Backwoods

by Jill Sorenson

  “How are things with your father?” she asked.

  “Okay,” he said, shrugging.

  She smiled at his guarded response. “It’s good to see the two of you talking again.”

  He thought about the surfing lesson he hadn’t agreed to. She’d be disappointed in him for saying no, so he didn’t mention it.

  “We’re leaving now if you want to come with us.”

  “I’ll go with Dad,” he said. He’d rather ride his bike, but that wasn’t an option with his injured leg.

  “I can bring you back for your motorcycle next week.”

  He stood up to hug her goodbye. She seemed so much smaller now, so slight in his arms. “I’ll be home tonight, I guess.”

  “Be sweet to Brooke,” she said, touching his face. “She has such a crush on you.”

  “Did she tell you that?”

  “She didn’t have to.”

  He felt a stab of guilt for crossing the line with her. That wasn’t the kind of sweet his mother would approve of. He was ashamed of what he’d done and how he felt. “She’s affectionate with everyone. It doesn’t mean anything.”

  Maybe he’d protested too much, because her gaze sharpened as she released him. “She’s a lovely girl. I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

  He’d done a lot more than notice—and there was no way he’d discuss it with his mother. If Ray had told her about his computer files, she’d never mentioned it. Leo still had the pool party photo saved in a secret folder.

  Ray interrupted their conversation by coming in to shake his hand and thank him. Leo accepted the peacemaking gesture for his mother’s sake, but his tense grip and narrow eyes conveyed the following message: I’m watching you, buddy.

  After they left, Leo found the joint he’d stashed. He turned it around and around in his fingers, struck by a strange ambivalence. Maybe he should wait until later. The urgency he’d felt to get high had slipped away, leaving an empty space inside him. A hard surf session or a fast ride might fill it, but he couldn’t do either until his leg healed. He put the joint in his pocket, remembering his last motorcycle ride with Brooke. He could still feel her arms around his waist and her breasts pressed against his back, her taut thighs squeezing his.

  He had to get out of here.

  Grabbing his belongings, he left the room. His dad was out front, probably ready to go. Brooke was sitting at the kitchen counter with a glass of orange juice. He couldn’t leave the cabin without saying goodbye to her.

  Their eyes locked over the rim of her glass. A private conversation would be better, so he inclined his head toward the side door. She got up and followed him to the patio. It was a small space with a round table and a couple of cushy lounge chairs. He squinted at the glare of sunlight on the table’s beveled glass surface.

  Brooke was unusually grim. She didn’t smile or flirt or tease. All of the playfulness had been sucked out of their relationship. “Are you heading back to L.A.?”

  He nodded. “You?”

  “San Diego.”

  “When do your classes start?”

  “Three weeks.”

  “Same for me.”

  They were both silent for a moment.

  “I think I’ll give those open plane tickets to Ella and Paul for their honeymoon,” she said. “Unless you want to use them.”

  He’d forgotten her offer to take him jet-setting. That was ruined, too. “No.”

  She raked a hand through her hair. It was damp from the shower. She’d changed into cutoffs and a thin T-shirt with no bra. He tore his gaze from her chest, his heart thumping. If he didn’t get away from her, he was going to do something he’d regret.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  “Don’t be.”

  “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  “I know.”

  She seemed to expect a different response, or a better explanation, but he couldn’t give her one. He was too emotional right now, too confused. Seeing her with Wyatt had hurt him. Sleeping with her had been a mistake.

  The best thing to do was walk away. Make a clean break.

  They could repair their relationship and be close again. In a few months, he’d be able to restrain himself. They could talk and cuddle without tearing each other’s clothes off. At this point, he just couldn’t do it. He couldn’t even stand next to her without picturing her naked and aching to touch her.

  “I’ll call you,” he said.

  She flinched at his obvious attempt to end the conversation. “Okay,” she said, giving him a quick hug. “Take care.”

  “I will.”

  They often said I love you before parting ways. He knew she meant it as a friend or a sister. Today, she didn’t say it.

  Neither did he.

  * * *

  NATHAN LOADED UP his belongings, preparing to leave.

  Ray had rented the cabin for the entire week, but no one wanted to stay. Too many bad things had happened here. By midafternoon, only the original four remained. Leo came outside with his backpack, looking miserable. Nathan assumed Brooke was the reason. Leo’s fury over Wyatt went beyond big-brother protectiveness.

  “You ready to go?”

  Leo leaned against the passenger door of Nathan’s car, nodding.

  “Okay, give me a minute.”

  Before Nathan could walk back in, Abby and Brooke stepped out. They were all hitting the road at the same time, it seemed.

  “Do you need to get something?” Abby asked.

  “I was just going to say goodbye.”

  She hid a smile, tucking a flyaway strand of hair behind her ear before she turned to lock the front door. Brooke surprised him with a full-body embrace. He was touched by the gesture. Over the past few days, he’d grown attached to Brooke. She released him and stepped away to give them some privacy.

  Abby was still wearing the soft purple dress from the previous night. She’d reapplied her makeup and braided her hair. A pair of sunglasses perched on top of her head. Her face was more relaxed than it had been during the camping trip. There were still issues to sort through and problems to worry about, but the situation no longer seemed dire. They were alive. The kidnappers were accounted for.

