Page 21 of Carson

“Did you guys bring marshmallows?” she asks, interrupting my racing thoughts. “If not, I do have some.”

“Yeah, yeah, we brought some.”

“A bonfire wouldn’t be complete without them.” Her hand lands softly against my back and she urges me forward.

I stay where I’m at. “I really am sorry.”

Her fingers tighten in the back of my t-shirt. “It’s okay, Cole. I know it was an accident.”

I’d let her exit ahead of me, but it’s too much of a risk. She’s right. There’s no room for the three of us. I hurry in front of her, jumping out.

“Hey, Dad texted me. He needs me to go over and check on Tuffy,” I holler to my brother while looking down at my phone.

“Tuffy?” Luna asks, stepping out behind me.

I quickly move away from her. “Um, yeah, their dog.”

Carson gives me a funny look, watching me practically run down the driveway.

When I get around the bend, I take a minute to catch my breath. Jesus, I’m losing my mind. I stop in the middle of the path, not knowing which way to turn.

My brother’s rich laugh filters through the trees. He sounds just like Dad when he laughs. I peek through the foliage. The two of them are sitting beside each other, looking through her bag.

She bumps her shoulder against his and he chuckles again. My shoulders relax. I’ve never seen him so completely at ease with someone. He’s being himself.

She holds a rock up over their heads, positioning it into a ray of sun that’s breaking from between the trees. When the light cuts through it, the stone glows a rich amber color. My brother reaches up and touches it.

Believe it or not, I can read his thoughts from here. He’s being flooded with them. I’m watching my brother fall in love without me.

We’ve always done everything together, but this … this is one thing we can’t share.

He’s leaving me behind.

Carson leans close to her and I hold my breath. He’s going to kiss her. He does, and it’s worse than I thought. It doesn’t land on her lips. It lands on her temple, and it stays there.

The way her eyes close makes me take a step back and quickly look away.

This is their moment, not mine.

I take a deep breath before making my way to my parents’. Little nails tap against the wood floors as soon as I step inside. My mom’s white fluffy ball of a dog stops dead in her tracks in front of me. Her head tips to the side and she whimpers.

“I’m sorry, Tuffy, you were expecting your mama, weren’t you?”

She pretends to sneeze, letting me know I’m spot on.

The door hits me on the backside as someone comes in behind me. Tuffy darts around me, wagging her tail off.

“Cole,” my mom says. “What are you doing here?”

I move out of her and my dad’s way as they bring their suitcases in.

“Why are you guys home so soon?” I ask.

My dad laughs, shaking his head. “As soon as Mom realized Carver was hauling you and your brother’s bikes back to Nevada, she was packing.”

“What is going on? What’s wrong?” she asks, laying one hand on my chest and the other on my cheek.

“Nothing is wrong with the boy. He’s standing strong and tall in front of you.”