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shit out of some boxing bags,” Marc had told them.
    He liked a sweaty, adrenaline-pumped workout, one that left him stinking and exhausted, while Cole and Brendan preferred the StairMasters or light weights. “Unless you ladies have finally found your balls and want a real workout?”
    “Not me.” Cole gave an exaggerated yawn. “I’ll just sip some tea and walk the treadmill.”
    “Pathetic,” Marc sneered as he walked away.
    “Why are we friends with him again?”
    “Tomas,” Cole replied. “They’re sort of a package deal.”
    “Oh, right.”
    But later they’d seen Marc in the sauna and accidentally glimpsed the ugly red welts along his middle torso before he’d quickly grabbed a towel. But neither dared question him. His past remained closed to them. It was sad, though. Marc—with his chiseled features and hazel eyes—was the most classically handsome of them all, but everything about him screamed “Don’t touch!”
    “What caused that?” Cole had whispered.
    “Burns, maybe? I don’t know what.” Brendan looked sick.
    “At least he has us now,” Cole said.
    He’d meant it. He’d had other groups of friends before, but this was different. This was home.
    “You do work early.” Brendan said it lightly, his eyes still full of warmth. On the surface, Brendan seemed to go with the flow, but Cole knew it wasn’t accurate. Brendan was thoughtful and perceptive.
    “I’ll stay behind too,” Tomas said, never one to go far from Marc. “But go ahead and take the truck.”
    “River? How ’bout it? You coming with us?”
    “Sure.”

C HAPTER F OUR
     
     
    T HE OCEAN water was welcoming as Cole and Brendan bodysurfed the waves. River stretched out on a towel, dozing a little as the last of the sunlight stayed, his arm over his head to shield his eyes.
    “Lazy,” Brendan shouted out.
    River ignored them.
    “This is nice,” Cole said.
    “Yeah.”
    “It’s been a while since we hung out too.” He smiled at Brendan.
    “I know. Sorry, man. Things between work and school are so crazy.”
    At the odd note of tightness in Brendan’s voice, Cole met his eyes. “You okay?”
    “Me? Sure.” Brendan smiled.
    Cole didn’t buy it. “Really?”
    “Okay, maybe not. I’m just feeling a little preoccupied these days… like I’m at a crossroads of so many choices. You know? Will I finish school and pass the bar? What will I do then? What type of law do I want? What do I want out of my future?”
    Cole shook his head. And Brendan claimed not to be an overachiever.
    “And then there’s this other road tempting me, full of curveballs.” Brendan gave a shrug and a small smile. “But everybody has a road like that to try to avoid, right?”
    “I grew up on that road,” Cole joked. He laid a reassuring hand on Brendan’s arm. “It will work out for you.”
    “Gosh, I hope so!” He let out a shaky breath. “I’ve sacrificed a lot to get here and don’t want to blow it now. But it’s all coming at once,” Brendan continued. “What if I choose wrong? There are so many possibilities.”
    “Yeah, sure.” Although for Cole it was the opposite. He felt stuck. He wished the road ahead had more choices, but right then he didn’t see them. Sometimes he envied Brendan and the others for taking charge of what they wanted, for believing they could get there.
    “You could see what happens if you submit one of your stories.” Brendan, as usual, was right in tune with Cole’s thoughts.
    “Nah.”
    “Why not?”
    “Because… I barely got out of high school.”
    “So what? That’s not a prerequisite for talent. I wish you could see yourself, Cole. The way I do.”
    “Aw, c’mon.” Cole lowered his eyes. “You’re my best friend. You’re totally biased.”
    “I’m not! If you’d simply trust yourself, you have so much to offer.”
    “Stop it.” He nudged Brendan in his side. “Jeez! Get any more serious on me, and I’ll have to send up the Bat-Signal to be rescued from the