by L A Cotton
“I’m sure there are ways you can make it up to me.” Lust dripped from her words and my eyes snapped to hers.
“Yeah?” I practically panted, and her smirk grew.
And just like that all thoughts of Toby and Thatcher evaporated.
An hour later, stuffed full of Alley burgers and milkshakes, we’d attracted quite the audience. But I only had eyes for the girl opposite me. With every question I asked, every graze of my fingers against hers, Hailee relaxed. We’d talked about everything: her mom, her dad, how she got into art, her plans for after graduation.
“So, Stamps is an art and design school?”
“Yeah,” she said helping herself to a big spoonful of the sundae we’d decided to share. “It’s part of the University of Michigan.”
“You don’t say.” My heart picked up speed; a plan—albeit a crazy one—unfolding in my mind.
“What will you do if you decide not to play college football?” Hailee turned the spotlight on me.
“Honestly, I don’t know. I’ve always liked numbers, so maybe business or finance or something.”
“And you can do that just about anywhere,” she said. “So you can stay local if your family needs you. Crap, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”
“Hailee.” I covered her hand with mine. “It’s okay. I’m okay.” Was I terrified about what next week would bring? Yes. But I had to trust the doctors knew what they were doing. And with Hailee by my side, everything seemed that much easier to process.
“Have you figured out what you’re going to tell Coach?” She changed the subject.
“Not yet. But I can’t think about the team until after the surgery.”
Giving me a reassuring nod, Hailee smiled. “She’ll be okay, Cameron.”
“I hope so.” I suddenly didn’t feel hungry anymore. Because the reality was, I wasn’t thinking past the surgery. The ‘what ifs’ or maybes. Because Hailee was right, Mom would be okay.
She had to be.
After beating me at bowling, twice, I drove Hailee back to my house. The tension between us was almost at breaking point. All night, Hailee had teased me with little kisses and subtle touches. I was surprised how tactile she was with me, given the constant stares and whispers aimed in our direction. But we were both too drunk on each other to care.
When I pulled into the driveway and cut the engine, Hailee turned to me. “Thank you, for tonight. It was perfect.”
“No.” I leaned over, capturing a strand of hair between my fingers. “You’re perfect.”
Hailee lowered her eyes, blushing. But I gently gripped her chin, forcing her to look at me. “Whatever happens next week, it won’t change how I feel about you. I want you to know that.”
“Cameron, I—”
“Wait, just hear me out, okay?” I needed to get this off my chest. “I might get angry and confused and I’ll probably screw this up, but just know that I love you and I’m so fucking relieved I have you by my side going into this.”
Hailee climbed across the console and onto my lap, slipping her legs over mine and looping her arms around my neck. “I’m not going anywhere. You should know by now, I don’t break easily.” She leaned in to kiss me, teasing me with her tongue.
“I never wanted to break you,” I confessed. “I only wanted you to see me.”
Pressing her head to mine, Hailee’s eyes glowed with fierce possessiveness. “I see you, Cameron.
“I. See. You.”
Hailee
“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea,” I said as we sat in Cameron’s truck in the school parking lot. He’d insisted on giving me a ride to school.
Twisting his body to me, he let out a long sigh. Kids had already started to notice us, and I knew it wouldn’t be long before the entire school had heard, if they hadn’t already after our date at The Alley last night.
“Hailee, look at me.” My eyes slowly slid to his. “I love you. Nothing anyone does or says will change that.”
Butterflies fluttered wildly in my stomach. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to hearing him say those words. Even if I hadn’t said them back yet.
A loud knock startled us, and Asher pressed his face up against Cameron’s window. “Are you guys going to sit in there all morning?”
Cameron groaned. “I’m sorry.” He mouthed at me, and I chuckled softly.
“Me and Fee are waiting.”
That had me craning my head around Cameron to find Flick standing to Asher’s side, looking like a deer caught in headlights. Shouldering the door, I climbed out of the truck and went around to meet my best friend.
“Hi,” she said giving me a small smile. “This is... what is this exactly?”
I went to reply, but Cameron climbed out and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me back against his chest. “Me and Hailee are together now.”
Flick grinned while Asher’s eyes almost bugged out of his head. “Together, together? Or like fuck buddies together, because I thought—” His lips flattened at whatever Cameron was mouthing to him.
I glanced back at Cameron and he dipped his head, capturing my lips in a soft kiss. “I apologize now for anything that might come out of his mouth.”
“I heard that,” Asher grumbled.
“You were supposed to.”
“Not that I’m not happy for you,” he went on. “I am, but does Jase know about this?”
Cameron’s arm tightened around me as he said, “It doesn’t matter.”
Asher looked past me to his best friend. “There is so much I want to say but, oh... speak of the devil.”
We all turned in the direction he was looking to find Jason walking toward school with some of the guys from the team. As if he felt us watching, his eyes found us across the lawn, locking on me and Cameron. Everything slowed down: the stream of kids walking into the building, the incessant chatter and laughter, the oxygen filtering around my body. I’d known things would be awkward, but I hadn’t expected it to feel like a new line was being drawn between us. I could practically feel the shift in the air, the invisible wall being erected between us. Me, Flick, Cameron, and Asher one side; and Jason on the other.
