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join them, dinner will be ready soon.”
    Dad and my youngest brother Lincoln are sprawled out on the huge sectional that sits in the middle of the family room. It’s this big, grey, monstrosity that’s been here since I was in high school. One of those couches that you sink into and never want to leave. My mom’s been trying to get my dad to let her redecorate for a few years now, but he refuses because he loves the thing. It’s not that it’s ugly or an eyesore or anything, it’s just old and comfortable, and not the kind of seating my mom wants in a room people other than us will be in. Max takes a seat next to our father, who’s so intent on the play he’s running on the newest version of Madden that he pays no attention to the fact we’ve even entered the room. Linc stares at the screen, assessing the moves the other team is making and proving that even when he’s playing a game he’s thinking like a quarterback. It doesn’t keep him from turning to look at me and grin in acknowledgment.
    “Hey, little bro.”
    I ruffle his hair with one hand, my own grin wide as I return his greeting. I’ll never admit it, but I miss the ease that came with living here, hanging out with my brothers playing video games or running around outside when we were smaller. My mother is a saint for putting up with our antics. Max and I are only two years apart, with Lincoln following four years later. A junior in high school, he’s already got interest from a few big schools including UT, but he’s holding out for Florida, the traitor. I think dad’s head will explode if he accepts an offer from his alma mater’s rival, but he always encourages us to do our own thing, so he’ll be okay.
    When dad’s turn is over, he notices Max and I are in the room. “Hey, boys. Heard your mom was making chili?” he asks, a warm smile on his face at seeing us.
    “Nah,” I look over at Max, who’s shaking his head, not wanting me to snitch, but it’s too easy not to. “Max made an ass out of himself with Kat, so I figured he needed a distraction.”
    Dad’s attention immediately shifts to my younger brother. His eyes narrow, and he asks with a frown, “What did you do to that poor girl?”
    “N-n-n-nothing,” Max stutters with wide eyes before narrowing them on me. “It wouldn’t even be an issue if Clay hadn’t brought her over.”
    Oh, how quickly we forget. “If you’d shown to pick her up like you said you would, I wouldn’t have had to step in. Or, you know, maybe you could give someone a heads up. I damn sure wouldn’t have brought her over if I knew you were getting your knob slobbed.” Dad looks between us, trying to figure out just what happened, and I see his eyes go wide at my last statement. But, before he can ask any questions, mom yells that dinner’s ready. Immediately the game is paused, and he’s herding us into the dining room.
    I watch my brother relax as we eat, thinking he’s out of the woods. But I know my dad. He’s waiting for this moment, when Max’s guard is down so he can strike, and he gets him good. “So, Maxwell,” he pauses. “What’s this about not doing something you should have?”
    Max chokes on the piece of bread he just shoved in his mouth, and it takes a second for him to recover. “W-w-what do you mean?” he asks between gulping breaths.
    “Clayton,” he starts, using his spoon to gesture at me, “said you didn’t show to pick her up like you said you would.” Mom sucks in a breath, and I know she’s about to let him have it too. She’s been hoping for years they’d end up together and Kat would really be her daughter. And, she’d say we were raised better. Dad shakes his head, not taking his hard stare off Max, and she sits back in her seat, letting him take the reins. It’s a tactic that’s worked for them my entire life. All Mom had to do was threaten us with our dad’s wrath when he got home, and we’d stop whatever it was we were doing and behave.
    My dad is