Will & Patrick Fight Their Feelings (#4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

voice. “Because when she’s ‘in love,’ she’s a lousy person.”
    Will’s stomach hurts. A drink would taste so good. “She’s a human being. She’s flawed.”
    “She’s my mom and I want her to stop sucking. Don’t try to stick up for her. She did this to you too. You know what it’s like.”
    Will swallows down his impulse to defend their mother. It pools in his gut along with the rage simmering there. They drive the rest of the distance in silence and relief pours through his veins when he parks next to the farmhouse and Uncle Kevin comes out from the barn to greet the girls.
    Will waves to Grandma Betty and Connor when they open the side door to usher the girls into the kitchen for afterschool sugar cookies and then turns to shake his uncle’s hand as he approaches.
    “How’s it going?” Uncle Kevin asks once the girls are safely inside. “Any luck on the divorce front?”
    “Not so far.”
    “Hope that comes through for you soon. Must be awfully awkward living with a stranger like that.”
    Will scratches at his ear and looks away. “It’s not that bad. Patrick’s a good guy.” He brings his gaze back to Kevin. “Hey, can we talk?”
    “Sure.” Kevin claps his hand on Will’s shoulder. “I’m always here for you.”
    “It’s not about me, actually. It’s about the girls.”
    “Ah.”
    “They’re pretty mad at Mom about this new thing she has going with Jason. Especially Caitlin.”
    Kevin sighs. “I know.” He squints into the winter sun and shakes his head. “I don’t know what to do about it. Jason’s a nice fellow. A little young for her, but he’s smitten and she’s…” He shakes his head. “She’s happy.”
    “It won’t last.”
    “No.”
    Will struggles with the impotent anger brewing in his gut. These are the feelings he drank to extinguish in high school. “It’s reckless.”
    “Reckless is something you know a thing or two about yourself.” Kevin’s unspoken ‘judge not lest ye be judged’ hangs in the air.
    Will sighs. “That’s not what we’re talking about, Uncle Kevin.”
    “No. You’re right. We’re talking about your sisters. And I admit I’m worried about them, too. Especially Caity. She’s got a chip on her shoulder something awful about this and I have a bad feeling about it. Especially now that she’s got a boyfriend.”
    “Is she still seeing Scott Tate?”
    Kevin’s nose wrinkles. “Yep. I can’t say I like it much. He’s too old for her. Why can’t anyone in this family date someone their own age?” His lips quirk. “Though Ryan was the right amount older than you. Just enough to have his head screwed on straight and keep you in line.”
    Will shakes his head, the simmering rage boiling up. Was Uncle Kevin truly that clueless? “Let’s not talk about Ryan,” he grits out.
    “Fair enough.” Uncle Kevin rakes a hand through his hair. “Scott’s a good kid. I just hope he can be trusted. With all that’s going on right now, I’m afraid your sister might act out.”
    Will knows what this means. Those are the words his uncle used when he found out about Will sucking off Jack Linton back in high school. He means sex.
    “Your mom hasn’t been the best role model when it comes to relationships. She married your father awfully young.”
    “You think Caitlin might run off and marry Scott?”
    “Heck, no. She’s not that wild about him. I’m more worried Caity’ll decide to see what all the fuss is about. And that Tate boy isn’t going to say no, I can tell you that much right now.” He clucks his tongue.
    Will doesn’t want to think about his sister and Scott Tate discovering physical pleasure together, but if Caitlin’s curious—and that’s what she was getting at in the car—then he probably blew it entirely.
    “Has mom talked to her? About safe sex? About waiting for the right guy?”
    “Your mom’s been busy screwing her new boy toy on every flat surface she can find. I doubt she’s even noticed