I sense a story and a way to divert the attention away from me. “Drew didn’t fit in right away?” I ask Bob.
He laughs. “Nope. Kelsoe practically lived outside, playing at the river, digging in the dirt, and taking apart and putting back together anything and everything. Drew was the total opposite. I think Kelsoe gave him an anxiety attack.”
Kelsoe snorts. “Fucker wouldn’t play in the dirt with me.”
Drew crosses his arms. “Couldn't blame me. You looked fucking homeless.” He grins. “Smelled like it too.”
Bob takes a sip from his beer. “Took him a good while to finally play like a kid.”
“Old habits die hard,” Drew says.
Bob frowns. “That they do, son.”
“What does that mean?” I ask.
“My mom was an out-of-control meth addict, and she didn’t keep the best company. I developed a little OCD. The counselor said it was my way of reacting against the chaos.” He shrugs. “I’ve gotten better at letting a lot go.” He rolls his head to the side to look at Ramsey. “This fucker is the total opposite.”
“It’s proven that messy environments are good for creative thinking,” Ramsey says with a grin.
“Is that the excuse you’re using now?” Drew laughs, and I’m surprised. Talking about my mom usually makes me angry.
Ramsey points his bottle at Drew. “You still iron your pants?”
“Shut the fuck up. Nothing wrong with looking good.” Drew winks at me. “The ladies like it.”
“I don’t know, I think the good ones like to get a little dirty,” Kelsoe says with a grin.
Movement by the side of the house catches my attention. I see a guy with reddish-brown hair kneeling on the ground petting the dogs. Karma keeps licking his face in between butt scratches. The guy stands, giving Pepper one last scratch behind the ear, and then he’s heading towards our little cluster of chairs.
He’s a few inches shorter than Ramsey and about half the size. His hair looks messy in that way that’s only achieved by time and products. He’s oozing sex appeal and aiming it at me. This must be Adam even though he looks nothing like Chris.
He points his beer at me, his hazel eyes shining. “You must be Lena. Tried to catch you earlier but got caught up. How you doing?”
I raise my chin. “I’m good, Adam. You?”
“Killing the dog and all that,” he says, not denying the name, so I guess I was right.
I scrunch my nose in confusion. I’m about to ask what he means by that, but Kelsoe leans closer to me and whispers, “He’s nursing a hangover.” His lips linger near my ear for a moment. My neck tingles and so does my traitorous vagina.
“What you fuckers talking about?” Adam asks, looking between Drew, Kelsoe, and Ramsey.
“Dirty bitches.” Chris laughs.
Bob clears his throat. “Hey, knock it off.” He nods in my direction.
I wave my hand in the air. “No worries, Bob. I’m not fragile.”
“Regardless,” he says.
“Bob’s old-fashioned when it comes to women,” Drew says, matter-of-factly.
Ramsey laughs and points to Kelsoe. “Remember when Bob caught you with that chick in the old clubhouse.”
Kelsoe rolls his eyes. “Don’t fucking remind me.”
“They were kids. That’s not how you treat a lady,” Bob mumbles.
Kelsoe chuckles. “We were fifteen, Dad, and it was her idea.”
Bob takes a swig of his beer. “I’m going in. Don’t let them corrupt you, Lena.”
Adam gives me a wink as he moves to take Bob’s chair. “Have a good night, Bob.”
Kelsoe throws a bottle cap at Ramsey. “Remember when he caught you and Jess in the boat?”
Ramsey grins. “He was pissed. Yelled and screamed at me for a week.”
Drew laughs. “No shit, he was pissed. You were only thirteen, and that was his boat.”
Ramsey flips him off. “I was never thirteen, came out my mom’s cunt a grown man. And Jess was fifteen and practically grown herself.”
Adam leans back in the chair. “Speak of the devil.”
We all turn to the sound of a car coming down the gravel driveway. A beat-up blue car comes into view—some girly chick song blaring out the open windows. With the sun going down it’s hard to make out details, but I see that the driver has long blonde hair. The dogs welcome the car with barks and growls. Kelsoe moves to get them under control as the car stops near the garage.
Drew takes Kelsoe’s spot. “That’s Jess and Stephanie.”