I shuddered at the realization.
“Hey,” Cameron’s voice anchored me back to him. “It’ll be okay; he’ll come around.” He kissed my cheek.
Flick glanced at me nervously and I offered her a weak smile. But it was Asher who broke the stifling tension. “Well,” he said. “I guess it’s you and me, Fee, baby.” He slung his arm around my best friend, who shot me a ‘help’ expression. A smile tugged at my mouth. It was a shame she had friend-zoned him for her mystery guy because despite Asher’s manwhore tendencies, they made a seriously cute couple. But I had enough to worry about without getting involved in my best friend’s love life.
“Are you ready?” I asked Cameron quietly, but of course Asher overhead.
“Ready? Ready for what?”
Cameron’s expression fell as he said, “I have to talk to Coach.”
We survived the day at school. After the rumor mill almost exploded with news of me and Cameron, things settled down. But I was going to have to get used to my newfound popularity now I was with a Raider.
With a Raider. There was something I never thought I’d say.
“What are you smiling at?” Cameron asked me as he met me outside class.
“Oh nothing.” I smirked, letting him take the pile of books from me. “But having a boyfriend has its uses.”
We stopped by my locker and I traded the books I needed for homework with the ones in Cameron’s arms. When I was done, I found myself crowded against the locker bank, stormy gray-blue eyes fixed right on me. The hall was emptying, but a few kids watched us with mild curiosity and amusement.
“We have an audience.” My hands slid up his chest as I flicked my head to the group of junior girls openly gawking in our direction.
“We should probably give them something to talk about then.” Cameron closed the distance between us
, fixing his mouth over mine, his tongue slipping between my lips. “God, I love you,” he breathed, pulling me closer.
“I love you too,” I said a little louder than I intended earning us a round of hoots and hollers from a few of Cameron’s teammates who passed us. “I’m in love with you.”
It was the truth, I was completely and utterly in love with Cameron Chase.
“Yeah?” He pulled back. “You’re not just saying it because you want my body or to say you bagged a Raider?”
I reached out, tweaking his nipple before drifting my hand down his solid chest, mentally counting off the ridges of his abs. “Well, this is definitely an added bonus…”
His smooth laughter washed over me, giving me a warm squishy feeling inside. “Fuck, we waited too long for this. You know that, right? It should have been me and you all along.”
“I…” I didn’t know what to say to that. But I didn’t have to say anything because Cameron slanted his mouth over mine again. I was so lost in the kiss, in the rightness of his lips moving against mine, I almost didn’t hear someone clear their throat.
But Cameron heard it and he pulled away, expelling a long breath.
“So, the rumors are true then,” a girl with long dark hair said. “Cameron Chase is finally off the market.”
“Miley, this is my girlfriend Hailee. Hailee this is Miley.”
Miley.
I knew this girl. It was the same one from Homecoming, and I was pretty sure she was the girl from the night of Asher’s party when I tagged Jason’s car. “Hi.” I lifted my hand in a small wave.
“Hey.” Her cool gaze swept over me, but it didn’t seem scathing like some of the girls in our class. “A little heads up would have been nice.” She was staring at Cameron now, hurt lingering in her eyes.
“Give me a second,” he said to me before guiding Miley down the hall just out of earshot. My stomach knotted as I watched them talk. They stood close, him staring down at her, her gazing up at him. She was gorgeous, lean and toned, an athlete for sure. And for as much as I didn’t want to feel jealous, it burned through me like acid.
After a minute or two, Miley nodded and turned on her heel and walked off down the hall. Cameron approached me slowly, his eyes drinking me in. Trying to tell me things I couldn’t quite decipher.
“So that’s Miley,” I said. “She’s pretty. Were the two of you, like, a thing?”
“Hailee, don’t do this.” He let out a heavy sigh. “Miley is not important to me.”
“But she was someone to you?”
Cameron crowded me against the locker again, cupping my jaw, angling my face to his. “Listen to me when I say this. It’s you, I want. You, I need. Miley was someone to fill the void for a little while. But that’s all. Me and you, this, it’s real.” He lowered his head to mine. “I need you, Hailee. I need you so much it fucking terrifies me.” Vulnerability glittered in his eyes like stars across the night sky.
Lifting my hand against his cheek, I breathed him in, and said, “You have me.” Every single piece. “Now take me home and show me just how much you need me.”
Cameron didn’t come to school again after that. He wanted to be there for his mom’s appointments and to help with Xander. So I was surprised when he asked me to go to the game with him Friday night.
“Are you okay?” I squeezed his hand as we watched the Raiders run out onto the field below. We were in the family section, using his two tickets reserved for his parents, and Asher had been kind enough to let Flick have one of his tickets since his parents were out of town.
“I’m okay.” Cameron nodded before leaning down to capture my lips in a slow kiss.
“Hmm, guys, right here. I’m right here.”
“Sorry.” I peeked around Cameron and pouted at my best friend.
“You’re so cute I can’t even stay mad at you, ugh,” she groaned, readjusting her Raiders ball cap. “I need a man.”
