. If they don’t want me here, we don’t have to stay,” Lily whispered as she grasped Frank’s hand in hers.
    “Well, I want you here, and that’s all that matters. Come on, let’s have a beer and talk.”
    Lily barely nodded her head and accepted a beer that was tossed at Frank. Rex gave her a look of disgust and went back to necking while Frank introduced her to his crew. Some were nice, but mostly they seemed to mock her. Lily was ready to go when Frank pulled her into the shadows of the water tower.
    “I’m glad you’re here. There’s something I have been wanting to give you.” Frank held up his hand and pulled his class ring from his finger. “We got interrupted earlier, but I was hoping you would agree to go steady with me.”
    Lily almost lost her breath as her dream came true before her eyes. As soon as she had turned thirteen and discovered there was more to the opposite sex than just being stupid boys, she had dreamed of Frank. She had watched him grow up into a dream. Tall, muscular, and with a smile that made her knees weak. And now he was standing in front of her holding out his class ring.
    “Oh, Frank! Yes, I will go steady with you.”
    Frank slipped the ring on her finger, and it promptly fell off. They both laughed, and she undid her necklace and laced it through the ring. “I guess this will have to do for now.” She smiled at him and then held out the ends of the necklace for him to take.
    Frank leaned forward and fastened the necklace around her neck. Lily stopped breathing when his fingers trailed her collarbone and stopped at the top swell of her breast. She looked up with a mix of confusion and desire and saw his eyes devour her a moment before backing her against the cold metal of the water tower and covering her lips with his.
    “I’ve been wanting to do that all week,” Frank whispered before kissing her again.
    Lily was lost in the taste of his lips, the pressure of his body against hers, the scent of his cologne, and something that was just Frank. But when his hand cupped her breast, the unflappable Lily flapped. She jerked her head back, hitting it against the water tower as she fought for breath.
    “Told you she was a square,” Rex chuckled as he emerged from the shadows.
    Frank stepped in front of her and shoved Rex. “I told you to cool it, Rex,” he growled.
    “Don’t have a cow. I was just bringing you another beer.”
    “It’s okay, Frank. It’s time I get home anyway. It was nice seeing you, Rex. I love the flames you had painted on your car,” Lily said a little bit shyly. She’d never had anyone challenge her besides her family, and she wasn’t familiar with how to handle it. It irked her that she fell back to what her mother taught her. She should always say something nice or not say anything at all.
    “Thank you, young Rose. Now hurry home before you get eaten by the big bad wolf.” Rex let out a howl and soon the field echoed with men howling.
     
    By the time Lily arrived home, she was depressed. This was never going to work. His friends hated her, and she wasn’t prepared to do what it took to fit in with them.
    Frank pulled into her driveway and turned off the car. He turned in his seat and cupped her shoulder. His thumb gently rubbed her tightly wound muscles. “I’m sorry about my friends.”
    “It’s not going to work, Frank,” Lily said with tears in her eyes.
    “Of