“Jess the one from the boat?”
Drew nods. “Yep. Her and Ramsey mess around every now and then.” He leans closer to my ear. “And Stephanie’s trying to tie down Kelsoe.”
My stomach churns. I don’t think I should care about that. I just need time to process. I had no idea he was seeing someone.
I watch as two girls exit the vehicle. They couldn’t be more opposite. The blonde is the cliché Barbie type with clothes that show off how perfect her body is. The other girl has shoulder-length black hair with a face full of piercings: lip, nose, and brow. She has luscious curves that are a bit hidden under her baggy band tee. She might be the type of girl I would get along with if she kept better company. I wonder why she’s hanging with Barbie.
The blonde greets Kelsoe by running her manicured hand up and down his arm. The black-haired chick spots Ramsey. Her face lights up showing off a pearly white smile. He nods for her to follow him. She does so happily, right to his house. The blonde notices me and sneers. I roll my eyes. I take a long drink from my beer and try to focus on the conversation around me as Kelsoe leads her inside the main house.
My mind’s trying to go down the wrong path, threatening to make me feel some type of way about whatever’s going on between Barbie and him. I’m not sure what those feelings are, but Chris’s overflowing beer helps to keep me in the now. He jumps to his feet, holding the bottle out in front of him.
I laugh. “What happened?”
“This,” Adam says, tapping the top of my beer with the bottom of his.
“And that does… Oh shit.” I jump up, holding the bottle away from me while beer flows out the top in a continuous stream.
Adam laughs. “You’re supposed to chug.” He grabs my now empty bottle and then hits the top of his full one with the bottom of mine. Before it can spill out the top, he puts it to his mouth, tipping his head back, and draining the bottle within a few seconds.
I laugh. “Damn, Adam.”
“Who’s taking over the grill while Ramsey just abandons his duties?” Drew asks. “We all know I’m fired because of last time.” Drew moves next to me and nudges my shoulder. “Like the new grill, Lenny? I burnt the old one to the ground.” He laughs, and Chris and Adam do too.
Adam wraps his arm around my shoulder. “Come here, Lena. Let me teach you how to handle a grill.” He takes my almost empty beer bottle. “I’ll get you a new one.”
I slip out from under him. “I can get my own, but sure, you can show me how to grill.” I smile sweetly. “Just keep your hands to yourself.” I don’t want him getting any ideas.
“Dayum,” Chris says. “She told you.”
“Chill, Chris. I just don’t know Adam like that.” I study Adam’s face. “You understand, right?”
He holds his hands out in front of him. “Of course.”
I trade my empty for a new bottle. Taking another long drink, I try to forget the fact Kelsoe’s inside with some skank or that Barbie is even his type. I didn’t see that coming. “So how does this grill thing work?”
≈≈≈
An hour and two beers later, I’m buzzed and a natural when it comes to grilling.
“Fuck, Lenny. You burned this one too,” Drew whines.
“Shut. Up.” I take a sip from a fresh beer. “I told you it’s supposed to be like that. Adam said you have to get rid of the pink.” I point the spatula at him. “Just eat the burger, you big baby. I’m saving your life.”
Adam grabs the spatula from me and laughs. “Okay, drunky. I think I’ll take it from here.”
“Any more left?”
I freeze at Kelsoe’s voice. He’s approaching slowly with a beer in hand. The blonde glares at me as she storms past. She just spent an hour alone with Kelsoe; the bitch has no reason to have her eyes on me.
“There’s plenty. Trying to find one that she”—Adam points to me—“hasn't burnt the piss out of, is the challenge.”
I turn to Kelsoe as he comes to stand next to me. “Don’t listen to him. My burgers fucking rock.”
Kelsoe laughs like that’s the funniest thing in the world. He’s in a good mood.
I hit the top of his bottle with the bottom of mine. “Drink up.” I push the bottle to his face. He has no time to argue as the beer rises. None of it spills out. He’s quick.
I glance behind myself when I feel eyes on my back. The blonde’s still glaring. She opens her car door an inch before she smirks and closes it.
I smile as she slowly heads our way. Her nose meeting my fist is going to be fun.
