“I don’t know if that’s the reason, but she’s always disliked me. Maybe it’s because I tend to smack her in the face.”

He gave a low chuckle. “Yeah? You sound like my kind of girl.”

Kelly didn’t like the way he said that. The music from the auditorium was muffled, sounding far away. There was no one else around. “I think I better go back inside.”

Tony caught her arm. “Stay awhile. I’ve always wanted to get to know you, but your sister is like a guard dog.” When he pulled her a step closer to him, she could smell the liquor on his breath.

She twisted her arm out of his grip. “I need to go inside. People will wonder where I am.”

He grabbed her wrists and pulled her closer. “No one will notice. Even if they do, Celeste will lie. That wimpy boyfriend of yours is gone. Don’t you want a little male company?”

Bending, he tried to kiss her, but Kelly turned her head away, then gave a sharp downward pull of her hands. She got free, but he threw his leg behind her and she fell, landing hard on the ground on her seat.

“I like you down there.” Smiling, he took a step toward her.

Suddenly, there was another man behind him. He had a black Stetson low over his face. He spun Tony around and hit him in the jaw. Tony stood still for a split second, then fell back against the tree and slid down. He was unconscious.

Kelly, still on the ground, looked from Tony to the man, who tipped his hat back. “Adam,” she said.

He held out his hand to help her up. “Let’s get out of here before he wakes up.”

“Maybe we should call an ambulance.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence but I didn’t hit him that hard. He’s just so drunk he went down.” Adam went to the school door, ready to open it.

“No, thanks,” she said. “I’ve had all the party I can stand. I think I’ll go home.”

“Good idea.” He opened the door a bit, saw one of his high school buddies and gestured for him to come outside.

When Tony groaned, Adam took Kelly’s hand and they ran around the building to the front, where all the cars were parked. There were several couples outside, most of them kissing, some talking.

Kelly ducked down between cars, then tugged on the leg of Adam’s jeans. He got down beside her. “Right. Can’t be seen together. Gossip. So what do we do now? Crab walk to our cars, then go home? By the way, do you know where Vera went tonight?” he asked. “I called her office but no one answered.”

“I have no idea.”