Dare You To (Pushing the Limits, #2)(83)

“We have time. Go talk to your brother.”

“It’s fine, Beth.” Mark responds for me in a tone that      indicates an apology. “I’m glad I got a chance to meet you. Don’t let Groveton      smother you to death.”

She gives him one of her rare genuine smiles and I want to hit      something—hard. “Good luck with your game next week.”

Mark shoves his hands into his jeans as he leaves. “You know      where to find me when you’re ready, Ry.”

Beth watches him until he’s out of sight. “What the f*ck is      wrong with you?”

“You wouldn’t understand.” I stalk off to the parking lot and      toss my stuff into the Jeep. Beth slams her passenger door shut and I answer her      anger by slamming my own. “Tell me where I’m supposed to be taking you.”

“The strip mall a half mile before your pitching facility.”

My head jerks. That place is a step above ghetto. “I’m not      leaving you there.”

“I didn’t ask for your approval. You made a deal with me. It’s      your decision if you want to keep it.” Her frozen blue eyes pierce into me.

I yank hard on the bill of my hat and peel out onto the main      road. She’s angry. I’m angry. We stay silent as I drive the thirty minutes to      the other side of town. There’s enough electricity in the air to propel the car      without gas. One word from either of us could cause an explosion.

Beth obviously likes playing with fire. “Is your brother one of      those guys that can be awesome to strangers, then turn into a complete dick in      private? Did he piss in your Cheerios every morning before you went to      school?”

“No,” I grit out. “He was a great brother.”

“Then what is wrong with you? He said you guys haven’t talked      in three months and that he was here to see you. What’s so damned important that      you couldn’t take three seconds out of your day to say hi?”

I turn on the radio. She turns it off. I pound my hand against      the wheel. “I thought you were in a hurry for your one hour of freedom in      Louisville.”

“Waiting fifteen minutes so you can talk to your brother isn’t      going to ruin my one hour. Let’s try this again. What’s going on?”

“He’s gay.”

Beth blinks. “You already told me that. Catch me up on the you      being an * part.”

I am not an *. The whole reason for this day was for her      to see that I’m not an *. “He left, okay? He left and he’s made it clear      he’s not coming back.”

She angles her body toward me. “Tell me that’s a self-imposed      decision Mark made.”

Beth doesn’t tell me squat about her family, yet she expects      perfection from mine. “My dad threw him out and Mark didn’t even try to see what      would happen if he attempted to stay. Are you happy now?”

“No. So your dad’s a homophobic bastard. What’s your      excuse?”

The anger bursts out of me. “What did you expect me to do? Go      against my dad? He told me and Mom that we weren’t allowed to talk to him      anymore. He’s my dad, Beth. What would you have done?”

I don’t bother telling her that I tried reaching out to him or      that Mark didn’t respond to me...until now. Now when it’s too late.

“Grown a pair of balls, that’s what I would have done. God,      Ryan, you are an *. Your brother is gay and      you toss him out of your life because you’re too much of a pansy to stand up to      your father.”

I pull into the strip mall and park in the back of the lot.      This place is a shithole. Down by the Laundromat, a guy in a wife-beater screams      at a girl with bleached-blond hair holding a diaper-clad baby on her hip. Guys      my age smoke cigarettes while purposely skateboarding into girls coming in and      out of the stores. Someone needs to teach them respect.

Beth hops out of the Jeep. Her hair blows in the breeze behind      her as she strides toward the shopping center. Why is this girl always walking      away from me? I jump out after her, catch her hand, and turn her to face me. I      thought I pissed Beth off by nominating her to homecoming court. The fire      blazing out of her eyes tells me this anger is on a completely different level.      She needs to hear me out and understand my dad—to understand my family. “Mark      abandoned us.”