Page 122 of Small Town Firsts

“I wanna fucking kill him,” I say honestly. “I’m talking cold-blooded murder.”

“Can’t let ya do that—especially since you just made my ass an accessory.” He chortles at his own joke. “But what I can do is help you come up with a plan to fix this shit.”

“But how? How can I fix this? You know how stubborn Abby Jane is. She’s not going to willingly talk to me.”

“And that’s where I come in. You worry about sorting shit out with your dad, and I’ll worry about getting you and your girl in the same room.”

The minute the sun rises,I’m out the door and on my way to my parents’ house. I’m running on no sleep, a bad attitude, and too much alcohol—but this can’t wait another second. Hell, if I would’ve had my way, I’d have been here last night, but I respect my mom enough to let her have at him first.

On the drive over, visions of a future without Abby Jane by my side assault me. Sure, I messed shit up between us in middle school, but deep down, I know I’ve always loved her—that she’s always been the one for me. And, finally, I got a second chance, only for life to shit all over it.

She’s the splash of color in my world, and I’m not letting her go this time around. I’ll fight for her—for us—as long as it takes. Until I’m fucking blue in the face. Abby Jane is meant for me and I won’t stop until she sees what I already know.

I storm up the steps and pound on my front door. I’m shocked when Mom answers the door instead of Marta. She glances over her shoulder and steps out onto the porch.

“What’s going?—”

“Oh, honey. I have a plan.”

“You do?” I ask, wondering just what she has up her sleeve.

“Yes. You’re gonna go inside and confront your father, and I’m going to film it from the hall. I won’t tell you what to say or how to act, but to an extent, play along.”

“Play along?” I whisper-shout, outraged.Why would she fucking suggest this?

“I know it sounds crazy, but your father is well-respected in our community, and if we’re not careful, he’ll take us down with him, honey.”

“Do you really think it will work? That it will be worth it?”

Mom pauses, choosing her words carefully. “He’s a snake, Brock. I think it’s the only way. No one would ever believe what he’s really like, so we need to show them his true colors.”

I don’t know if I totally approve of this plan, but reluctantly I agree, and we head inside.

“Your father is in his office. Head on back.”

I do as she says, feeling all kinds of conflicted about her plan. But at the end of the day, I have to trust her.

I rap my knuckles on the open door of the office and step inside. “Brock,” my dad sneers. “Why are you here?”

“We need to talk.” It’s a struggle to keep my tone even when all I want is to throttle him.

“Come to your senses?”

“About what?” I ask, stepping farther into the room. “About my major?”

“Among other things.”

“Other things like the fact that you’re trying to force me into marrying Amanda Burkett?”

He replies with a humorless laugh. “Force is a strong word, son.”

“Yet so accurate, because here she is with a ring on her finger that I didn’t give her. Where did she get it, Dad?”

“That hardly matters. You act like marrying her would be a hardship. Tight little body like hers? I know I wouldn’t complain.”

I wish I could say his words shock me, but they don’t. He’s always been a fucking dog. “I don’t love her. I’ll never love her.”

“Love has nothing to do with it!” He screams the words so loudly my ears ring.

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