Backwoods

Since Nathan had moved out, his relationship with Leo had been difficult. They hadn’t talked about Lydia or the divorce. Nathan had been bitter and angry, but not interested in dragging her name through the mud. Lydia, in turn, hadn’t taken him to the cleaners. Leo had probably assumed that she’d gotten fed up with Nathan’s drinking. And that was the bottom line. It was the reason she’d strayed.

“I’m sorry,” he said, shifting his gaze from Brooke to Leo. He was sorry they had to go through this again. “You were only thirteen.”

“I was old enough to hear the truth,” Leo said.

“It was a mutual decision, Leo. We split up because I was drunk all the time. I don’t care what happened between your mother and Ray. I care about what you do. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did.”

Leo looked away, his mouth set in an angry line. Instead of talking things out, he picked up the water bag and strode away from camp with Brooke.

CHAPTER SEVEN

THIS WHOLE TRIP was fucking stupid.

Leo walked to the creek in front of Brooke, keeping an eye out for intruders. He was hungry and tired and annoyed with everything. He couldn’t believe his dad hadn’t told him his mom had cheated.

Leo didn’t know what to think. Brooke never lied about anything important, and Abby seemed like the honest type. His mom, on the other hand, had been known to stretch the truth. He doubted she had a sprained ankle, for example.

“Shit,” he said, kicking the dirt. For the past six years, he’d operated under the assumption that his mom had left his dad because he was a surly drunk. Now he found out that she’d only told Leo half the truth. He was furious with both of his parents for deceiving him. The reason they got divorced was important.

Leo resented being kept out of the loop. He resented Ray for taking his car away, and his mom for backing up Ray. Most of all, he resented his dad for trying to interfere in his life after making a mess of his own.

Leo’s recreational drug use was nobody’s damned business. He was nineteen, not twelve. Pot was hardly even illegal. In a few years, it would be sold in every supermarket. Compared to alcohol and other drugs, it was healthy.

Leo wasn’t a heroin addict. He didn’t rob banks. He didn’t drive drunk or disrespect girls or brawl in the streets. He was fine, and he didn’t need his dad or anyone else getting in his face about smoking a little weed.

It made him happy. Why shouldn’t he be happy? Adults wanted everyone to be boring and miserable, like them. He had to climb on the hamster wheel and become a “productive member of society.”

Well, fuck that.

This wasn’t even about him, it was about his dad. Mr. Bigshot Pro Baller had decided that drugs and alcohol were evil because he’d made a fool of himself on YouTube. Leo shouldn’t have to get sober just because his dad couldn’t handle his liquor.

It was stupid of Brooke to hint that she’d gotten high with him, too. Ray already thought Leo was a bad influence. If Ray learned that Leo had crossed the line with his daughter—in more ways than one—he’d go ape-shit. Ray had threatened to make Leo’s life a living hell if he ever dared to touch Brooke. There were worse things than not having a car to drive. Leo could end up getting kicked out of the house or thrown in jail.

Leo knew he’d caused trouble between his mother and Ray. They fought over his bad grades and worse attitude. Was it any wonder that he wanted to escape? There was conflict everywhere he turned.

He glanced over his shoulder at Brooke. She followed him in silence, not chirping about the scenery or wildlife for once. He liked her more than a stepbrother should, but her high energy rankled when he was feeling down.

It was easy for her to be upbeat; she was perfect.

When they reached the creek, he handed her the water bag. “I’m sorry,” he said, his stomach churning.

She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. He was only an inch or two taller than her, so their bodies lined up in a pleasing way. “It’s okay,” she said, releasing him. “You were upset.”

“Do you hate my mom?”

“No, I like her. I shouldn’t have made that karma comment. It was mean.”

He watched her nibble her lower lip, her blue eyes full of regret. Even Brooke said bitchy things in the heat of the moment.

“Do you really think they’ll split up?” she asked.

“I don’t know.” It was going to suck either way. Ray was a jerk, but Leo’s mom loved him.

“If they do, will you stay in touch with me?”

“Of course.”

“Good,” she said, smiling. “I don’t want to lose my only brother.”

Brother. Right.

She bent to fill up the water bag. It filtered inside the collapsible pouch and came out a tube at the bottom, ready to drink. He carried the heavy bag back to camp and hung it on the short tree branch Brooke pointed out. Then she fired up the camp stove and put a pot of water on to boil. Leo was starving, so he hoped the freeze-dried dinners were edible.

“Help me set up the tents,” his dad said.

Leo rose with reluctance, not interested in another lecture. His dad was pretending to be a concerned parent for Abby’s benefit, but he didn’t really care. The Storm had always been more focused on sports and professional success.

Leo would never be good enough to suit him; he’d given up trying a long time ago.

His dad studied the instructions and started putting poles together, speaking to Leo only when necessary. The tents were compact and low to the ground, designed for maximum comfort in minimal space. Leo wasn’t looking forward to sharing such tight quarters with someone who could barely tolerate him.

“Your mother didn’t want to tell you,” his dad said in a low voice. “She didn’t think you’d understand.”

“Did you cheat on her, too?”

“No,” he said, his brows rising. “Never.”

Leo wished they’d talked about this a long time ago. Maybe it wouldn’t have made a difference. He’d never forgive his dad for treating him like a disappointment. But knowing this small truth changed Leo’s feelings about him.

Once the tents were secure, his dad brought the gear inside and left Leo alone with his thoughts. Brooke wandered over to help him get situated. She showed him how to use the air valve to inflate the sleeping pads.

“Do you think they’ll let us sleep together?” she asked.

He laid out his sleeping pad. “No.”

“Why not?”

It was a silly question, so he started blowing into the valve.

“Then my mom could sleep with your dad.”

Ugh. He didn’t know which was worse, Brooke’s lack of sexual self-awareness or her weird fascination with their parents hooking up.

“They’d make a cute couple. I like your dad.”

“If you like him so much, why don’t you sleep with him?”

She made a horrified face. “Ew, Leo! No.”