57. Chapter 57
“That better be for Chloe,” Graham said.
He scowled at the huge vinyl tent bag on the front stoop with a white envelope on top addressed to him and Jase. They both flashed their middle fingers at Whitlock through the camera above the front door.
“Even Dad couldn’t have planned that,” Jase said.
Graham swiped the envelope and tore it open.
“‘Surprise, you’re roughing it. Don’t get your panties in a twist, it’s only for one night,’” he read.
“‘When you were kids, you packed it in by midnight. I hope you’ve grown some balls by now. Set up this tent by the pond and spend the night under the stars, just you boys. You’ll be better for it. ’”
“You’ll be better for it,” Jase repeated darkly. “Doubt it.”
“I thought we were done with the camping bullshit.”
“We also thought we got the money after Santa Cruz, and look how that went.”
Graham didn’t need the reminder. He mussed the curls at the back of his head and asked, “You carrying it, or am I?”
“We can’t have you keeling over from too much heavy lifting, can we?” Jase teased, hefting the tent bag over his shoulder.
“Right. Make your jokes…Daddy.”
“Asshole.”
“Speaking of dads,” Graham said, following Jase down the front stoop, past the five vehicles parked in the driveway, and around the side of the house. If Luke and Charlie hadn’t taken Ubers, the Young estate would’ve looked like a used car lot. “What’s with you giving Dad’s clothes to Luke?”
“I only own, like, three shirts. Dad’s closets are full.”
“That’s not what I mean. You don’t do girlfriends and families. Helping out Luke? What’s the angle?”
“There’s no angle. He needed clothes. Unless you’d rather he sit buck-ass naked on the couch? Your call.”
“I’d back off if I were you.”
“Funny, I don’t remember asking for your opinion.”
Graham swatted a horsefly after the damn thing bit him on the arm. “When this little experiment ends in four days, Lindsey gets the house and she’s kicking us out of it.”
“Pretty sure Dad did that.”
“You’re not sticking around.”
“I don’t know what I’m doing.”
“We already talked about this, and you didn’t listen,” Graham said. He was a broken record at this point.
Jase dropped the bag at Graham’s feet. “Never mind, you carry the goddamn tent.”
“You’re not worried about me keeling over?”
“If it’ll get you to stop talking.”
Graham lifted the bag, which was heavier than it looked, and plowed through the tall grass toward the pond.
“I wouldn’t say anything,” he went on.
“Then don’t,” Jase told him.
“I have this terrible suspicion I’m going to be stuck cleaning up whatever mess you leave behind.”
“How so?” Jase asked. “Lindsey, the house, none of it’s your problem anymore.”
The returning tightness in his sternum suggested otherwise.
“In case you’ve been too deep in pussy to notice, Helen made herself a new best friend. Trust me, I’d rather cut and run, too—”
“Asshole.”
“—only I doubt I’ll have the luxury.”
“So your motivations are ninety-nine percent selfish? I almost thought you cared.”
Graham dropped the tent in a flat spot near the water and unzipped the bag.
“I do,” he said. “If we’re not careful—and by we, I mean you—this whole thing is going to implode.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Jase said.
They spread the tent out on the ground and Jase fished the assembly instructions from the bottom of the bag.
“How well do you know Charlie?” Graham asked.
“Well enough.”
“You didn’t know he was sleeping with your girlfriend, though?”
“Didn’t care. She isn’t my girlfriend.”
“Oh, right. You don’t do girlfriends.”
“Girlfriends.” Jase rolled his eyes and tossed the instructions aside. “What are we, fifteen? Chloe was a friend.”
Graham started piecing together a set of tent poles. “Is Lindsey your friend too?”
“I see air loss to your brain hasn’t made you less of a dick,” Jase said. “Are you ready with those poles? You’ve got the longer set and it goes in first.”
“Take it easy, I’ve got your poles.”
“And Lindsey is…” Jase said, “an anomaly.”
“Is that the word of the day? Do you even know what it means?”
“It means bring me your fucking poles.”
“If she’s an anomaly, are you sticking around?”
Jase wiped sweat from his brow and picked another set of poles off the ground without answering.
“If you’re just going to leave—and I don’t blame you if you want to—then now’s the time to shut it down. Save us all a lot of trouble.”
“I’m sure she’d let us finish out the two weeks then,” Jase said.
Graham’s breath was beginning to catch. He inhaled for a count of six, held for a count of six, and exhaled for a count of six, as directed by the video Luke found and Helen insisted was more important than a blowjob last night.
Supposedly, if he kept control of his breath, he could stave off another attack.
He was also supposed to stop picking fights, which was Helen’s warning, but he just couldn’t help himself. “You’re doing her for the money, then?”
Jase slammed his poles down, sending Graham back a step in the overgrown weeds. The trip wasn’t so long ago he forgot how much it hurt to take a fist to the face.
“Christ, Graham,” Jase snapped. “I’m not doing her for anything. What is wrong with you?”
In for six. Hold for six. Out for—
“All I’m saying,” Graham said carefully, “is if you’re going to leave, you should cool it down with Linds.”
Jase retrieved his tent poles and said, “I think it’s a little late for that.”
Graham counted more breaths and studied his brother. Jase reminded him of their dad peering into an engine wondering how to start fixing it.
“You’re going to be a father.”
“Graham.”
“Do you love her?”
“What? No. We were just having fun. I slipped up a few times, but there’s no way this kid is mine.”
“I meant Lindsey.”
Jase focused hard on threading the next pole. “I don’t know.”
Graham thought back to the map that brought him to Helen.
Austin would’ve been the end of the line for Lindsey if their old man hadn’t insisted she finish the trip.
As if it wasn’t enough—or in case it wasn’t enough—he’d left her his house, forever tying her to the Young brothers whether she booted them from the property or not. Why?
He gave her a reason to stay, Helen said last night. Why would she need to?
Watching his brother curse and spit trying to pound stakes in the ground in the prickly morning heat, a terrible understanding tightened the waiting knot in Graham’s chest. Why Jase would help Lindsey pack up her apartment, bring Luke clothes, and come back in the first place.
Why his old man wrote the rules to keep her around.
To give Jase a chance to fall for her.