Page 16 of False Start

I laugh and shake my head. “He’s scared, Vaughn. It’s fear. And it’s not misguided. Fear is a real thing in this situation.”

“Are you scared?”

He looks terrified for me, and it’s devastating. “Not really. I have you,” I say with a smile. “And your fierce as fuck girlfriend.”

That earns a cocky grin. “Yeah, she is pretty great.” And there’s that uncomfortable twist in my stomach, but I try to push it away.

“But Calvin doesn’t have that.” I look at the modest white house on First Street. “I’m not sure he has anyone who’ll have his back.”

His expression is still grim, but he nods and then pulls on the handle to open the door. “Let’s go check on him then.”

I follow, and we walk up to the front door. I see Calvin’s truck is here but no other cars. That’s probably good. I ring the doorbell and wait. It doesn’t take too long before there are heavy footsteps, and then the door tears open. Calvin stands there, darkness under his eyes, and he looks like absolute shit.

Honestly, Calvin is a decent-looking guy—far better-looking than his older brother—but his attitude makes him ugly. “Why the fuck are you here?”

“Watch it. He’s here as a friend,” Vaughn says.

“I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” I say carefully, my eyes roaming over him and telling me he’s so not okay.

“I’m fine. Leave me the fuck alone.”

“Calvin—” He starts to shut the door in my face, but I stop it with my hand. “I know this sucks.”

“You don’t know shit. No one knows anything.”

“They don’t, and it’s none of their business.” His jaw ticks, and he stands there, beet red and angry. “I’m sorry that happened. It wasn’t right, and it sucks that everyone is talking about it. But it will pass.”

“Yeah, Mrs. Johnson has a brand-new baby lamb, and people were pretty excited about that today,” Vaughn says, and I can’t help but smile at my best friend.

Calvin—not so much. “I don’t need you two assholes trying to make me feel better. I’m fine. You need to leave.”

He looks around nervously, and I look behind me, seeing that no one is around. “Where are your parents?”

His eyes narrow on mine. “It’s Wednesday. Mom’s at church. Dad’s at the bar.”

I nod. Pretty typical around here. “If you ever want to talk...”

“I don’t,” he says, and I step back so he can slam the door in our faces.

“Dickhead,” Vaughn says, and then we both walk down the steps and back to my truck.

“We don’t know what his home life is like, Vaughn, but I can guess.”

“Yeah. Maybe,” he says as he hops into the truck. “Let’s go to my place. I have some chemistry homework I really need some help with or Mrs. Anders is going to flunk my ass.”

I snort and start up my truck, pulling out of the driveway. “Don’t worry. I’ll save you.”

He’s beaming at me now, and I have to look away.

One secret down.

One more to go.

9

VAUGHN

Ican’t decide why it bothers me so much that Austin wanted to check on Calvin. I mean, it makes sense. Austin is a good person, always has been. Some people think he’s judging them or snarky, but when it counts, he cares.

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