“Well, I’m eighteen and Noah, my brother, he’s—”

“Twenty-one,” Noah said, interrupting. He took a seat. I shot a look at the blond, caught off guard when he sat down without as much as a smile.

When he talked, his gaze shifted from the floor back up to the person he was addressing.

“Hi, I’m Noah, nice to meet you.” He moved his gaze to Mason. “You, too.” He rested his napkin in his lap.

“Kendall,” I said, looking at my food. I recognized his type. He looked like the overly confident kid who thought any girl would be lucky to have him.

“Well, let’s eat,” Anna said, coming back into the room with a fresh basket of biscuits. She pulled her apron strings, hung her apron over the back of her chair, and took a seat.

This was one of those times when I hoped and prayed everything would turn out all right.

Everyone dove right in as the food Anna had prepared was passed around the table—sausage links, eggs, pancakes, waffles, hash browns, and biscuits. Anna sure knew how to cook.

She sipped her coffee as she watched everyone enjoy their meal.

“So tell me, Wanda, what’s it like back home?” Roger asked, as he buttered his biscuit. I looked at Wanda. She took a mouthful of food, chewing slowly.

As more time ticked by Aunt Wanda still had provided no reply. Now everyone’s eyes were on her.

Payton fidgeted in her chair. Anna stood, quickly taking empty dishes from the table. I caught Lainey and Noah staring at me.

“Well, I don’t know, Roger. That town will never change. You know that. Always the same and always will be,” Aunt Wanda said as she picked up her glass of orange juice.

Anna returned carrying a basket of muffins. Her need to feed everyone seemed never-ending.

“Fresh blueberry,” she told me. I took one with a smile. I wondered how Lainey stayed so thin with a mother who cooked all the time.

“So what sort of things are you guys into back home?” Anna asked, sitting back down.

I looked at Mason, hoping he would take his turn and say something. He wasn’t looking too willing though.

“I like to hike and swim…anything outdoors, really,” I stammered.

Anna accepted everything I said, her eyes warm. She touched my arm, and said, “Well, I’ll tell you, Kendall. Alabama is known for great swimming holes. And I know just the two people who could take you guys out,” she said, casting a look at Lainey and Noah.

Lainey perked up. Noah acted oblivious.

“What about you, Mason? What do you like to do?” Lainey asked, as she flashed a doe-eyed gleam his way.

“I played baseball back home. I guess you could say sports and whatever.” He shrugged her off.

“Well, would you like a tour? You could get out of the house and take a little walk. The kids would be more than happy to show you around,” Anna said, clasping her hands together in enthusiasm. She acted as if we all were supposed to do the same.

“It’s no big deal if it’s too much,” I said looking at Noah. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be around him. He seemed so rude.

Noah looked at his mother then back at me. He sat up straighter, stretching, his biceps flexing. “It’s not a problem. I’m sure we’ll have a good time,” he said, raising an eyebrow at me. Mason looked at him. He sat up, crossing his arms over his chest.

Anna was pleased. She shooed us outside. Aunt Wanda shot us a secret warning glare before we slipped out of view. Payton was already back at the duplex, not hanging around any longer than she had to.

Mason and I started down the stairs. I walked closely beside him as Lainey and Noah led the way down the driveway.

“I feel like I am a part of the Brady bunch right now. Shoot me please,” he said, kicking stones across the country road.

“I think they’re nice,” I said, looking at Noah as he snagged a branch from the tree he was passing by.

“Yeah, because he looks so thrilled to be here right now. I wouldn’t be surprised if he isn’t as psychotic as other people I know.” He shook his head.

I laughed. We headed into a grassy field. Lainey turned making sure we were still following. I stopped laughing before she thought I was making fun of her. She chewed at her thumb, lost in thought. When she almost tripped she finally returned her gaze to the front.

“I think she has a thing for you,” I said softly, poking Mason in his arm.

“Good for her,” he grumbled.

We made our way down a hill into an enormous amount of tall pines, the trees swallowing us.

Noah swung his stick at the trees as he hurried through the brush.

“How much farther,” Mason asked, not pleased with the wilderness. Noah turned around, bringing us all to a sudden halt.

“There’s a bike trail a few more feet. Is this intimidating?” he asked, a cocky smirk pinned to his lips. I bit my lip, amused in the moment. I knew Mason had enough fortitude to deal with Noah’s teasing.

Noah hopped an overturned tree with quickness, his feet landing on the bike trail. I looked around not seeing any bikes anywhere.

“If we walk down here, there’s a big stream,” Lainey told us, taking off, not waiting for any of us to follow.

I hurried after her, hanging on to the trees to keep from falling on my face. I scrambled sideways looking for something to grab, when the earth suddenly gave way beneath my feet and I began sinking into the soft soil.

“Easy there. I thought you said you liked the outdoors?” Noah asked, taking hold of my waist. He lifted me, setting me on solid ground.

“Not off the sides of cliffs,” I muttered, looking at Lainey. She took a seat amid the leaves on the ground. Mason held back a smirk and sat down beside her.

“You have pretty hair,” she said. If this was how she conversed, I was afraid I didn’t have much to say. I held my breath, sifting my brain for something girly to say back. I touched my hair, staring at the trees.

“You don’t have much to say, do you? My friends talk a lot. We all do, actually,” she said.

“I’ve never really had many girlfriends,” I admitted, shrugging.

“What girl doesn’t have girlfriends?” Noah piped in. He sat down, leaning against a tree.

Noah pulled out a pack of cigarettes. I eyed Mason when Noah lit one up. Mason shrugged. It wasn’t a cigarette at all. He took a long drag and then passed it to Lainey. She hesitated, looking at the two of us before she brought it to her lips.

Lainey coughed, passing it to me. I took a light drag and passed it to Mason.

“This girl doesn’t. I’ve always been a tomboy,” I said, blowing out smoke.

“A total tomboy,” Mason laughed. He studied the joint in his hand as he exhaled a cloud of smoke.

“Oh yeah? You two always been so close?” Noah prodded. He took the joint back from Mason, licking his lips. He took a deep, full drag from the joint, almost killing the rest of it.

“Yeah, we were raised together,” I said, watching Lainey make another weak attempt at smoking.

“You don’t seem tomboyish to me. How many tomboys wear pink?” Noah said, tugging at my shirt. He leaned against the tree, going quiet.

“So, Mason, how good were you at baseball?” Lainey asked, scooting closer to Mason. He took the joint from her, their fingers touching for a split second.

I watched her play with her hair, pretending to be interested in everything he had to say. He kept on talking, savoring the moment and the high. His smile grew bigger every time he ignited giggles from her. She innocently touched his arm with her fingertips each time she laughed.

Noah shot up from the ground. He looked at the two of them.

“I’m going to take a walk. If you don’t want to sit here and be bored then you could come,” Noah told me. He shook his legs free of leaves. I accepted his hand, letting him pull me up.

Mason didn’t notice I’d even left. I was a little bothered by his complete fixation on Lainey. As I walked through the woods with Noah I heard another giggle. I kept my eyes fixed to our feet as we walked the trail.