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CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Cameron

“Bye, Junie! See you Monday.”

“Thanks for coming in for a few hours today, Cam. I know it costs a lot to get you out of bed before ten,” she teases, waving as she pushes through the door leading her back to the toddler zone.

Smiling, I close the door behind me, happy the sleeves of this hoodie hang past my hands.

When Junie called me last night to tell me that not one but both of the new girls called out for this morning, I knew I couldn’t leave her hanging.

Unfortunately for me, I hit snooze several times, and when I finally dragged my ass out of bed, the only thing I had time to do was pull on a pair of leggings, some thick, scrunchy socks, and a hoodie.

My hair is on the top of my head in something that resembles a bird’s nest, I’ve got bits of last night’s mascara flaking along my lashes, and there was no time for coffee.

I had to force myself to drink the nasty stuff Junie makes, and the only option I could scrounge up for creamer was some ancient powdery stuff that was so clumped together, it took several minutes in the cup to break apart.

Honestly, I’m not even sure the regular stuff works for me. I’m too used to a solid three shots of espresso in my drinks and a good half pound of sugar.

I glance at my watch; it isn’t even eight thirty in the morning yet, and instead of heading home and crawling back under the covers like I had planned, I make my way to the café .

My shoulders fall when it finally comes into view and I see the line is out the door. “Why didn’t I mobile order?” I pout to myself.

With a sigh, I fall in place behind the last person and pull out my phone to help pass the time. I text Ari.

Me: Hi best friend.

Her response only takes a couple minutes.

Bestie: Who died?

I scoff, snapping a quick photo of my ratchet-looking self, duck lips in full effect, and send it through.

Me: No one, asshole, but tell me what a good girl I am for waking up at five a.m.

Bestie: haha. I figured you would be tagging along.

She sends a wink face emoji.

Tagging along?

Bestie: Are you guys already on the road? If not, you should wash your face. And maybe brush your hair.

I can’t even laugh and enjoy her teasing; I’m too confused. I hit the FaceTime button, officially prepared to be one of those people who walk around talking like it’s not super fucking annoying.

She declines at first, and I start to type out my threat, but before I can pull the trigger on the Send button, her video call comes through.

She’s sitting up in bed, a gray T-shirt—that is not hers—pulled over her. My eyes instantly go to the collar, where her hair is still tucked inside it.

“You ho-bag, you were naked, weren’t you?” The guy in front of me looks over his shoulder, but I ignore him, staring at my best friend. “Where’s Noah?”

Ari smiles tiredly, still tucked in what looks to be quite the lavish bed. She turns the phone his way, and sure enough, the man is shirtless, covers pulled up to his waist.

“Good morning, Cameron.” He smiles, tugging so she’s tucked half against his chest.

“You’re naked under that blanket, aren’t you?”

“Really?” someone sasses behind me, but I ignore them too, aware it likely sounds like a throuple thing going on here.

Ari puts a hand over her face, but Noah only chuckles, kissing her hair in that cute little way. It’s such a lovers’ thing to do.

“Wait, you’re not in the truck. Is he on his way?” She yawns.

“Right. Back on track.” I scoot a few spaces forward, finally inside the building now. “Who is going where and when, and why did you think I would be tagging along?”

A small frown builds on Ari’s brow. “Mase said Brady was headed home for the weekend since it’s their first bye week.”

My head yanks back. “Home? Like to the beach house in Oceanside home, or home home, like to his parents’?”

“Parents’.”

My mouth drops open. “What the hell? He didn’t even tell me. I was just with him last night at the ice cream thing. He walked me back to my dorm and didn’t say a word.”

She glances at Noah before turning back to me. “I’m not sure, Cam. I called Mase to ask him something about Thanksgiving, and he mentioned it.”

“When?”

“About an hour ago maybe?”

I lift my head. There are only two people in front of me now. I can practically taste the Caramel Cookie Crumble latte .

I groan, stepping out of line. “Love you, bye.” I hang up, pulling up Brady’s number.

It goes straight to his voicemail, so I hang up and try texting him instead.

Me: Where are you?

I start walking toward the gym, aware that it would have been his first stop this morning. I halt, looking in that direction.

But if he was going out of town, maybe he wouldn’t make time for the gym. Knowing him, he got up super early and hit the road so there was “no wasted time.”

OMG, he hasn’t answered my text. Is he already on the road?

I call Mason, but it’s Payton who answers.

“Hi. Love you, but where’s your man?”

“In the shower. Everything okay?”

“Brady isn’t there too, is he?”

