Page 5 of Tangled Up In You

He knew he was predictable, but he couldn't eat like a nineteen-year-old anymore.

As Chloe left, he turned to Drew. "Where did you go this morning?"

"I walked around."

"Did you check out any of the Help Wanted signs?"

"I didn't see any."

"Really? Because I saw at least three on my way over here."

"I might not even stay."

"Well, you don't have a lot of options. Your college kicked you out. So did your dad."

"I have friends," Drew muttered. "I don't know why you want me to stay with you. It's not like you're anything to me anymore."

Drew was right. They hadn't been anything to each other in a very long time. "I just want to help, Drew. I know you've had some rough years."

"Whatever."

Drew's uncaring attitude was at least partly a cover for the pain he'd been through, and Adam wanted to help. He just didn't know how to reach the kid who had once idolized him and then hated him and now probably didn't give him a second thought. But he had to keep trying. Drew's father had asked him for help, and he owed the Kilborn family more than he could ever repay.

"If this is going to work, you need a job," he told Drew. "You'll enjoy being here more if you make friends and get to know the town. A friend of mine runs a sports adventure company down by the harbor. I'm going to hook you up with Jake. He has some fall hikes coming up, and I know he can use extra guides."

"You want me to lead someone through the mountains?" Drew asked doubtfully. "I can't imagine why you think I could do that."

"You wouldn't be the lead guide, but you'd meet other kids your age."

"I'm not supposed to meet other kids. I'm not supposed to have fun. I'm supposed to sit in this hole of a town until Christmas, until I've repented enough for my unacceptable behavior, and I can go back to UC Santa Barbara for winter quarter."

That was basically the plan, although he would have put it in more positive terms. "The next couple of months can be fun, Drew. You might enjoy being here if you're willing to have an open mind."

"Why are you doing this? Why do you suddenly care?"

"Your dad asked for help."

"And he turned to you because you're the son he didn't have. You're the son he always wanted," Drew said bitterly.

He shook his head. "You've got that wrong."

"I don't. He thinks you can straighten me out because you straightened yourself out. But I don't need your help. I only agreed to come here so I could get the hell out of my father's house. I'm going to do whatever I want to do until you kick me out and then I'll go somewhere else."

"If I kick you out, your dad won't pay for your return to college."

"Then I'll drop out. It's not like it's getting me anywhere."

He sighed, seeing the stubborn light in Drew's gaze. He had a huge chip on his shoulder and the unyielding cockiness of a teenager who was daring him to try to take control. "You can stay with me until Christmas as long as you get a job. You don't have to be happy, but you do have to work. I'll give you a week to make some progress. If that doesn't happen, you're out."

"I don't think you'll kick me out. You owe my dad. If you get rid of me, you'll owe him even more."

He wished he could say Drew was wrong, but he couldn't. Instead, he said, "Those are my terms."

Drew stared back at him with an assessing gaze. In the end, he just shrugged. "Maybe I'll check out some jobs."

"Good." Their conversation ended as a server brought their food from the kitchen.

He'd meant what he said about giving him a week to get a job but kicking Drew out would be tough. He hoped it wouldn't come to that, for both of their sakes.

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