My brother has ambushed me from behind while my best friend Connor and I are cleaning my other boat. A small one, it currently sits on the trailer at Wilder Adventure headquarters, also known as the barn outside Gabe’s house.

Spoiler: Jennifer and her friends’ reviews did not mention that I rescued Chicklet from sure death. Only the lousy snacks, the bad attitude, the lack of toilet paper, and the rapid acceleration.

I slowly turn around to find Gabe standing there with a sheaf of printed papers and a furious expression. My own anger meter goes from zero to highway speed, because with Gabe it’s always like this—there’s nothing I can do that won’t make him mad, and no way for me to win.

“What’re you so pissed about?”

I try to keep my voice level, but it’s a lost cause. Clark, Kane—even Easton—can keep their cool around Gabe. I’m the only sibling who loses it every time. It’s because Gabe and I are so close in age, and we had to compete from the very beginning for our parents’ affections—a battle I gave up on winning sometime around sixth grade.

“This last batch of reviews—what the fuck, Brody?”

“We’ve already established that’s the question,” I say dryly.

There’s a small snort of laughter that only I hear. Connor is hidden behind the boat, out of Gabe’s view, which puts Connor in the awkward position of either being an eavesdropper on a family conversation—or having to pop out in the next few seconds like a jack-in-the-box.

He doesn’t pop.

I can’t blame him. I wouldn’t want to show my face to Gabe if I didn’t absolutely have to.

I wouldn’t have chosen this morning to clean the boat if I’d known Gabe was around. I thought he was in Portland with Lucy, on a marketing research mission.

Gabe scowls. “You deliberately sped up the boat to capsize someone’s dog? They want to know why you’re bothering to offer these nights out, since you obviously have no interest in being a good host. I’d like to know the answer to that, too.”

I only saw the reviews day before yesterday, but of course I’ve known this moment was coming since last Sunday. It’s almost a relief to finally be here.

And I can answer his question, no problem: “I’m hosting the nights out because you told me to.”

The red deepens on Gabe’s face.

“I’ve had it up to here with you, Brody. Clark, Kane, Easton, they’re all doing everything they can to make this work. Lucy’s killing herself coming up with great ideas. Books-in-the-Boat was a stroke of genius.” He throws his hands out. “It’s like you’re hell-bent on undermining everything. Do you even give a shit if this business is successful?”