Page 10 of The Step Dare

“Mom,” I say, drawing her attention.

Her eyes glisten as she forces a smile. “Isn’t it nice that Keith came along for the trip?” she says, clearly trying to avoid the uncomfortable subject.

“Yeah. He’s cool. And it’s nice seeing what an actual dad looks like for a change.”

It’s not an accident that the words spit right out like that after seeing that little girl.

It’s more than that, though. I’ve been around Brenner and his dad plenty, but something about all these days together, seeing what a great relationship they have—how kind Keith is to Brenner and how respectful he is to Mom—it’s poked at a sore spot within me, a fire intensifying for reasons I’ve tried to push out of my mind so I don’t spoil everyone’s fun.

“I mean…” I try to think of a way to reverse course, to draw attention away from my comment, but when I glance at Mom, the fine lines in her forehead reveal her concern. I wish I could have kept my shit together for just a couple more days.

“Taylor—”

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing. It’s great that Brenner has an amazing father, and I’ve noticed some moments where you look at them like you wish—”

“We don’t have to talk about this,” I insist, since I just want to shut it down.

We don’t need to get into details about my asshole dad. About how nasty he was to my mom when I was a kid. How it got worse after the greatest tragedy in our lives. How, when Mom finally decided to leave his deadbeat ass, he made our lives hell by dragging us through custody battles. Turning eighteen was the best thing that ever happened to me because I never have to see that sick fuck again.

She starts to say my name again, and I barely move my lips as I spit out, “I’mfine.”

I know Mom can sense my tension, and she knows perfectly well what we went through, so it’s not like I can pretend I’m not bothered. I take a breath to calm myself.

Doesn’t work.

“Mom, he took up too much of our lives already. I don’t want to give him another second to ruin any more moments. Let’s just enjoy the show.”

She nods, but I can’t just wish away the awkward moment, like I can’t wish away the painful memories.

A couple sits close enough that I’m not worried about any other personal shit coming up, but when the show starts, I can’t really enjoy myself, my mind tormenting me.

Dad’s cruel comments that made Mom feel like shit.

The chaotic aftermath of losing Aria.

Watching Dad become crueler and crueler as Mom steadily became less and less of herself.

Throughout the show, I’m on edge. Mom seems a little off too. Which sucks because we’ve had such a good time this week.

And is it terrible how much I wish I could have Brenner’s lips around my dick, helping me forget all this bullshit?

After the show, when we leave the theater, we find Brenner and Keith standing in the hallway outside, chatting. They’re grinning ear to ear, their amazing relationship picking at the tender, reopened wound, but really, it’s never healed.

Their gazes shift to us, and Keith’s eyes light up, like he’s genuinely excited to see us. “How were the acrobats?”

I force a smile. “Great. They had a bunch of different things. Tumbling, contortions, aerial stuff with silks and hoops—whatever the hell those things are called.”

As Brenner’s forehead creases, I realize I’ve given myself away by saying so much, when normally I would’ve just saidgreat.

Brenner continues inspecting my expression, like he’s trying to read my damn mind.

Not fucking now, Bren.

“Hopefully you can tell us more about it over some Thai food,” Keith says. “There’s that restaurant we still haven’t made it to, and I figured we could have lunch there.”

“I’m gonna swing by the burger joint,” I say. “Maybe head back to the room and take a nap.”

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