“What about Ash—”
I clapped my hand over Cameron’s mouth. “Don’t put ideas into her head.”
“He’s nice and all,” Flick said completely ignoring me and Cameron. “But he’s not my type.”
“There’s another type beside cocky arrogant jock?”
“Sunshine,” Cameron warned.
“What?” I played dumb. “It’s true. You jocks are all the sa—”
He dipped his head silencing me with his lips and tongue. I melted against him and a couple of people behind us snickered.
“Cam,” I breathed. “We have to... stop.”
“You’re no fun.” It was his turn to pout.
“How’s your mom, Cameron?” We both turned to Flick and her expression grew serious.
“She’s doing as well as can be expected, thanks. The good news is her doctor seemed confident they got it all.”
“That’s great.”
It was great. Karen had survived the surgery and her prognosis was looking good. She wasn’t out of the woods yet, and she still had a long road ahead of her if the doctors decided she needed radiotherapy; but it was as positive as it could be given the circumstances.
Wrapping my arm around Cameron’s waist, I snuggled into his side. Despite his mom’s surgery going well, he’d still wanted to remain off the roster for tonight’s game. Coach and his teammates begged him to be on the sidelines, but in the end, he decided to watch from the bleachers. I think, deep down, he was still waiting for the call to say something had gone wrong.
“She’s okay,” I whispered, squeezing him tighter. Cameron glanced down at me and smiled.
“I know.” He kissed me again, and Flick grumbled.
“I think I liked you both better when you hated each other.”
“You’re practically glowing.” Flick linked her arm through mine as we followed Cameron around the back of the stadium to meet the team and congratulate them on a well-deserved win.
“I’m happy,” I admitted. “He makes me happy.”
“Well, duh.” She chuckled. “You managed to score yourself a Raider. I guess some things do come true.”
I gaped at her unable to school my indignance, but she only laughed harder. “You should see your face. Just be thankful I didn’t get you a shirt for your birthday with ‘hashtag I ride a Raider’ printed on it.” Flick winked.
“You’re just jealous.”
Her eyes clouded for a second, the air around us cooling considerably, but then Flick was smirking as if nothing had just happened. “Of course, I’m jealous. I mean, I have eyes. Look at him.”
So, I did.
Cameron was fist-bumping and guy-hugging his teammates. His friends. We hovered while he did his thing, letting Kaiden and Asher give him a play-by-play account of every touchdown as if we hadn’t been front and center watching the whole game. But I realized it was probably just their way of including him in their victory.
“How are things at home?” Flick pulled my attention away from Cameron.
“It’s weird. Mom and Kent are acting as if nothing happened, and Jason barely acknowledges either of them, so not much has changed there. I’m at that weird place where I want to be mad with her, but I’m not sure I have the energy to keep it up for much longer.”
“Look,” my best friend said. “She made a mistake. Yes, it was a pretty fucking epic one, but you can’t help who you fall in love with. You of all people should know that.”
“I...” Flick was right. She always was. But it didn’t quell the sting of Mom’s betrayal. I think I was more hurt by the fact she’d lied all this time than the fact she’d had an affair.
People had affairs all the time. I didn’t condone it, but she and Kent were adults. They knew what they were doing. Jason and I knowing wouldn’t have changed anything.
But something told me, he was in no rush to forgive his dad.
“And you and Jason, what’s going on there?”
“Yeah, sister.” He appeared out of nowhere. “What is going on there?”
Flick rolled h
er eyes at him, but he barely looked twice at her.
“Don’t be a dick, Jason.”
His hands went up. “I come in peace.” His eyes flicked over to where Cameron was. “How is he?”
“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” There was no malice in my words. Cameron was right; life was too short. After sitting with him in the hospital waiting room while his mom underwent a life-saving craniotomy, I realized this grudge between me and Jason, the stuff with Thatcher, it didn’t matter. This was high school. Kids were mean and got off on bringing each other down. But the real world, where things were hard and painful and uncertain, was waiting for them. High school didn’t define me. I knew my worth, and this moment, right here, defined me.
Jason ran a brisk hand through his damp hair as I stepped closer to him and lay my hand on his arm. “You should go talk to him; he misses you.”
It didn’t matter what Jason did or didn’t think about me, our lives were entwined now. Whether he liked it or not. I loved his best friend, his brother in all the ways that counted, so we had to find a way to co-exist.
“I...” he hesitated.
“Go,” I said quietly. “He needs you; he needs to know you’re okay with all of this.”
Cameron might have said he was ready to quit the team, but I knew he wasn’t. Not really. But this thing between him and Jason was swaying him toward making the wrong decision. And regardless of what I thought about football, I didn’t want him to give up his dreams.
As if he felt us watching him, Cameron’s head snapped over to us. His eyes darkened when he saw Jason at my side. I dropped my hand to my step-brother’s back and nudged him forward. “Go, you’ll regret it if you don’t. Trust me.”
Cameron
I watched Hailee and Jason as he decided whether or not to come over here. She wanted him to, it was right there in her honey-brown eyes. But I didn’t make a move; this had to be on him.