Nate must’ve sensed my thoughts. Growing quiet, he asked, “So how’s Logan handling it?”
I snorted. Finishing my fifth beer, I tossed the bottle in the pool. I shrugged. “He’s been a bigger pain in my ass than normal, so I guess that means he’s not handling it well. I don’t know. He doesn’t talk about it much. We’re just glad it’s over.” It felt as if there was a knot in my gut, and it never went away. I didn’t know how to explain it.
“You’re staying, right?” He sounded anxious. “With your dad? He told my parents that your mom will probably go back to L.A.”
“Yeah, she will.”
“So you’re staying then?”
I nodded. “Yeah, coach is here.”
“Did your mom even ask?”
I shrugged. “Yeah, she said something once. I don’t know if she’ll ask again, but she knows I’m staying. We could go back with her, but this is home. Fucked-up as it is, this is home.” Nate was there. I didn’t have to deal with city driving. Coach was there. I could make sure Logan was fine here. He’d have different friends and a different school if we went to the city. I could watch him better this way.
“Hey!” A large guy was heading down from the house, squinting at us, with a couple others behind him. “Who’s out there?”
A smaller guy tugged on his arm. “I told you I heard voices out here. They broke in.”
Some girls were with them, but it was obvious the bigger guy was the leader. He came to the fence and stuck his hand through it, pointing at us. “This is my house. Get the f**k off our land. PJ, call the cops.”
“On it.”
I snorted. PJ. He could’ve been called BJ for the way he was acting, on his knees and at the guy’s beck and call.
The guy heard me and barked out, “What was that? You’re laughing?”
“Yeah.” I stood up and grabbed my backpack. The emptied beer bottles stayed where they were and I left the other ones in the pool. Nate stood with me, walking beside me as I walked out of the shadowed area. When he could see me better, I said, “I’m laughing because your friend is a wuss. I saw him earlier.” I was on my second beer when he came out, saw us, and headed back inside. I smirked at him now. “It took two beers to tattle on us.”
The bigger guy relaxed when he saw me. “Oh. Kade. Why didn’t you just say something?”
“Hey, Graham.” Going to the fence, I reached through and he slapped my hand. “We weren’t up for being social tonight.”
“Nah. That’s fine. I heard about your parents. Sorry to hear that.”
Yeah. Everyone in this town had heard about my parents. Graham was a starting running back for Fallen Crest Academy’s football team. We trained at summer camp together. His friend was looking between us, his eyebrows bunched together, and he frowned. “Kade?”
“Yeah.” Graham shifted on his feet and gestured to me as he turned to his friend. “Why didn’t you tell me it was him? I wouldn’t have cared. Kade, you can hang out here anytime you want.”
“Thanks.”
“I mean that.” He placed his arm around a girl next to him and pulled her into his side. Leaning on her, he turned to his friend. “PJ, this is the guy who’s going to demolish you when we play FCP.”
PJ swallowed, glaring at me.
I smirked. “I think he’d like to try and demolish me now.”
Graham laughed, shaking his head. “No way, PJ. Don’t do it. You’ll lose. This guy’s going pro. All the scouts came early to see him. He’s too young, but the rumors are already spreading.” He sobered. “I am really sorry, man. My parents split last summer too. They got back together, but it sucked. Please tell me you’re sticking around? My dad knows yours and he said something about your mom leaving.”
I shook my head. “No, we’re sticking around. My little brother knows this place.”
“Your parents won’t have a custody battle?” one of the girls asked.
“No, they both said I get to choose.”
Both of them had come to my bedroom. It was the day after it had been decided. My mom sat on the couch and my dad stood in the doorway. They had a f**king speech prepared. It was nice, neat, and articulate. I knew neither of them had written it. No doubt their lawyer had drafted it for them, but the gist was that I made most of my own decisions already so I could choose. I did. I chose for Logan too and for a second I thought they were going to fight me. I wouldn’t let them decide. Not for him. He was mine. They lost their chance to be his parent when they decided to let me raise him.
Fuck them. Fuck them both.
“That’s good, then.” Graham nodded, rubbing his hand up and down his girl’s arm. When he caught her hand and laced their fingers, she sent me a coy smile. There was a reason the guy was being possessive.
I fought against rolling my eyes. Dealing with another guy’s girlfriend was the last thing I wanted to deal with.
“Anyway,” Graham gestured to the house, “we’re pretty sure the cops were called because of the noise. We have some whiny old hags that live down the road. So we’re relocating. You both are welcome to join.”
I glanced to Nate. “What do you think?”
He finished his beer and said to me, “Whatever you want. I’m being the friend tonight, remember?”
I chuckled, then shrugged. “Sure. Logan’s sleeping. We can sneak away for a bit longer.”