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CHAPTER SEVEN

Cameron

“If it isn’t the ultimate boy toy.”

Brady spins around, his grin wide and devilish. “I take it you got my picture this morning, Sleeping Beauty?”

“I like to think I’m more of Merida, little wild, little out there, hates to do what she’s told. And what were you trying to do, give a girl a quivery clit first thing in the morning?”

Someone fights a laugh, and I lean to the side just as Brady moves one foot to the right, revealing another guy from the team, Fernando, I think his name is, standing there.

I feel my face start to flame and purse my lips. “Well…okay, so this is your fault.” I glare at Brady.

His smirk grows and he puts a hand over his heart. “My fault? Pray tell, princess.”

“You can’t just…stand there and hide people behind your big-ass shield of a body. If I can’t see him, then I don’t know when to censor and keep my jokes to myself.”

“I vote never.” The guy raises his hand, and I scowl at him.

“Aw, come on,” Brady teases. “It’s not my fault I’m so…thick and long.” He fights a laugh.

His friend fails to do the same.

I narrow my eyes at him. “You know what? All right. Keep throwing those words out there, and I’m going to feel the need to call your bluff. Better think twice next time you wear drawstring bottoms to class, Brady Lancaster. You never know when you’re gonna find your pants around your ankles. ”

His grin is a full-on smile now. “Hey, just make sure there’s a lot of people around when you go in for the kill, okay? Street cred and all.”

I hum, raising a brow. “I’ll make sure it’s cold out.”

His mouth drops open in horror, and I laugh, bumping my shoulder into his arm for the sake of doing it, and head into the coffee shop without him.

He can order his own damn protein muffin.

I’ve been in line for about five minutes when my name is called out by the barista, and I look over to see who shares a name with me, only to find Brady smiling my way as he walks by.

He picks up a drink that looks suspiciously like my order with one hand, and he brings a giant chocolate muffin to his mouth with his other.

Eyes on mine, he bites into it obnoxiously, and I scoff, tearing out of the line and snatching my drink from his grasp. He laughs around his mouthful, kissing my temple and making me cringe when warm chocolate is left behind.

“You little shithead!” I laugh, pushing him away. “And you could have told me you ordered for me already…before I came in and waited in line for no reason.”

“Meh, that takes the fun out of it.”

“Well, you’re forgiven, and thank you. I’ll Apple Pay the money over later.”

“I’ll just send it right back.”

True.

I’ll make sure to tie us up next time there’s a chance.

“Ready for the first quiz today?” he asks.

“Ready as I can be.” I nod, smiling over at him. “Thanks again for studying with me last week.”

“Always. Now come on. We’ve got A’s to earn.”

“I like asses to kick better.”

Brady chuckles and into the building we go, ready to make the first quiz of the year our bitch .

“God, that woman is such a bitch.” I shove the door open, stomping out into the sun and tipping my head back. Maybe I suddenly turned into a vampire, and it will turn me to ash so I never have to go back into that damn class again.

My brow furrows.

My luck, I’ll become a vampire and fucking glitter in the sun.

Brady chuckles, and when I hear him move past me, I open my eyes and fall in step beside him. “Your phone went off during the quiz,” he says.

“It happens.” I shrug.

“Three times.”

“Not my fault. I didn’t text myself.”

He glances my way, brow raised. “After you told her you turned it off.”

I growl, crossing my arms. “Whose side are you even on?”

He only laughs harder, checking the time on his screen. “Come on, I’ll walk you to the child development center on my way out.”

“I can’t believe you’re already done with classes for the day.”

“That’s what happens when you can function like a real human and take early classes.”

“Sounds like a drag.”

He shakes his head, lips tipped up. “So who was texting you anyway?”

My eyes snap his way, and I pinch my mouth to the side, facing forward once more. I walk several feet before I realize he stopped, and I’m too chicken to turn all the way around, so I peek over my shoulder instead.

“Cameron,” he drawls.

I smile, wide and fake. The man can’t stand lies, even tiny ones that don’t affect him, and I don’t know what it is, but there’s something about him that refuses to allow me to even try .

