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After hearing her father denigrate Gabriel and his brother, it made her want to realign everything she knew about her father.
And about herself, too.
CHAPTER 28
Gabriel couldn’t get the music loud enough. Maybe if he put a pillow over his head. His eyes were fixed on the white drywall of his bedroom ceiling, his iPod earbuds pressed into his ears so tightly that they were beginning to hurt.
He was trying to block out the sound of Layne’s father’s voice, which kept replaying in his head like it was on some kind of loop.
His door opened, and Michael filled the doorway.
Gabriel yanked the headphones out of his ears, but music still poured out against his comforter. “Ever hear of knocking?”
He wanted his voice to be sharp, but he couldn’t generate the usual anger.
He’s not worthless. And you’re out of line.
“I did knock,” said Michael. “Three times.”
Oh. Gabriel pushed PAUSE on the iPod and looked back at the ceiling. “Sorry.”
He was ready for the lecture about the lightning, about lying, but Michael just stood there, keys jingling in his hand. “I still need to go to Home Depot. Want to come?”
He didn’t want to. But the alternative was sitting alone in his bedroom, feeling lightning in the air. Regretting the afternoon.
So again, they headed out in the truck, Michael mostly quiet, the wipers snicking back and forth against the windshield.
Gabriel couldn’t take it. He looked over. “I’m sorry.”
Michael didn’t look away from the road. “Did you know?”
“Did I know what?”
“That she wasn’t allowed over?”
Gabriel looked back out the window and picked at the weather stripping along the glass. “Mostly. I drove her home last week and her father told me off.”
“He told you off?”
Michael sounded pissed, but Gabriel couldn’t tell if it was directed at him or Mr. Forrest. “Yeah. Said he was going to charge me with trespassing and statutory rape.”
“What an ass**le.”
Gabriel smiled tentatively, as if Michael might start on him next. “Yeah. He is.” He hesitated. “Thanks. For what you said.”
Michael nodded. “Thanks for not setting his car on fire.”
Silence streamed through the truck again, but there wasn’t any strain to it this time. Gabriel glanced over again. “What did he mean, about the custody stuff? And about the company?”
Michael sighed. “He’s not a judge, is he?”
“No. A lawyer.”
“I should have figured. You don’t have to worry about the custody stuff. It comes up for review every spring. You know that. You and Nick will be eighteen anyway, so . . .” Michael shrugged.
“But Chris?”
“Chris will be fine.”
