Manson had rarely brought anyone over to his parents’ place in high school, but I’d gone over twice myself. Both times I’d been eager to leave. Reagan’s presence in the house was like a poison in the air. I’d watched his wife and son cringe around him; heads down, eyes lowered, voices kept evenly cautious.

It was nothing like how it was in my own home. My sisters and I had never been afraid of our parents. We respected them, certainly. As the oldest, I’d always been expected to be the one to set an example, to look after my little sisters and help support the family. But I was happy to do those things out of love, not fear.

I’d be lost without my old man, and my mom was one of the kindest, wisest people I knew. They’d taken in my boys when no one else would, fed them, loved them. They’d accepted Jason under their roof without a second of hesitation when his own family kicked him out. If Manson and Lucas hadn’t been so damn ashamed of accepting help, my parents would have brought them into the house too.

“Reagan freaks me the fuck out,” I answered honestly, but smiled at the end to try to reassure her. “But don’t worry about it. He’ll probably bail out of town again in a few days; he never sticks around very long.”

She settled back in her seat, but a crease of concern remained on her forehead, pinching her eyebrows together. Reagan hadn’t been back in Wickeston since his estranged wife died. He didn’t attend the funeral, but he sure as hell was pissed about the will. Apparently, Manson’s mom had been well-off when she married Reagan, including having inherited the house from her own parents. But years of an abusive marriage and alcohol addiction sapped everything they had — almost everything.

Every penny she had left, she gave to Manson. It wasn’t a fortune, but between that inheritance and the house, it had completely changed the tides of our lives. It had given us all a place to live, a haven where we could be together. It allowed us to dream of bigger and better things.

I’d be damned if Reagan tried to ruin that now.

But I didn’t want to dwell on that old man or the trouble he could cause. It was a beautiful day and I had an even more beautiful woman sitting in my passenger seat, probably wondering if I was going to take her home or snatch her away for my own nefarious plans.

It was definitely the latter.