I downloaded two dating apps, btw. Mostly because I was bored. I may not be everyone’s type like you are, but maybe someone will be interested in the future :)
And she stopped being funny.
I backed out of my parking spot and headed north toward Westslope and the mountains.
Go fucking figure, she was gonna date now. Of course she’d have men interested in her. She was adorable, gorgeous, cute, and had an ass that wouldn’t quit. A perfect rack too. And yeah, thick thighs I wouldn’t mind having wrapped around my hips.
For being as obsessed with fitness as I was—or maybe had been—I’d never been drawn exclusively to women who had that in common with me. I got hooked on attitude, intelligence, a sharp sense of humor, and…fine, I was an ass man. And legs. Thighs. Something to dig my fingers into properly?—
I cleared my throat and adjusted myself.
Fuck her.
Miles and miles of dirt roads later, I was halfway up Coho Pass, and I drove past the sign welcoming me to Big Jake’s Expedition—camping and recreation. Lias’s world.
I veered left before I got to the main house and the rest of it, and I headed downhill toward Lias’s cabin.
Ma had bawled her eyes out the day she’d learned that Lias had named the place after our brother.
I’d just been happy, ’cause I could almost feel Jake’s presence up here. I sure as fuck didn’t feel him at Arlington outsideDC. This was where we’d grown up together. We’d owned these mountains. Jake, Darius, Ryan, and I could take off early on Saturday morning and not return until late on Sunday night, just in time for Ma to storm out of the house and ask where the hell we’d been.
When Lias had been old enough to join us, Ma had become even angrier if we didn’t come home before supper.
Sometimes, Jake and Lias had headed out on their own. Hunting, hiking, climbing, forgetting the rest of the world…
We’d all had that relationship with Jake. He’d been the epitome of an eldest brother, who’d felt the need to touch base with everyone in the family.
I loved my family to pieces, but something was always going to be missing.
Ma once told me, “My smile was meant for seven children. It’s a little smaller now, but my heart still beats for all of you.”
I felt an ounce of that too.
I slowed down as I reached Lias’s little cabin, and I pulled in next to his rusty truck.
His roof needed some repairing—preferably before winter. I’d talk to him about that. The campground was doing great; it was time for him to put some money into his own home too.
As I climbed out of the truck, my phone dinged with at least three messages, presumably because I’d automatically connected to Lias’s Wi-Fi. The road up the mountain was dead.
I scrolled to see two messages from Ma and one from Natalie.
Sorry, Ma. I went with Natalie first.
Since you didn’t respond, I feel the need to point out that I was only teasing you. I’m sorry if I crossed a line, Coach.
Girl, that wasn’t the fucking problem. The problem was her galivanting around on dating apps.
I wrote her a quick response.
I was just busy. Now I have half a mind to tell you to do 100 push-ups for apologizing for teasing. That ain’t right ;) Or maybe a week of suicide runs? What do you choose?
No need to reply to my mother. She wanted to make sure we were coming and that we hadn’t forgotten the gifts.
Pocketing my phone, I trailed up the rickety porch steps and knocked on Lias’s door.
In what state would I find him today? Hungover? In the middle of a battle against insomnia? Throwing a tantrum?
I’d seen it all.