It’s how the boys always knew what party to burst into when we were growing up—neither me nor Ari could lie to the man. And well, even if we tried, he’d see right through us midattempt, and we’d fold like origami.

“Is that asshole seriously still bothering you?” He starts walking again and I loop my arm in his, dragging him along the path.

“It’s fine.”

“It’s not fine. You told him to leave you alone. We fucking told him to leave you alone when he decided not to do what you asked.” Brady shakes his head, glaring at nothing ahead.

“Brady.” I give him a little jiggle. “Stop thinking of ways you’re going to deal with this.”

He grins. “But there’re just so many good ones to choose from.”

I laugh at that but pull him to a stop a few feet from the student entrance.

“For reals. Freshman season, things were fucked with the Chase drama. Sophomore season, Mason was a walking zombie when Payton wasn’t around.

It’s our junior year, your third season on the university football field.

I don’t want you guys to have any bullshit to stress over where I’m concerned. ”

“Baby girl, don’t make me tackle you right here.” He glares.

I chuckle. “All I’m saying is you don’t have to go all alpha for me. None of you boys do. I can handle a groveling flirt with my eyes closed.”

Brady cocks his head, eyes narrowing in that gauging way of his, and I realize what I said. “Wait. Are you… Do you like that he’s still trying?”

I bite into my lip and look away, pulling in a deep breath. “Um…” Do I?

“Yo!” is shouted, and we both look left to find a few guys from the team waiting at the edge of the building with their bags hung over their shoulders.

“Fuck. I forgot I told some of the guys I’d step in to spot for the afternoon session. ”

“If you keep adding a random third workout to your day, you’re going to reach Hulk status.”

He makes a show of flexing his muscles, moving from one pose to the next.

“Yeah, yeah.” I roll my eyes with a grin. “You’re enormous. Perfect. Zero percent body fat.”

Brady sticks his tongue between his teeth and winks, jogging off with a laugh when I shove at his shoulder.

I head inside through the employee and student entrance, smiling at Granny Grace behind the counter.

“Morning.” I move toward the lockers in the left corner.

Granny Grace shakes her head with a grin. “Honey, it’s eleven thirty.”

“And I’d likely still be in bed if it were up to me.” I grin, swiftly putting my things away and tying up my hair as I walk around the back counter. “How many we got this morning?”

“Afternoon, and twelve right now, but we have three pickups in the next hour and five drop-offs a bit after that.”

I sigh happily, washing my hands and nudging the swinging door with my butt. “Well, I better get in there. See you in three hours!”

Granny Grace waves without looking my way, and I smile as I move into the main care room. I hope I’m still smiles and kind eyes fifty years from now.

“Hey, Junie!” I call when I spot her.

“Hello, trouble.”

“Trouble? Me?” I tease, spotting my favorite little guy—not that I can say that out loud, not that it’s a secret.

I swoop Deaton up before he has a chance to turn around, giving him a little wiggle.

“Never, huh, Little D?” I kiss his chubby cheeks, turning him in my arms, and he wraps his hands around my neck, squeezing.

“Calmy!” he squeals in his little baby voice, his attempt at saying Cammie the cutest thing ever. The nickname is adorable, and the others have started to use it more and more because of it. “ I’ve ball!” He lifts the little football in his hands, patting it softly against my chest.

“Yeah, you do!” I beam, kissing his cheeks one more time before setting him back down where he was standing. I look up at Junie as she comes over, making crazy baby faces at little Bella, the new one-year-old who joined us this semester.

“Look who is here early.”

I wiggle my fingers, and Bella reaches out, leaning into my hands. I take her from Junie, bouncing her softly as I sing my words for my boss slash professor, “Anything specific you need from me to start?”

“If you want to take over here, help them wash their hands, I’ll get the lunch table ready.

Ashley and Melanie are with the infants, so it’s just me and you with these five until the others come in.

By the way, we’ve got some new girls starting here pretty soon.

Just waiting on their papers to be signed and sent over from the director’s office.

You and Ash are my only third-years, so they’ll take turns shadowing you. ”

“Sounds good. Just let me know if I need to change any times or anything.”

