Mitchell Tanner is trying to live the straight life. Three years out of prison, he's working a regular job, living in his sister's basement, and doing the occasional side job for some connected guys up in Chicago. But, he's flailing in a relationship he can't quite figure out. Paul's a cute kid, right? A college guy so he's smart, but if he's so smart, what's he doing with Tanner in the first place?<br><br>An afternoon at the lake turns into a chilly confrontation, and Tanner struggles to get the whole human relationship thing. Can he figure it out before Paul gives up in disgust? Or will he go stag the rest of his life?

Stag

Clark went back into the water, and Kathy waddled in with him. She floated out to the dock, looking effortless, a puffy mermaid in an ugly red and black bathing suit. How did she do it, just slog into the dark water like that, like it was nothing? Tanner watched as Brianna played listlessly on the beach. She tried to build a sand castle but the dry sand crumbled into mounds of shapeless dirt. Her small hands were clumsy. When she lifted off her bucket for the fifth time and watched the sand trickle away, she took her purple shovel and jabbed at the ground. “Bad sand! Bad, bad, bad!” She smacked the dirt, sending it flying back up into her face, and then she started crying.


Tanner bent down to her. “Hey, missy, what’s the problem?” 


Brianna ground at her eyes with dirty fingers. “Owies, I have a owie in my eye!” Her voice rose and Tanner wanted desperately to head off a full-blown tantrum. 


Chapter 4