Page 45 of Go the Long Way

But we're herenow, Jakob told himself as he let his mind drift.That's what matters, right?

If only it could have stayed that way…

Chapter 20

"DAD!"

"Hmm?" Jakob mumbled into his pillow, hazy impressions of sparkling brown eyes and warm skin drifting so tantalizingly just out of reach.

"DAD!" came Cassie's voice from down the hall and headed quickly in his direction, the frightened note in her tone finally reaching him, prodding at his brain and bringing him reluctantly to consciousness.

"Cassie, wha — ?" he groaned; blinking in the still dim light of a winter's morning as she darted into his en suite bathroom and slammed the door behind her, Alex in the hallway hot on her heels as the lock clicked home.

The kid pulled up sharply in Jakob's doorway just before he'd crossed the threshold into the room proper, like there was some sort of barrier on it straight out of some sci-fi show. Fury and frustration were writ large across his face; his hands clenching, shifting from foot to foot.

"Cassie? Is everything okay?" Jakob called loud enough to be heard through the door, suddenly fully awake and worried. Ethan had vouched for this kid and he'd seemed alright yesterday, but… Jakob didn't know him, not really.

If he'd tried —

"No!" Cassie yelled back through the door, a strange jingling sound coming from the other side. "It'snotokay! Tell him he can't go racing off in your truck just because of some article he read online!"

Jakob looked at Alex in confusion.

But the kid wouldn't meet his eyes. Just glanced down at the shoes quickly jammed on his feet, the laces still untied. Jakob could see the muscles twitching in his cheek as he clenched his jaw, trying to bite back his words.

"Alex," he said, working to keep his voice low and gentle. "If you tell me what the problem is, maybe I can help."

Sullen silence.

Jakob sighed, scratching his hands through his beard; seeking to smooth the cowlick pulling uncomfortably at his jaw.

"Alex," he huffed, still mindful of his tone. "I'm riding without a saddle here. Fill me in. Please?"

Bright copper eyes flicked up to meet his for a moment — and then it was like the kid exploded, all barely contained emotion and energy

"It's fuckingbullshit, Jakob," Alex snapped as he gestured and paced in a tight circle in the hallway, still never quite stepping over the doorway’s invisible line. "He can't do this. I — I need to fix it — "

"Youneedto tell me what the problem is," Jakob said, as if talking to a spooked horse. Not too far off, he figured, not really. "And then both of you get out and let me pull some pants on so we can figure out how to fix it —together."

"Thenyou should probably apologize to Cassie," Jakob continued, relieved to note Alex's abashed expression at that. "Or don't be surprised if you end up with the shit chores this week. And this is a stable, so I mean that literally."

"I — Yeah, okay. Sorry," the kid muttered, and then loudly enough to be heard through the door, "Sorry, Cassie."

"I think you meant to say 'Sorry Cassie, O Eternal Gaming Champion,'" came through the door, only slightly muffled.

"Cassie," Jakob huffed, scowling at the door. It was far too early to be dealing with this without at least a pot of coffee in him.

The door to his bathroom opened a crack and a green eye peered through.Good enough.

"Alright, so what's the problem?" Jakob asked, looking between them.

"He tried to grab the keys and take the truck, but he said last night he can't evendrive— " Cassie reported —

— at the exact same time as Alex burst out with —

"My friends all sent me this article and my Dad's a fuckingliarbut now he's brought Mr. Ethan into it and it's all just… it's just so fuckingshit. And no one can stop him, but — butsomeone'sgot to stand up to him!" Alex said, his chest heaving, fists clenched at his sides.

Jakob sighed. "Alright, both of you — givemethe keys and let me get dressed.Thenshow me the article. We'll take it from there. Cassie, start a fresh pot of coffee, would you?"