Chapter 2

2

JASON

"What time is Will picking you up?"

I scooped up some potato salad, piling it on my plate next to my burger, and then passed the container to my dad. "He'll be here in twenty," I said, answering my mom's question.

"Picking you up for what?" My sister, Mandy, turned her big blue eyes on me, her expression excited and curious, and I knew she was angling for an invitation.

"A bonfire at the lake. One that you are definitely not going to."

"That's not fair," she said, turning those blue eyes on my father. "How come he gets to go and I'm stuck here with you guys?"

Dad snorted. "Thanks, kid. Why don't you go over to that one girl's house? What was her name? Her brother's the soccer player."

"Drea? Why can't you remember any of my friends' names?"

"Because it feels like you've got a stream of 'em parading through here every other day, and I can't keep up."

"I do not. And besides, Drea's pretty much been my best friend all year. You should totally know her name by now." She sat back in her chair and folded her arms. "She went into Omaha with her dad to pick her brother up from the airport and wasn't sure what time she was getting back."

I let the conversation flow around me, enjoying the fact that my sister turning the attention on herself meant it was taken off me. I loved my family, even my bratty younger sister, but I hated being the center of attention. I'd already told my parents I was heading to the bonfire tonight. I'd graduated a couple of weeks ago, and they'd lifted my curfew as long as I promised to be safe, not drive under the influence, and not knock anyone up. I was ninety-nine percent sure I was asexual, so knocking someone up was pretty damn unlikely, but they didn't know that. And out of all my friends, I'd always been the most responsible one, taking care to not only make sure I was safe, but that my friends were safe as well.

My phone buzzed with a text from Will, letting me know he was in the driveway. I stuffed the rest of my burger in my mouth, then grabbed my ball cap off the counter and shoved it on my head backward. "I'll text if I'm going to be late," I said, tugging on Mandy's braid as I passed. I was pretty sure I heard her mutter "dick" under her breath, but it was quiet enough that I couldn't be sure.

I pushed through the storm door, waving to Will as I made my way to the passenger side of his Jeep. Normally, I would have driven my truck, but Dad's car was in the shop, so he'd commandeered mine.

"Thanks for the ride," I said as I buckled myself in.

"No problem." He backed out of the driveway and turned us toward the lake.

We rode in comfortable silence with the windows down, allowing the warm summer breeze to whip through Will's Jeep and ruffle his dark-brown hair. Will was a pretty cool guy. We'd played sports together until he moved away when we were eleven. He'd moved back a couple of weeks ago, and we'd rekindled our friendship. In fact, as odd as it sounded, he was quickly becoming one of my closest friends despite the fact we hadn't really talked in years.

It wasn't that I was a loner or anything. I hung out with a ton of guys from our graduating class and pretty much got along with everyone. I just had a hard time getting close to people. But there was something about Will that made him easy to talk to. I was comfortable with him in a way I wasn't with many people.

By the time we arrived at the lake, the sun was about thirty minutes away from fully setting and the sky was awash in purples, oranges, and reds. Someone had built the bonfire up until flames were shooting into the sky, and I eyed it, assessing its safety. It looked sturdy enough at the moment, but I had a feeling I'd be keeping an eye on it most of the night. I wouldn't be able to relax otherwise.

Music and laughter filled the night air as we crossed the sand to where several pickups were lined up with their tailgates down. One of them held a keg, and in unspoken agreement, Will and I made a beeline for that one. I typically wasn't a huge drinker, but I didn't mind a beer or two, and since Will was driving, I figured I could enjoy a few.

With our cups full, we chatted with some of our other friends, mostly lifeguards from the pool where we worked, mixed in with some other kids from our class and the class below ours. There was a lot of talk about college plans for the fall and upcoming visits for freshman registration, none of which I was going to be participating in, at least not at the university level. I was enrolled in an EMT course at the community college in Brinkley. It was a semester-long program that would have me ready to get to work starting in January.

I'd thought a lot about college over the last couple of years—it was pretty impossible not to since it was shoved down our throats in high school—but I just couldn't imagine myself in any of the careers that came with a four-year degree. I was smart enough, I supposed, but going into debt over college loans for a job I wasn't even sure I would like just didn't make sense. I wanted to help people and I wanted to stay active, so going the EMT route made sense. I was mostly content with my choice, but there were times like now, when everyone was talking about college and all the things they were looking forward to, that I wondered if I would be missing out.

"You alright, man?" Rafi, one of our lifeguard friends, asked as he passed me a freshly filled cup. He tried to pass one to Will, but he'd been distracted since he'd spotted Sammy, another kid from our graduating class, walking across the sand on the other side of the fire. I wasn't sure what Will's orientation was, but I suspected something was going on between the two of them. I didn't like it. Not because I cared if Will was into guys but because Sammy had a bit of a reputation for being a troublemaker, and I didn't want Will to get hurt.

I nudged Will to get his attention, though my eyes were on Rafi as I answered his question. "I'm fine. Why?"

Will took the second cup from my hand as Rafi responded. "You just seem, I don't know, sad or something."

"Nah, man. I'm good." I played it off. The three of us turned as cheers went up next to us. Hannah Sinclair and Sonny Gordon, a couple who'd graduated with me, were chugging beers from a funnel while the crowd around them chanted their names. The chant got louder and louder as Hannah showed signs of winning. When she finished first, she let out a whoop and held the funnel up in the air, shouting, "Hell yeah, bitches!"

