A moment of silence followed.
Then Colt said, “I know I was drivin’ too fast. And I don’t have any excuse except I wanted to see how fast that truck would do a quarter mile. Colby was just along for the ride.”
Carson looked at Colby and the boy cracked like mud in the August sun.
“I know you said you didn’t want me on the back of a bull because I’d break my fool neck, but I had to try it one time. And Colt didn’t have nothin’ to do with it besides drivin’ me there and home.”
Jesus. He wondered just how many confessions he’d get out of these two if he kept doing his stone-faced statue imitation.
“That’s not why we’re in here, is it?” Colby asked.
Carson shook his head.
“It’s not?” Colt said, realizing he’d made an unnecessary confession.
“But keep goin’. Let’s see what other shit you boys’ have been pullin’.”
“Ah, we didn’t mean to get stuck up at Flat Top after the keg, and we’ll get your tow chain back from Dag…tomorrow?” Colt offered.
“Jesus, Colt, shut your damn mouth,” Colby snapped.
“Well at least I didn’t tell him about us takin’ Tina and Tonya to—”
“Shut up!” Colby said again.
Colt closed his mouth so fast his jaw popped.
“Since it sounds like we could be here all night with what you two have been up to, how about I get right to it.” He paused. “The name Karen Ayers ring a bell? And before you decide to get cute, I’ll just throw it out there that Karen’s mother already called here and talked to your mother. So she knows that you skipped youth group last night and went skinny dippin’ with Karen.”
“Mom knows?” Colby said.
“We’re dead, huh?” Colt said.
“You think your mother needs to get phone calls like that? Hell no. And not only because she passes the buck on to me.”
“Is she madder about us skippin’ out on church? Or about us goin’ nekkid swimming with a girl?”
Carson stared at Colby. Hard. “What do you think?”
“We’re dead,” Colt said again.
“You boys cause her enough grief with her havin’ to nag you constantly to get basic household chores done. Next time you start muttering under your breath when she asks you to do something? Imagine if you’d have the same reaction if I asked you to do something.”
Colby and Colt exchanged a look.
“And feel free to pass that advice on to your brothers. Now. Karen Ayers. What in the hell were you thinkin’?”
A few moments passed. Then Colby said, “We weren’t thinkin’ beyond she’s the prettiest girl in school with the wildest reputation.”
“Was it her idea to go swimming nekkid? Or yours?”
“Mine,” Colby admitted.
“But it wasn’t like we had to beg her to take her clothes off or nothin’,” Colt added.
“That’s not the way she’s tellin’ it, least not to her mother. Anything else happen you wanna talk about?”
Colby closed his eyes when Colt opened his mouth. “She let us touch her boobs. Not both of us at the same time, but one of us at a time.”
Like that made it…better. Christ.
“That’s all that happened, Dad, I swear.”
Carson addressed Colby. “Why’d you think it’d be a good idea to take your fourteen-year-old brother along?”
“I’m almost fifteen,” Colt protested.
“I took him because goin’ to the lake was his idea,” Colby said.
Colt tried really hard not to look smug.
And Carson didn’t know whether to laugh or whap him upside the head.
“I ain’t gonna pretend that you won’t be tryin’ to have sex as often as possible once you start down that path. I will say I expect you to be responsible, discreet and respectful.”
Confusion filled Colt’s eyes. “I don’t get it.”
“He means wear a condom, don’t have sex on the school bleachers and don’t go braggin’ about which girls you’re havin’ sex with. Right, Dad?”
He wasn’t surprised Colby knew the score, or how to score for that matter. “Yes, condoms, every time, even if the girl swears she’s on the pill. We don’t need a grandkid and you don’t wanna get some crotch rot that’s goin’ around. Discreet also means I don’t ever wanna hear about you skinny dippin’ again, or where you’re dippin’ your wick, and I definitely don’t want your Ma catchin’ wind of it, am I clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
“As far as respect? Girls who’re willin’ to have sex with you? Treat ’em right, not like they’re just a warm place for you to stick it in. Sex ain’t only about you getting your rocks off. The sooner you learn that—”
“The more sex I’ll have?” Colby inserted hopefully.
How was he supposed to answer that?
Don’t. Let that one go.
“Are we in trouble?” Colt asked. “’Cause you weren’t real clear on that.”
“If I could take away your dicks and give them back to you when you’re old enough to use them responsibly, I would. But since that ain’t an option…”
His sons looked at each other with relief, not like they’d gotten away with something.
“As far as the other shit you’re doin’?” He leveled his gaze on Colt. “If I ever catch you drivin’ faster than the speed limit, you’ll be walkin’ everywhere for at least a month, understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
Carson’s gaze moved to Colby. “I told you no bull ridin’. Period. And that I’d consider lettin’ you try it when you were eighteen. Until that birthday rolls around, I’d better never hear of you goin’ against this rule I set. Never.”
“Sorry, Dad. It won’t happen again.”
“Now go apologize to your mother and ask her if she needs help with anything.”
They bolted so fast they tipped the bench over.
Carson reached for the flask in his bottom desk drawer. Good thing he had a few years before he had to have this same talk with Cam and Carter.
But no way, no how was he ever having this talk with Keely.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Hospital, Day 5—morning
He had a bad case of indigestion. Not a good way to start the day. But that’s what he got for trying to eat something healthy; eggs and toast and fruit gifted him with heartburn.