Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 111038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 555(@200wpm)___ 444(@250wpm)___ 370(@300wpm)
We stared at each other, neither backing off. Eventually he sat back, and his shoulders dropped. “I’m supposed to go easy on my dad because he didn’t beat my ass? You kidding me?”
I shrugged. “He was unhappy. You do shitty things when you’re miserable, but trust me, you got the better dad.”
“Whatever,” he snapped, looking back out at the beach. “I’m sorry for your shit, what you—never mind.”
I felt a kick at his words. We both knew what he meant, and yeah.
That was enough said on the topic.
Some other ATVs were starting to come our way.
None of them seemed to know what they were doing—driving around, jerking and awkward. Someone was going to spill.
Cross shook his head. “I saw you before. There’s a ridge down there, and I knew it was you. You’re good at this stuff.”
I didn’t answer, but he wasn’t waiting for a response. “Someone’s going to flip their ride and get impaled.” He laughed. “We’ll have to take ’em to the hospital.”
I grunted. Probably. Everyone liked to show off until they were in the back of an ambulance. And I was betting it’d be one from my group.
“I heard you’re going to Cain,” he said after a moment.
I frowned. “Who’d you hear that from?”
“Are you?”
I nodded. “I’m going to be on their soccer team.”
He cocked his head. “You play soccer?”
Another nod. “I rock at soccer.”
He didn’t reply, his face an impartial wall, but I was learning to read my brother. He was surprised, and a little impressed, if I was getting him right.
“Listen,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ll talk to you again all summer. But we’re doing a party at the end of August. The four of us are renting a house. We’re doing a preview party for that project Aspen’s parents are working on. You’re invited.”
“You’re asking now to get Taz off your back, aren’t you?”
He jerked up a shoulder, shoving his helmet back on. “Maybe.”
I laughed. He was. And I knew I wouldn’t see him the rest of the summer. He’d live his life with his friends. I’d do mine with my friends. On the off chance we did see each other, we wouldn’t talk. That’s what this was about—setting a tentative peace. But no matter what we said today, we both still had issues to resolve. And those issues didn’t really have anything to do with each other.
And I didn’t want to deal with those right now.
I drew in a deep breath and reached forward, turning the engine on.
There were two ATVs right underneath us. I could jump them both if I had enough momentum.
Not saying another word, I began backing up until I had enough space.
It was like Cross knew what I was doing, because he waited, watching me.
I gunned my engine, shot past him, and flew in the air.
There were screams from beneath me, but I cleared both with a little extra distance. I left a wave of sand raining down, and I laughed, loving that.
After that, I headed back.
I wasn’t surprised when Cross wasn’t too far behind me.
We turned in our rides and gear, and oddly, we walked beside each other back to the campsite. We didn’t say a word, but it felt nice.
I’d admit that to no one.
46
Aspen
By Saturday night, the trip was winding down.
Blaise had gone out early in the morning to ride, and later in the afternoon. I’d realized he enjoyed doing that stuff when no one else was around, but he’d said he was going to take me out in the morning.
I hadn’t been sure what to expect from this trip, but it was fun.
While Blaise was gone, Bren and Taz had come over and sat with me at our camper. When he came back, he and I went inside. He’d held me while I read until Zeke came over, and then Blaise had gone off with the guys. They’d taken a trip to town and came back with more food and booze.
A few people had started drinking early in the morning, but once the guys came back, party mode got cranked up a notch. The music blared, they fired up the grills, and the drinks were flowing.
Now it was the evening, and Blaise was drinking while I sat on his lap. We’d moved from in front of our camper to join Blaise’s friends around the fire. Bren and Taz stuck with their group, and they were laughing a lot. Taz sat on her boyfriend’s lap, and Bren sat close to Blaise’s brother. The other guys were eyeing a few of the girls on our side of the campsite.
At one point, I saw Mara Daniels break away from the main group, and I sighed, figuring maybe this was the time for our showdown.
I knew it was coming. Everyone had been waiting, or they had been in my head, at least. People watched whenever Mara came close to where Blaise and I sat. Blaise would stiffen too, until she moved to a different group. Then he’d relax. The other girls in her group had left me alone. I’d gotten a few dirty looks, but that was it.