Chris sees her approaching and rolls his eyes, whispering something to Drew.
“Kelsoe, I wanted to tell you… Oh, are you guys grilling out?” she asks, moving between the chairs and into the circle.
Her voice is soft, sweet, and exactly how I would have predicted it to sound. It fits the persona she’s giving off. Under her expensive clothes and heavily made-up face is a manipulative, psycho bitch. It’s all there in her blue eyes.
The boys all quiet down, giving their attention to Kelsoe. It’s a tense silence. I wonder if she can feel the shift? If she does, she doesn’t act like it, and stepping between Kelsoe and me, she snakes her hand up his arm to gently rest on his chest.
Her eyes move to mine—a mischievous smile etched on her porcelain face. “Hi, I’m Stephanie.”
For some reason, I want to rip her hand from Kelsoe’s body and shove it down her throat. I manage to keep a blank expression, but I think if I was to open my mouth nothing nice would come out. I know chicks like this. She and I would not get along. She knows it too.
She makes a face of disgust. “Are you Drew’s new toy?”
I ball my hands into fists “Excuse me?” I take a step closer. “Unlike you, I’m no one’s toy.”
Chris chuckles. “Oh shit.”
Her brows come together as she moves closer to Kelsoe. Is this her game, getting Kelsoe to protect her, or did she think I wouldn’t defend myself? Either way, she’s full of shit. Her type is all talk.
“I told you to wait for Jess in the car, Stephanie,” Kelsoe says, brushing her hand from his chest as he takes a couple steps back putting distance between them.
She blinks up at him, a shy smile forming on her painted pink lips. “I wanted to meet your new friend.”
Kelsoe doesn’t look at her as he says, “Just go.”
She glares at me a moment with wild eyes. She’s not ready to give up yet. She must want him bad. Drew did say she was trying to tie him down. I guess she thinks he’ll eventually cave if she gives it up enough.
“Kelsoe, Jess is probably going to be a while. Can’t I just stay here with you?” She bats her long lashes up at him.
Adam laughs. “You growing some balls, Stephanie? He told you to get lost. You really think it’s best to not follow orders?”
She crosses her arms, shooting me a nasty look. “She’s here.” She focuses back on Kelsoe. “Why can’t I be here too.”
“Dumb.” Chris snickers.
Kelsoe’s features change from a blank expression to something that almost makes me back up a step. He’s pissed.
He steps closer to her, towering over her in height. “When the fuck did it become okay to question me or anyone else here?”
Stephanie’s mouth opens and closes like a fish. “Sorry, Kelsoe.” With her head down, she scurries back to her car.
“She keeps trying to wiggle her way back in,” Adam says.
Back in?
“She wiggled her way into your bed last month.” Drew laughs.
I study Kelsoe’s face, trying to see his reaction. He laughs not looking at all concerned that his boy was with her too.
Chris laughs. “You better watch out, Drew. You're next.”
“Bitch can try. I’m not crawling between those thighs.”
Everyone laughs, including me. I’m laughing because I don’t believe him for a second. “She looks exactly like your type, Preppy.”
Drew shrugs not denying it.
Adam nods to me. “What's your type, Lena.”
I fight the urge to look at Kelsoe. He’s my type. “I don’t know. Never thought about it.”
“You’ve fucked before though, right?”
Kelsoe clears his throat. “Adam.” He shakes his head.
I roll my eyes. “You want my number, Adam? I’m not ashamed of it. I slept with a friend a few times. I wanted to see what all the hype was about.”
He laughs. “You must have liked it to do it more than once.”
I don’t answer. He’s right, I guess. Alex and I have sex occasionally. It’s never planned; it just happens. He doesn’t treat me differently because of it and never pushes me if I’m not feeling it. It started when I stayed with him for a few weeks last winter. If his stepdad were to find out that I stay there when it’s too cold to camp, he’d kill him. And that’s why I trust Alex with my life. He’s always been good to me, and he always has my back.
Adam grins. “If you ever get the urge”—he points in the direction of his house—“you know where to look.”
Kelsoe surprises me by stepping in front of me, almost protectively. What’s he doing?
