Home is a Four Letter Word

chapter thirty-three

The End of May

"What are you doing?" Jake came up behind McKenna with a couple of uncut tree logs in one hand and the silver beer can he had just grabbed from her in the other. "Did you get permission for this?"

His sister glared at him with a look to kill.

"Does it matter?" She tried to grab it back, but Jake moved his hand back just in time.

"Is this your first one tonight?"

He looked at her with that dad-glare—something she had grown quite used to at this point considering Jake was more her father than her actual father was.

"Yeah." She nodded, trying to grab it back again.

Jake pulled back once more and then stared at her. "For real?"

"It is, I swear!"

I don't believe you.

Jake looked around for one of her friend's nearby to attest to her story. Unfortunately, Katherine was standing just behind her talking up a storm with Kaylee again.

When did they become friends?

"Hey, Kath..." Jake found himself calling, even though he wanted to curl up and die before talking to her like prom had changed nothing between them.

"Yeah?" She quickly turned around, almost as if immediately knowing it was Jake calling her attention.

"How many beers has Kenna had tonight?"

"Well I haven't seen any so far."

"I literally just told you that..." McKenna grabbed for the can and this time Jake let her take it.

"Okay, but three's the limit, you hear me?" He warned her.

"Yeah, okay." She swatted him off as Jake dropped his firewood down onto the ground beside the drinks table.

"I'm serious." He grabbed ahold of her shoulders with both hands so that she would focus.

"Okay!"

"Have you tried this one yet, Jake? Kaylee brought some, they're so good..."

Katherine held up the one in her hand and Jake squinted to make out something about lime on the front.

"Uh, no I ha–"

Something slammed into him from behind.

It was all he could do not to crush McKenna as he stumbled forward, feeling his shirt become damp from her new beer spilling down the front of it.

Great, now I'm going to smell like a drunk.

"What the fu–" She whispered as Jake balanced her upright by her shoulders, but Jake was too busy listening to the angry yelling going on behind him to scorn his sister for her language.

"Get the hell off of me!" Someone yelled.

"I swear I'm gon–" Another voice chimed in.

"Gonna what? Asshole."

It took Jake approximately two seconds to identify who the voices belonged to.

No...

Fuck.

He turned around to face them, the sinking feeling in his stomach was replaced by surging adrenaline when his eyes landed on Hunter charging Connor for what Jake guessed to be the second time. It didn't take long for everything to kick into high gear. Everything seemed to move seconds too slowly by the time Jake had practically thrown himself at Hunter while his hands grabbed ahold of Connor's neck.