  Nathan was eager to pick up where he and Abby left off in his hotel room. He couldn’t wait to take her home. With a start, he realized that he wanted her by his side...permanently. He was in love with her.

  The epiphany didn’t unsettle him as much as it should have. He hadn’t fallen for her at first sight, but they’d clicked immediately. They had similar backgrounds and life experiences. She’d become his partner in survival. It seemed as if he’d known her forever because they’d been through so much together.

  Nathan had always been goal-oriented and up for a challenge. Now that he’d recognized his feelings, he could focus on winning Abby over. He’d have to go slow. She might share her body without reservations, but she wasn’t as free and easy with her affections. Earning her trust wouldn’t be a simple task.

  “I want to see you again,” he said.

  A flush crept up her slender throat. “Okay.”

  “This weekend?”

  She glanced at Brooke, her top priority. “I’ll have to check my schedule.”

  Brooke crossed her arms over her chest, sighing heavily.

  “It doesn’t have to be just the two of us,” Nathan said.

  Instead of answering, Abby took out her cell phone and requested his number. After he gave her the digits, she sent him a quick text. He glanced at his screen to read it. Call me. Satisfied, he put his phone away. He wanted to kiss her, but he restrained himself. She might not be comfortable with a possessive display.

  Abby gave Leo the keys to the cabin so he could return for his motorcycle. She thanked him for everything he’
d done for Brooke. He nodded, avoiding Brooke’s gaze. Brooke kept her distance, for once.

  After they left, Nathan climbed behind the wheel and started the engine. He was glad this vacation from hell was over. In addition to multiple life-or-death situations, there had been enough family drama to “choke a goat,” as his father used to say. But he’d also found Abby and reconnected with Leo.

  Things were looking up.

  Leo shook a tablet out of his prescription bottle and popped it into his mouth, taking a swig of his energy drink. Nathan didn’t think the pills were as awesome as Leo claimed, because they seemed to have a very mild effect. Leo hadn’t been sluggish during the fight with Wyatt earlier this morning.

  “What did your mother say?”

  “She’s not leaving Ray. He agreed to marriage counseling.”

  Nathan didn’t criticize the decision. Therapy had saved his life. “Maybe everything will work out.”

  “Only if he gets a personality transplant.”

  “You don’t have to live with them, you know. My door’s always open.”

  “I’m nineteen,” he said, scowling. “I can move out on my own.”

  Nathan had a pretty good idea why he hadn’t done that. Daredevil surfer or not, Leo was a real mama’s boy. It was one of his most endearing qualities. “I noticed some tension between you and Brooke.”

  Leo stared at the tree-lined road, his eyes narrow.

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “Let’s talk about you and Abby instead. Did you put those condoms to good use?”

  Nathan tightened his hands on the steering wheel. Leo’s quick temper and cutting remarks weren’t so endearing. He seemed upset with Brooke, maybe for taking off her top. Nathan wasn’t sure if Leo understood that Brooke had disrobed out of fear and desperation, not by choice. Wyatt had been wrong to put her in that situation, and to force her to write his disturbing life story.

  “You know it wasn’t her fault,” Nathan said.

  “Yes.”

  “She didn’t ask for it.”

  “Jesus, Dad.”

  “What?”

  “No one asks to get terrorized at gunpoint.”

  “I’m sure they don’t, but some people think girls who wear tight clothes or drink too much are asking for an attack.”

  “Only assholes think that.”

  Nathan was glad Leo wasn’t among them. He focused on the road, deciding not to pry. Leo’s feelings for Brooke were none of his business.

  “I slept with her,” Leo said, scrubbing a hand down his face.

  “You didn’t.”

  “I did.”

  Nathan shouldn’t have been thrown for a loop by this news. He’d seen them together. Brooke was beautiful. They were both hormonal teenagers. The real shock was that Leo had managed to keep his hands off her until this point.

  “You don’t have to lecture me,” Leo said.

  “I wasn’t going to.”

  “It won’t happen again.”

  No wonder he looked unhappy. “Okay.”

  “I didn’t twist her arm, either.”

  “I believe you.”

  He stared out the window. “I should have said no.”

  “It was her choice, too. Why are you taking all of the responsibility?”

  “Because I have the penis?”

  Nathan laughed, knowing exactly what he meant. Sometimes it seemed like the center of the universe, the nexus of all bad decisions.

  “I don’t want to lose her,” Leo said, growing serious.

  “Give it time, and be there for her. She’s been through a lot.”

  Maybe this advice resonated with Leo, because he didn’t appear as melancholy. He fell silent for a few minutes before he spoke again. “I have to get my leg rechecked in a week. I should be able to go surfing after that.”

  Nathan straightened in his seat. “Yeah?”

  “I guess I could give you lesson.”

  A smile broke across Nathan’s face. “I can drive up to L.A. next weekend.”

  “Nah, I’ll come to your house. Mom says I can have my car back, and I know of a nice beginner spot in La Jolla.”