I step to the side. “No thanks.”
Adam flashes Kelsoe a grin. “You taken her for a spin yet?”
Kelsoe tenses as does everyone else. This kind of talk is nothing new to me. I’m always the only girl on the basketball court.
Adam laughs. “Come on, Kelsoe. You changed so much that you can’t take a joke anymore?”
Kelsoe doesn’t answer, instead, he turns the other way, walking to the house.
“Damn, Adam. Why you always trying to provoke him?” Chris says.
Adam shrugs. “He’s been on my case for weeks. Why does he think he’s better than me? And don’t deny it, Chris. You saw his face when he first saw me tonight.”
“You’ve been gone a week. You answered a few texts from me when…” Chris pauses, his eyes moving to me for a moment. He sighs and shakes his head focusing back on Adam. “We worry about you. You’ve been acting different.”
Adam pats Chris on the back. “Nothing to worry about, baby brother.”
Chris frowns like that isn’t the answer he was wanting from Adam.
I down the remainder of my bottle before tossing it into the trash by the grill. “I think I’m going to call it a night, boys.”
“What? No, Lenny,” Drew whines, throwing his arms around me.
He’s drunk.
As I move out from under him, he stumbles, but Chris is right there to help him stay on his feet.
“Let’s get your ass tucked into bed,” Chris says with a smile.
Giggling grabs my attention. Jess is wrapped around Ramsey, both of his hands gripping her ass as he carries her towards Barbie’s car. I nod in their direction. “That Ramsey’s girlfriend?”
Adam shrugs. “He rarely fucks around with anyone besides her, and he never brings anyone else here.”
I’m tempted to ask him about Kelsoe and Stephanie’s history, but that’s none of my business. “Night, Adam.”
Chapter 15
As soon as I turn the light on in my bedroom, there’s a soft tap on the window. I stay still not sure if I heard that or not. When I hear it again, I don’t hesitate to move the curtain back.
“Alex? What the fuck?” I hurriedly open the window and pull him in. “You’re crazy. If they catch you here… Wait. How’d you know this was my room?�
�� I close the window quietly then double-check that I locked the door.
“I was watching you at the barbecue. When you came inside, the light came on in here. I could see a little through the window.” He points to the bed. “Saw your bag.”
I pull him down to sit on the bed with me, giving him a quick hug. “What’s up? Must be important.”
“It is, Lenny. I’ve been—”
My bedroom door—that was fixed only days before—crashes open. My brain takes a second to process what’s going on. It’s exactly what happened four days ago when Kelsoe and Drew rushed into my room while I was dreaming except this time there is someone in my room. I've pulled Alex down with me in panic. He’s practically lying on top of me, and that’s the first thing three angry boys see. All at once, Kelsoe, Ramsey, and Adam rush to grab him.
Oh shit.
Alex is ripped away. I’m not sure who has him because I’m swept up into Kelsoe’s arms. I push at his chest with the palms of my hands. “Stop!”
“Lena, it’s me,” Kelsoe says, trying to get a better grip on my wiggling body.
“What the hell? I know it’s you.” I break free. “Get off him!” I scream at Adam who has Alex pinned to the floor. I move to shove Adam away, but I’m scooped back up. “Stop! He’s my fucking friend!”
The arms around me relax enough for me to get free and just in time to stop Alex from catching a fist to the face. I throw my body on top of his while screaming for the three adrenaline-fueled idiots to back up.
“Calm the fuck down. He’s my friend. I invited him into my room,” I say, turning to face the guys. I can feel Alex’s chest moving rapidly beneath me. Kelsoe’s brows come together, nostrils flaring as he stares down the only person in this room that I truly trust.
“Outsiders can’t come here,” Ramsey says, crossing his arms.
“What about Jess and Stephanie? Are they part of the Lost Boy Crew?”
“That’s different,” Ramsey mumbles. “And that’s not our name.”
“What? Since Alex isn’t here to get a piece of ass, he isn’t welcome?” I ask.
“What the fuck’s going on?!” Chris says from the doorway, eyes glued to Alex. “I got Drew to bed then heard yelling.”
Found by the Rivers Page 11
