Page 56 of Country Road Romance

“And while we’re on the subject, Istillthink it’s pretty rich that you think you can just helicopter into your home state whenever you want to and then just leave. You have no idea what it’s like to live here these days, because if you did you might actually put in a bit of effort to make sure that it’s the best place that it can be for all of the queer teens who still live here. Insteadyou’re always off in Hollywood getting to hobnob with all of the other rich and shallow people, who I’m sure fawn all over you and tell you how absolutely wonderful and noble it is that you still care about all of the people living back home.”

He snorted, just in case his contempt wasn’t absolutely clear by now. “Well, I don’t think there’s any point in sitting around here. We should get you back to Huntington. To be honest, I don’t really want to have any more to do with the film festival than I have to.”

Or with you.Those were the hurtful words that were on the very tip of his tongue, but somehow he managed to keep from saying them.

It was at this moment that Jared’s parents decided to put in an appearance. He couldn’t decide whether that was a good or a bad thing.

“Jared, Charlie, let’s all just take a breath,” his mother said, as always rushing in to try to smooth things over before they got out of hand. “I’m sure that this is a tough time for you, dear, but there’s no need to lash out at Charlie like that. Charlie, would you give us just a few minutes?”

This was quickly becoming one of those moments where Jared basically saw red. Once again the rational part of his mind knew that his mother was just trying to help, but talking to Charlie as if he, Jared, wasn’t there and, moreover, acting as if he was some kind of dangerous animal that needed to be tamed, well, it was just too much (even if it was also somewhat true).

“Mother, don’t take this the wrong way, but butt out,” he said, which was about the nicest thing he could think of. It was bad enough to be having this very unpleasant conversation with Charlie without either of his parents trying to make things better.

Unfortunately, that was the exact wrong thing he could have said, but the reprimand came not from his mother but insteadfrom his father, who almost never raised his voice or spoke a word in anger.

“Jared, that’senough.You will not speak to your mother like that, not while you’re under this roof.”

Jared was so surprised that his father actually raised his voice that he couldn’t think of what to say. He just stood there with his mouth hanging open.

Suddenly the only thing he wanted was to be out of there and going back to Huntington. Jared didn’t know how all of this weekend, which had so far been so filled with joy and self-discovery and happiness, had come crumbling down, but he wanted it all over with as quickly as possible. In fact, he really wanted to bolt right to his car, get in, and start driving.

Then Charlie once again stepped into the breach.

“Why don’t we all just take a few minutes to cool off, huh?”

Jared took a deep breath. He was working on one hell of a headache–it was already starting behind his eyes, and he knew that it wouldn’t be long before it took over–but even through the pain and his anger and his hurt feelings, he knew that Charlie was right. And, of course, he resented him for that, too. How did he know how to make things better between Jared and his parents when Jared himself could never entirely figure out how to do that, even after all these years?

“Fine,” he said, and stormed upstairs.

As soon as he was back in his room all of the complicated and ugly feelings came roaring back to the surface again, and he thought for a minute that he was going to actually go crazy.

I’ve gotta get out of here,he thought.I don’t care what happens or where I go, but I gotta get out of here.

Which is how, fifteen minutes later, he was sneaking out the door of the house, heading toward his truck, his suitcase beside him. In the far reaches of his mind a little voice was screaming at him that he couldn’t just leave Charlie here–he had to get backto Huntington, after all–but the louder voice became the more determined he became to leave. Charlie was a star, after all, not a child. If he was so good at figuring things out with Jared’s parents, then he could figure this out, too.

Jared got in his truck, turned the key in the ignition and, before he could think any more about what he was about to do, he was gone, his parents, and Charlie, already in the rearview mirror.

CHAPTER 18

After Jared stormed out of the room and went up to the guest room, Charlie just sort of stood there with Joyce and Doug, none of them quite able to believe what had just happened. Somehow, between one minute and the next, the romance that had slowly been taking shape between Charlie and Jared seemed to have been burned entirely to the ground.

“Would you like to sit in the living room?” Joyce asked, finally recovering some measure of her equanimity. “I’m really sorry that you had to see whatever that was. Sometimes, I don’t know what gets into that boy’s head. Lord knows I love him, but I’d like to shake some sense into him.”

Charlie had a feeling that that was about as aggressive as Joyce ever got, and it surprised him. Jared must have shaken her up a bit with his little outburst.

They all retired to the living room, where they sat around in a semi-awkward silence, none of them quite sure what to say. They all seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement that the best thing to do was wait for Jared to cool down on his own, however long that might end up taking. It wasn’t until they heard his truck’s engine starting that they thought things mighthave gone off the rails a bit more than they thought, but even then none of them thought there was any reason to panic.

“I’m sure he’s just blowing off some steam,” Charlie said, and both Joyce and Doug nodded in agreement. It was clear from the looks on their faces, though, that they weren’t entirely sure.

When an hour passed and Jared still hadn’t returned, Charlie started to wonder, too.

Finally, it was clear what had happened. Jared had ditched them all.

“Well,” Doug said, slapping his knees, “I guess Jared has pulled a Jared.”

Charlie did a double-take at that, even though he was pretty sure he knew exactly what Doug meant, unfortunately.

“Doug,” Joyce said, a note of caution in her voice, “don’t.”

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