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“I’d rather jump into a lake of lava than get into a car with him,” Van sneers. He turns on his heel and stomps out, muttering something about this fuck-ass house and the fuck-ass people in it. I pretend I don’t hear, but Dunc starts after the other boy. I get in front of him and use my dad strength to push my son back.
“Enough,” I say in a low voice.
Dunc twists out of my grip. “You’re okay with being insulted?”
“This is over milk?” I lean back against the counter and try to look cool. Integrating the two families might be a task but it’s one that has to work. I won’t accept anything less.
“No, it’s not over milk.” Dunc casts me a dark look before slamming his fist onto the plastic jug. “Why didn’t you ask me if I wanted this? How come I came home to find some woman—”
“Hey now,” I caution. Dunc’s my son, but he needs to show Fischl respect.
“And her kids in my place?”
“I know it’s a surprise. Hell, I didn’t expect this to happen, obviously, but we’ve got to make the best of it, son.”
Dunc stiffens. The plastic crackles under his fist. “You’re not my dad.” It’s a cold sentence.
My breath sounds like a hiss as I inhale through clenched teeth. I pause and let the arrow scrape across my chest before I try to make a joke of it. “Wow. Direct hit. Am I bleeding?” I rub a hand over my chest. “Doesn’t feel like I am, but I should be.”
Dunc scowls and then shifts his gaze out toward the pool. I hardly know what that look of intense contemplation means these days. Is it about his future? A girl? Me?
“You know what I mean. Your real son is here now.”
“My real son has been with me for years. I’m just growing the family one teenager at a time.”
This doesn’t crack Dunc’s stone face. “You’re acting like everything is going to be cool, and it’s not. You can’t just bring a whole other family into this place and think we’re going to be the same.”
“I don’t think it’s going to be the same. I’m hoping it will be better.”
“Because my life is going to be better with a brother? I don’t think so.” He grabs the crushed plastic off the counter and stalks out. The side door slams shut behind him.
I drag my hands over my face. Two testosterone-driven teen boys and one teen girl all in the same house? Maybe I was crazy when I said we should all live together. I stare at the milk stain on the counter and then call a local restaurant to order dinner. No one is in a condition to cook tonight. I don’t even know who will be eating, but I’ve got to have food here. I wipe off the spilled milk and then go off to find Fischl. Outside the kitchen, though, Van is leaning against the wall with a grim expression on his face. He straightens when he sees me.
“Sadie and I don’t want to be here. Tell my mom whatever story you want, but get us out of here before the weekend.”
“Not happening, son.”
“I’m not your fucking son,” he seethes. “You abandoned me, remember? You have a son you raised, and it ain’t me.”
The pain he’s trying to hide seeps through his words and makes my own heart, the one that Dunc slashed through, ache even more. “You’re my son just as much as Dunc. I know I haven’t been around before, but that’s why you’re here—”
“Because you fucked up,” he interrupts. “Kids shouldn’t have to pay for their parents’ fuckup. Just FYI. I’m not interested in playing house with you so you can feel better about the way you abandoned Mom all those years ago. Your feelings don’t matter. I could care less what happens to you, old man. All I know is that you’re bad news and you aren’t going to get a chance to hurt my sister or my mom. No second chances.”
I can see why Dunc had his hands in fists. Van is very good at pushing buttons, but would I be any different in his shoes? Probably not. “I hear you, but that’s not how it’s going to go. We’re all living here even if it means a fight every day.”
“If that’s how you want it, that’s how it’ll be,” he snarls.
There’s real hate in his face before he spins around and stalks up the stairs two at a time. I exhale and tell myself that nothing in life is easy, particularly the things you care about the most.
CHAPTER16
FISCHL
Van comes stormingup the stairs. His face is filled with anger. God, he resembles Cooper so much.
“Which is mine?” he grits out. I fight the tears that want to break free. I knew this would be an adjustment, but I didn’t think Van would be this unhappy. I can’t help but second-guess if I made the right decision or not. Even though I believe it’s the best for all of us.
“Don’t be a dick to Mom.” Sadie smacks him on the chest.
