Page 46 of Zero Confusion

No, he didn’t want any apple pie. For once, he wanted someone in his family to be on his side, but between his dad’s raging homophobia, his mom’s complicit attitude, and his brothers’ snickering, that wasn’t likely to happen.

The house no longer felt warm and cozy.

He would have preferred to escape to his room after dinner, but Jerry cornered him right away, swiping through dozens of pictures of their new combine on his phone and promising to show the real thing in the morning.

“Oh, honey!” His mom waved at him from across the room. “I checked my messages, and Laura says Max got the all clear. His head’s just fine, and he can go home in a few days.”

“That’s great!” Zach patted his pocket. “Let me go grab my phone so I can buy a ticket back.”

“You’re leaving right away?” Jerry asked, his shoulders slumping in what looked like disappointment.

“Zachie, at least stay for the holiday,” his mom said. “We barely see you as it is.”

Zach had forgotten about the Fourth of July coming up. It wouldn’t hurt to stick around—he wouldn’t make it back in time for the class tomorrow anyway—and a part of him still wanted to spend time with his family, even after the disastrous meal.

“I’ll stay.” He gave his mom a reassuring smile. “I’ll get a ticket for the day after.”

Another half an hour of listening to both of his brothers sing praises to heavy machinery had him doubting he’d made the right choice, but it was too late to back out. As soon as their conversation hit a lull, he yawned and escaped to the bedroom under the guise of being tired. Really, he just wanted to check his messages and stop talking about combines.

There was a text from Miles already waiting when he turned on his phone.

MILES: Max is fine! I gotta tell you something, but it has to be in person.

The message was sent hours ago, but it was still light outside. Plenty of time to go see Miles and spend some time in the company of someone who didn’t judge him.

ZACH: I’m glad he’s okay but tell him no more dramatic plot twists.

Miles’s reply came straight away.

MILES: Oh, you have no idea. Meet me by the trees in twenty?

The trees had been their secret spot for years. It was nothing more than a dozen pine trees clustered in a rough circle next to the farms’ shared fence, within easy walking distance from both of their houses. When preteen Zach and Miles discovered they were almost invisible in the middle, shrouded from view by the thick trunks, it had become their favorite hiding place.

ZACH: I’ll be there.

Seventeen minutes later, Zach sat on a warm patch of grass, leaning against one of the trees and watching the sun slowly dip toward the horizon, finishing the journey it had begun that morning. It was hard to believe he’d watched it rise through a tiny airplane window.

The impossibly long day was finally coming to an end.

Footsteps rustled in the distance, and he resisted the urge to peek out. “What’s the password?” he teased as soon as Miles neared.

“Cookies?” Miles walked between the trees and presented a paper plate with a flourish.

“Are we reviving the dessert date tradition?” Zach popped a cookie into his mouth before accepting the whole plate.

“Mara made them to thank you for getting me here. I’m still not sure how I feel about everyone acting like I couldn’t make the trip on my own.” Miles lowered himself next to Zach and shifted around, crossing and uncrossing his legs. “This is…not comfortable.”

Zach stifled a giggle. Just a few moments in Miles’s company had his muscles unclenching, the earlier frustration already fading. Miles was magic, the perfect antidote to all the world’s evils. Instead of watching him struggle to find a good spot, Zach reached out and pulled him closer until they were leaning against the same trunk, shoulders and thighs pressed together.

“How’s Max?” he asked once Miles seemed settled.

“Max is fine.” Miles gave him a mischievous look. “Max is more than fine.”

That sounded interesting. Max must have really been out of the woods for Miles to joke around.

“Go on,” Zach prompted.

“Remember I told you Ray was at the hospital?”