“No, it’s just Mason. Want me to ask him something?”

“No, it’s all good. Thanks.” I hang up and try the other.

Chase answers on the first ring. “Who died?”

“Why does everyone keep asking me that? I have woken up early before, you know!”

Chase laughs in my ear, and I glare at the wet grass as I take a shortcut around the English Lit building. “What’s up?” he asks.

“Are you home?”

“I am, but I’m about to head out for a meeting in the business office.”

I stop, brows drawing in. “For what?”

“Just some…you know, I don’t really know. What’s up, though? I’m walking out the door right now, but I can call you when I’m done if you need something.”

“No, no.” I shake my head. “But is Brady home?”

Chase is quiet for a few moments, and I have to look to the screen to see if he hung up in his rush to leave, but we’re still connected.

“Chaser.”

“Uh…” There’s some mumbling in the background, and then he says, “Nah, he’s not here.”

My eyes narrow, and I pick up the pace. “Who was that?”

“No one, just a teammate. I should be done in about an hour or so. I’ll call you then, okay?”

I nod even though he can’t see me and hang up the phone. I hold it in my hand in case it rings and make my way toward the football house because something tells me Brady is, in fact, there.

I’m just passing my dorm when a familiar voice calls out.

I look over to see Alister sitting on the benches not thirty yards from the entrance.

My stomach muscles clench with unease, and I’m tempted to tell him I can’t talk right now, but he’s already jogging this way. I don’t want to be an ass, so I quickly text Brady one more time, telling him to call me, and look up just as Alister comes to stop in front of me.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” he whispers, glancing from my phone to me. “I, uh… You’re up early.”

A light laugh leaves me, and I nod. “Yeah. Junie needed someone there with her for the early morning drop-offs. The other girls bailed on her.”

He nods, sliding his hands into his pockets. “Did you have coffee yet? We could go get one?”

“No, I—” I cut myself off, not wanting to mention the last twenty minutes to him. “Were you waiting out here for me or…?”

He nods, looking anywhere but at me. “Yeah, I, uh…” He meets my gaze. “I didn’t expect you to be out this early.”

“So were you just going to wait until I popped out?” I tease.

“Yes.”

His instant response has my arms lowering to my sides, and I clutch my phone tighter. “But I don’t have classes on Friday,” I point out. He knows this, since he memorized my schedule at the start of the year.

“I know.”

“Some Fridays I don’t even leave my dorm room.”

He nods, not taking his gaze off me. “I know that too.”

The air seems to thicken around us, and my toes curl in my socks. Unease slides down my spine, and I nibble at my lip, taking a subconscious, backward step.

“Cameron,” he whispers, reaching out for me, and I freeze, watching his fingertips as they wrap around the sleeves of the hoodie I’m wearing.

He gives a little tug, and I stumble toward him, my free, hoodie-covered hand planting on his chest.

He pushes the sleeves up and presses our palms together, and I stare at where we’re connected, noting I don’t have to spread my fingers too wide to make room for his. His skin is soft, comforting, if a little cold.

His other hand comes up, sliding along my cheek, and a small frown builds over my brow.

“Alister.” I meet his gaze, my lungs compressing in my chest. “What are you doing?”

“I have been trying to figure out what I wanted to say to you all night, and I thought maybe once I got here, it would finally come to me. Then I saw you walking by, and now that I’m standing here, I can’t remember any of it.”

“Alister…” I shake my head, shrugging from his hold.

He steps closer, but I shuffle again, putting the distance between us once more.

“We’re friends,” I breathe, my heart beating a little harder in my chest.

“No, we’re not, Cameron,” he murmurs, longing clear in his gaze.

“I have a boyfriend.” It comes out a little weak, and he’s shaking his head .

“No, you don’t.”

“I do.” I clear my throat, and this time it comes out a little stronger. “I do.”

“Then why didn’t Brady say those same words to me when I talked to him this morning?”

My head yanks back, my frown instant. “What?”

Alister’s shoulders fall, and he offers a meek smile. “I talked to Brady today.”

My chest caves, and I press the hand holding my phone against it. I feel like I’m in the middle of a maze, hoping the next turn doesn’t lead to the end.

The end of what, though, Cameron?

I swallow. “ What did he say?”

“I told him how I felt.”

“And what did he say?”

Creases form between Alister’s eyebrows at my question, and his gaze searches mine for a moment. “He didn’t punch me when I said I was going to come to you.”

A broken laugh leaves me, though there’s no joy in it. I feel…I don’t even know.

Panicked? Confused?

My mind is muddled, and I can’t make sense of any of this.