Page 6 of Stranded
“What exactly do you want us to do?” I asked.
“I want you to spend some time together, alone. Go on a trip somewhere. Just don’t take Melodie with you. You two need to learn how to survive with each other.”
3
AIDEN
Camping was not my idea of fun. In all my life, I’d enjoyed camping exactly once. The year I turned sixteen and shared a tent with a hot football senior, Ryker Jacobs. He’d given my jaw a workout that night. We’d both wanted to do more but were too terrified of getting caught to go all the way. We had exchanged several blow jobs and hand jobs that night.
I didn’t expect that to happen this time.
Mom was talking to Jackson, probably telling him to be nice to me on our one-week trip. The jerk wouldn’t know what nice was. I was already prepared for his grouchiness to take over the moment we left. I had my phone, laptop, e-reader, and tablet, and I downloaded several movies. All I needed to do was plug my laptop in to get some charge, and I would be good for the trip.
They’d only ordered me to spend a week camping with him. No one said anything about talking to him. If we weren’t speaking to each other, then we had to get along. It was when he opened his big mouth that he usually said things I couldn’t resist responding to. But in all fairness, who could?
“Remember to check in with me whenever you get the chance,” Mom said when I approached them. “I already have themap outlining your route and where you will be on what day. Just in case.”
“If you’re so worried about this trip, why are you forcing me to go?” I grumbled.
“Now, Aiden, don’t start with me. I’m not worried about anything. Your stepdad’s a capable man. Just do what he says and you’ll be fine.”
“What if he asks me to jump off a cliff?”
Jackson scowled, eyeing my outfit—a breezy ankle-length skirt I’d found in a thrift store, paired with a crop top and sandals because a girl could feel carefree even on a trip she didn’t want.
“Don’t worry,” he said, voice wound tight. “If you do, that skirt will make a great parachute. That’s about the only purpose for it.”
I fanned my fingertips over my bare belly. “What’d you know about fashion, old man? Over ten thousand people on Instagram approved of this outfit. It’s cute.”
“Don’t tell me you need social media to validate you too.”
“Might as well. You’re not doing it.”
“Guys.” Mom sighed. “At least wait until you’re a mile away so I don’t have to hear it. Have a safe trip. And you better fix whatever the hell is bugging you two” —she waved crazily between us— “before you return, or don’t come back at all.”
Mom marched back into the house. The door slammed shut behind her, and I winced. She really seemed to be at the end of her rope where we were concerned. Maybe I could give an inch.
“Lead the way, Señor Grouch-O,” I said.
“You got everything in the RV?”
“Yeah. I put my suitcase in last night just like you said.”
“Good. Let’s hit the road, then.” He stalked off toward the RV, not waiting for me, and called over his shoulder, “I’mguessing you’ll want to stay in the back the whole time. Be my guest.”
That was exactly what I had planned, but now that he had guessed it…
“Actually, I wanna ride up front in your big, new shiny RV,Daddy.”
I skipped after him. He should never have let me know how much it annoyed him when I acted all childish. Now I knew how to rattle him.
“Cut that out.” He scowled. “You’ve never called me that before, so don’t start now before people get the wrong idea. And get in the back. Stay out of sight, and we’ll make it through the week.”
“That’s not what the therapist said. We’re to spendqualitytime together. Don’t you know what that means?” I walked to the passenger’s side and pulled the door open, but getting up the steps proved a challenge. “Will you at least help me up?”
A hand landed on my ass, and before I could recover from the shock, Jackson boosted me up into the seat. He dropped his hand fast, as though regretting touching me for fear of catching my gayness.
I hated him for acting like this the most. He was right that I’d never called him Daddy. I was already almost a teen when we met, and he’d always been Jackson to me, but we used to get along well whenever he was not on missions, saving the country and whatnot.
