Stepbrother With Benefits 11 Read Online Free

and it's just horrible.  First off, shortly after she said that, the worm wriggled off the hook and fell to the ground.  Second, as soon as I pick it back up, it starts squirming, and it doesn't ever stop squirming.  Worms squirm.  A lot.  Ugh.
    I manage to tie it in a knot around the hook, but then the worm starts to squirm and wriggle and untie itself.  What the heck, worm?
    "What if we just throw the hook in the water and pretend to fish?" I ask my mom.  "That's really the important part, right?  Even if you don't catch anything, fishing is supposed to be relaxing, so..."
    "Oh!  Oh, that's a good idea.  I knew I could count on you," my mom says.
    I quickly dump the worm back in its bucket and close the lid.  My mom and I head to the edge of the lake and prepare to pretend to fish.  We... um... so... the hooks are in the water, sort of.  They don't go very far.  We really didn't think this through all that well.  They're in, though!  We're fishing.  Does it matter how far away the hooks are if we don't even have bait?  I don't think so, but I really don't know, because I'm not sure what the rules are for pretend fishing.
    We sit down next to the lake and bask in the glow of our fishing prowess.  The water washes up the shore, lapping across the rocky sand.
    "Is everything alright?" my mom asks suddenly.
    "Um, what do you mean?" I counter.
    "With you and Ethan?" my mom says.  "Have you two been able to talk at all?"
    "Sort of?" I say.  I don't know how to explain this.  "We talked in the car on the ride here, and um... last night in the tent.  We talked a little this morning, too.  I guess it is hard.  There's not a lot of privacy here."
    "I know," my mom says.  "It's supposed to be fun, but if you aren't having fun you can tell me, you know?"
    "It's not that it's not fun, but..."
    I don't know.  I'm not sure what to tell her.  I would tell her if I could, but I just don't know what to say.
    "I can pretend to be sick if you want," my mom says.  "Then we can go back home early."
    "Mom..."
    "I'm just saying," she says.
    "I know, and I appreciate it, but..."  I hesitate, not sure if I should tell her this, except why not?  "Ethan is going to tell his dad," I say.
    "When?" she asks.
    "Now?  Um... I don't know exactly when, but he said he would tell him while they're hiking, so probably he'll know by the time they come back."
    "Oh my," my mom says.  The way she says it makes me nervous.
    "What's that supposed to mean?"
    "What?  Oh, nothing."
    "Mom, seriously, what's wrong?"
    "Nothing's wrong.  I'm just wondering how this is going to go."
    "What do you mean you're wondering how this is going to go?  It's going to go fine!"  I think it is.  I really hope so.  "...Right?"
    "I'm sure it'll be fine," she says.  "I was talking with Ethan's father last night and it wasn't anything too serious, but he did mention how he thinks Ethan is lashing out a little more lately and maybe he needs to have a talk with him about that.  I tried to say it was probably nothing and Ethan's an adult now, but you know how his father can be."
    "Um... and you didn't think you should tell us this?"
    "If Ethan is lashing out, it's because of you, honey, so really, I think everything is going to be fine if him and his father talk."
    "I guess..." I say.  For a second I'm not sure what else to say, so I stay silent.  "Mom, do they hate each other?  I know they talk, but I don't know if they like each other."
    "Of course they don't hate each other, Ashley.  It's just complicated, that's all.  They're men.  You know how it is?"
    I don't know how it is, actually, but I decide not to say anything.
    "We need to help them," I tell her.  "Whatever happens when they come back, we need to help them.  If Ethan's dad is mad, then we need to all talk until they aren't mad anymore.  I know that Ethan and his dad don't really talk much, but I don't care.  They can't be mad at each other, not about this.  It's going to be too