Sonny finished a moment later, shaking his head at his loss, but he smiled and laughed with Hannah as they kissed, then hopped down from the tailgate where they'd been standing.

"Those two are crazy." I shook my head, laughing. It was hard to imagine intentionally putting myself in a situation like that, with people cheering me on while I made a spectacle of myself. I was far more comfortable casually hanging with my friends, sipping my beer, and watching while others made asses of themselves.

And so it went. People continued drinking, laughing, and bullshitting with friends while the fire licked away at the logs in the sand. Every so often, someone added a couple more logs to keep it going before moving on to another group of friends.

I was talking to a very drunk Hannah and Sonny when Will bumped into me. I reached out to steady him, and he brushed me off, insisting he was fine. He set his empty cup down, then turned and began making his way across the sand toward the trees. I'd taken his keys about a half-hour ago and knew he was pretty wasted, but I figured he probably just needed to piss. If he wasn't back in five minutes, I'd go find him.

"Who's the drunk?"

I turned my attention to the voice over my shoulder. Zach Jacobs stood behind me, eyes tracking Will as he ping-ponged through the crowd. I didn't know Zach well. His family had moved here last summer and we'd only had one class together this year. Despite being new—or maybe because of it—he'd quickly become popular, getting voted homecoming king and captain of the soccer team.

Objectively, he was attractive, with deep brown eyes and thick dark hair that hung over his forehead. His status as soccer team captain had come with good reason. I'd heard he played for a club team and drove into Omaha several days a week to practice with them. Apparently, he was going to UCLA in the fall on a full-ride scholarship. I didn't know much about soccer—I'd been more of a football and baseball guy—but he'd led the team to State, so I figured he must be pretty good. At the very least, he was in shape. The polo he wore fit him like a glove.

Even as I took in his appearance, my dick was flatly uninterested. You could make an argument it was because I wasn't gay, but my dick had never taken an interest in a girl either. Add it to the list of evidence that I was ace.

"That's Will Hartley," I said, realizing I hadn't answered his question. "He just moved back for the summer."

"Moved back?" Zach stepped up next to me, sipping his beer as we watched Will disappear into the trees.

"He lived here when we were kids. His stepdad is Mr. Johnson."

"As in our principal Mr. Johnson?"

"Yeah. He moved here last summer to take the principal job, but Will and his mom stayed in Grand Island so he could finish his senior year there."

"Must be nice," he muttered into his cup as he took another sip, but before I could process what he'd said, he turned toward me with a wide smile and changed the subject. "How's your summer been?"

"Decent. I'm lifeguarding at the pool with Will, Rafi, and a bunch of other guys." I turned toward him so we were facing each other. "What about you?"

"I've barely been home. I worked a soccer camp in the city the first week of June, then flew to Cali for their summer mini-camp. Just got back today."

"Oh yeah, my sister said something about you getting picked up from the airport today." I laughed when his face screwed up in confusion. "My sister, Mandy, is friends with your sister. They're in the same grade."

He squinted at me, his look of confusion turning to disbelief. "I'm pretty sure Mandy's spent the night at our house several times. You guys look nothing alike."

Mandy was a dancer and built like one, with a slender frame and long legs. She had blue eyes and blond hair, just like my mom, while I got my linebacker build from my dad. "We get that a lot. I?—"

"I'm taking your boy home. Give me his keys." Sammy shoved between Zach and me, holding out his hand for the keys I was definitely not going to give him.

"What?"

"Will. He's shitfaced. I need his keys so I can take him home. You'll have to find your own ride."

I dragged him away from the crowd to the other side of the row of trucks, shooting Zach an apologetic look as I went. Despite the cooler air on this side of the trucks, my blood was boiling.

"You and Will haven't spoken since we were kids, and tonight, you've decided you're friends?" I looked him up and down, trying to determine what he was playing at. Will and I'd talked about Sammy the other day after Will had helped Sammy's brother, Jimmy, through a panic attack. Sammy and Will had been friends when we were all kids, but as far as I knew, they'd lost touch when Will moved.

"We're not."

"Then why are you trying to take him home? I was the one who rode here with him. I have the keys, and I'll take him." I crossed my arms and glared at him. I was a big guy, and though I wasn't a fighter, most people were intimidated by my size. Not Sammy though. He just glared at me right back.

"Man, just give me the damn keys."

I raised an eyebrow but didn't move.

"Look," he huffed. "I'm not going to violate him or anything. Just give me the keys and go back to your friends."

"I don't fucking trust you."

He shrugged. "I don't really care."

We were locked in a stare-down. I didn't think Sammy was a terrible guy, but he'd always been a loner, so I didn't know him all that well. I was really having a hard time understanding just what his motives were here.

"Give me your number."

"What?" I asked.

"Give me the keys and your number. I'll send you proof of life as soon as I get him home."

"That can be faked."

"For fuck's sake. Just do it."

I searched his face, looking for a clue that he really had Will's best interests at heart. He didn't flinch. Just continued to stare me down with his chocolate-brown eyes, and something in my gut said it would be okay. God, I hoped I was making the right choice.

"Fine," I spit out. We exchanged numbers, then I gave him the keys and said, "I don't like this."

"Noted," he said and walked away.