  Nathan’s chest swelled with emotion. He couldn’t believe they were making plans to spend time together. A week ago, Leo hadn’t even accepted his calls. Now he was the one offering to visit. “I’d like that.”

  “I’ll bring you a longboard,” Leo said generously. “It’s what old guys ride.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  IT WAS A LONG DRIVE to San Diego.

  Abby was concerned about Brooke, who slept most of the way home. After they arrived, she stayed up late, staring at the TV but not really watching anything. The next day, she started crying at breakfast and didn’t stop.

  Abby hugged her and comforted her as much as possible. Brooke had always been emotional. She was demonstrative and dramatic, prone to short outbursts. It wasn’t typical for her to mope around in silence or dwell on negative things, but this wasn’t a typical situation. She’d survived a harrowing experience. Instead of trying to cheer her up, Abby encouraged her to talk about her feelings.

  Ray used his connections to get her an appointment with the best psychologist in the area. Brooke went willingly and seemed to find the session helpful. Abby bought her a healthy lunch at her favorite juice bar. When they returned home, there was a delivery truck in the driveway. Someone had sent a simple sunflower bouquet.

  The flowers were from Leo. Brooke read the card and burst into tears. Abby picked up the note to see what had upset her. It was a short message: “Hope you’re okay.” Frowning, she followed Brooke to her bedroom.

  “Can I come in?”

  “Yes.”

  She opened the door and stepped inside. Brooke was sprawled across the bed, her face buried in pillows. Abby hadn’t changed the decor since Brooke had left for college. It was a colorful space, and fairly girly. Brooke had never been interested in frilly dresses or boy bands, but she liked stuffed animals and feminine colors. She’d gone through a unicorn phase when she was seven or eight. The figurines were still on her shelves.

  Abby waited for Brooke’s smothered sobs to quiet. “I’ve been thinking about turning this room into an office.”

  Brooke lifted her head. “What?”

  “I’m kidding.”

  She looked around at her belongings, almost as if she didn’t recognize them. “You can redecorate. It’s not a shrine.”

  Abby wasn’t in a hurry to change things. They already had a spare bedroom that could double as an office. She didn’t want Brooke to feel like she couldn’t come back after college. She would always be welcome. “The flowers are nice.”

  Brooke’s lower lip trembled.

  Abby was beginning to suspect that some—maybe even most—of these tears were for Leo. Brooke wasn’t just traumatized, she was heartbroken. Abby sat down on the bed. “If you want to talk about it, I’m here for you.”

  The whole story spilled out. Brooke sobbed about begging Leo to sleep with her even though she knew he wanted to be just friends. Then he’d acted cold to her. She felt confused and guilty for kissing Wyatt.

  Abby stroked her back, murmuring words of comfort.

  “I’m so stupid,” Brooke wailed. “I thought I could make him love me.”

  “You’re not stupid.”

  “Now it’s going to be awkward between us and he’ll hate me forever.”

  “He doesn’t hate you. He sent you flowers.”

  She made a muffled sound of despair.

  “Have you talked to him?”

  “I’ve been avoiding his calls.”

  Abby understood why she would do that. She was hurt and embarrassed and...weepy. “He cares about you, Brooke.
When boys don’t care, they don’t call.”

  “Did Leo’s dad call you?”

  “Yes,” Abby said after a pause.

  Brooke rolled over, tucking one arm beneath her head. “Are you going out with him?”

  “We haven’t made plans yet.”

  “Why not?”

  Abby was reluctant to leave Brooke alone at a time like this, and it would be insensitive to invite Nathan over. “He can wait.”

  Brooke wiped her cheeks. “I want you to be happy, even when I’m not.”

  Abby didn’t tell her that was impossible.

  Instead of calling Nathan or Leo, they treated themselves to a girls’ afternoon out. They went to a matinee, strolled along the beach and visited the nail salon. After they came home, Brooke made plans for the weekend. She would spend Friday with her best friend, and then ride the train to Ella’s house on Saturday morning. Ray had promised to take her to a baseball game on Sunday afternoon.

  “Are you sure you’re up to it?” Abby asked.

  “Yes,” she said firmly. “I want to hang out with friends and do normal things.”

  Abby didn’t argue, although her first instinct was to keep Brooke home and hold her close. Being a caretaker was Abby’s default position, the easiest role for her to slip into. She was nervous about the prospect of seeing Nathan again. What if their chemistry had been fueled by adrenaline? What if her feelings weren’t real?

  She spent the next few days agonizing over him, torn between fever dreams and anxious thoughts. They made a date for Friday night. The retirement center was only a few miles from his house, so she promised to meet him at a restaurant in his neighborhood. He sounded pleased, and the low pitch of his voice made her shiver with anticipation. She had to hang up before she blurted out an offer for phone sex.

  The chemistry was still there, apparently.

  On Friday afternoon, she got ready to leave the house. Although she’d planned to take the whole week off, there was some paperwork she wanted to take care of before the Monday rush. She fussed over her appearance, choosing a sleeveless summer dress with buttons down the front and high-heeled sandals. After a long deliberation, she pinned up her hair and added red lipstick. The sophisticated look would draw attention at the retirement center, but so what? Having a date after work wasn’t a crime.