“So, where are we going?”I ask again, swinging our arms between us.
He just smiles.
What did you do today?” I ask as we turn onto a road leading out of town.Leading away from everything, actually.
“I caught up on homework.”
I gasp in mock surprise.
“Shocker, I know,” he says with a smirk.“I hung out with my brother for a while.And then helped my mom rearrange the furniture, getting ready for the Christmas tree next weekend.”
“You put it up Thanksgiving weekend?”
“Yeah, we usually go out to the tree farm and cut one down.It’s a tradition, I guess.”
I shift in my seat to face him with my mouth open.“You cut down your own tree?I’ve always wanted to do that, but my mom has a giant one special-ordered every year.”
“Your Christmas trees are famous.”
“Because we don’t actually decorate them.She has her team of designers do it.”
“You don’t have family ornaments?”
“Yeah.That’s for the tree in my dad’s office.I decorate that one.”
“I love that tree,” Jonathan says in remembrance.“Should’ve known it was yours.”
I almost forgot that he’s been in my father’s office—multiple times.
“Thanks,” I say, not sure if it’s something I should acknowledge or not.Which brings me to a topic I probably shouldn’t broach, but just have to.“Surprised you didn’t have to work for your dad today.”
“He’s in Massachusetts, scouting out a project.Won’t be back until tomorrow.”
“Oh,” I say, wondering if that has anything to do with Jonathan’s surprise appearance tonight.I’ve heard so many things about Hal Reeves over the years, all of them contradicting the strict, disciplinarian Jonathan and Collin describe.I could never have been prepared for the man I met.“He’s not who I expected.”
Jonathan releases a humorless laugh.“He never is.”
“He seems to really love your mom.”
“He does.And my brother.”
“So… it’s just you?”As soon as I say it, I want to take it back.I was hoping to decipher the contradiction that is Hal Reeves.“Sorry.That’s not what I meant to say.I’m just trying to understand why—”
“He hates me?”Jonathan cuts me off.His voice clipped and edged with anger.
I blink.That wasn’t what I was going to say at all.“You think he hates you?”My words are gentle, like I’m inching out onto cracked ice.“Why?”
Jonathan’s jaw is flexed as he strangles the steering wheel.“Can we not talk about him?”
“Sorry.”I tuck in closer to the door, looking out the window into the dark.Whoever Hal is, he’s not good to Jonathan if just the mention of his name brings him to a boil.
Jonathan reaches for me across the cab, brushing my arm.“I’m sorry.I shouldn’t have snapped.I don’t want him here with us.Okay?Just you and me.”
I nod, scooting closer so he can hold my hand.“Just you and me.”I look out the windshield, the headlights illuminating a desolate road.I haven’t seen a house in a while.Haven’t seen a car in a long time either.I don’t even know if we’re in Hollis anymore.“Out in the middle of nowhere.”
Jonathan laughs.“We’re almost there.”He navigates the truck down a dirt road that causes us to jostle and bounce in our seats.I grip the bar above the door.The road is narrow and filled with holes.I think we’re in the middle of a field.
The truck finally stops.We’re most definitely in the middle of nowhere.