“Yep.” She waves me off, and I move over to the little washing station and toss a towel down, lowering onto my knees and setting Bella on my lap.

“It’s time to wash the baby, wash, wash the baby…” I start to sing as I turn on the warm water, and of course, Deaton is the first to run over, his two little buddies right on his heels.

Playing with all the little ones make the hours go by in a flash. Before I know it, Payton is here for pickup, letting me know I went a little over my three-hour mark.

She beams at me as I step into the pickup area, Deaton’s hand in mine. She bends, her camera bag weighing her down further, and opens her arm for her baby boy, who doesn’t hesitate to throw himself into her chest. She laughs lightly, burying her face in his neck .

“Time for home?” He pats her cheeks.

“Yeah, time for home.” She kisses his cheek, looking back to me. “You coming?”

“Go ahead. I still need to sign out and grab my things.”

“K. Mason is picking him up the next couple days, but I’m sure I’ll talk to you in between.”

“Sounds good.” I wave at Deaton, but he’s already dragging his mama out the door.

Smiling, I make quick work of saying bye to everyone and grabbing my things, skipping out the back door again as I leave.

I pull my phone from my bag, texting Ari, but before I can hit Send, I slam into a wall with an oomph. Sturdy hands close around my biceps, and I look up into a pair of green eyes. “Alister.”

“Hi, Cam.”

For a moment, I just stare at him, my attention falling to his mouth when it forms an annoyingly gorgeous grin. I’ve kissed that mouth more times than I’d care to admit. I know exactly how full and soft those lips are. How skilled.

How they feel against my skin?—

Fuck, shit. No.

No!

I pull away, blinking to clear whatever the hell expression took over my face to make him smile like a spider who’s already caught me in his web.

“I hate spiders.”

“What?” He grins.

I blink again, clearing my throat. “What?”

Alister chuckles, and when I start walking, he falls in step beside me.

“You know, stalking is a criminal offense.”

“What’s criminal is going to bed without talking to you first.”

Do not flutter, oh weak and needy heart of mine.

“Yes, well. We could talk all day and all night.” I pause, glancing his way in time to watch his smile spread and not looking away so I get to witness as it falls.

“You know, if you weren’t playing the role of Brian O’Conner, making me Mia Toretto in this scenario.

You know, the guy with the hidden agenda, fucking the girl who was none the wiser. ”

And there that smile goes, a sharp pinch of his lips taking its place.

Alister reaches out, gently taking my hand and tugging me to a halt. “Cammie,” he whispers, a low, tragic sound.

Treacherous tears sting my eyes, and I gingerly tug myself free. “You don’t get to call me that. That nickname is reserved for friends only, and we’re not friends.”

“I don’t want to be friends, Cameron. I want to be more.”

“Did you learn nothing last year?” I grip my backpack straps before he can try and reach out for me again and take a few backward shuffles away.

“We don’t always get what we want.” Alister stares at me, and because it’s clear his determination hasn’t dissipated in the slightest, I add, “If we did, you wouldn’t be standing here.

You’d be skipping across campus, holding hands with the girl you came here to be with in the first place. ”

He opens his mouth and closes it before he finally says, “Not fair, baby.”

“I’m not your baby.”

“I want you to be.”

“Jesus!” I shake my head, my cheeks getting warm for some reason. “Are you even listening to me?!”

Alister smiles, and I want to slap it off his face. “I am, but I don’t like what you’re saying, so I’m choosing to ignore it.”

“You’re… Ugh!” I growl, spinning and stalking away. “Stay away from me, Alister!”

“That’s going to be tough for me, Cameron!”

“Life’s tough. Get a helmet!” I shout back, whirling to glare at him once more. “Oh wait, you have one…not that you’ll be getting any use out of it! ”

I wince at my own words, this time walking away so fast, one might call it running.

Damn it, that was a low blow, but I mean, so was fucking a girl he just pretended to like to get close to someone else. Several times, I might add. And well.

Fuck. No. Stop it!

It doesn’t matter if he supposedly caught feelings along the way, making his own plan fall in on himself.

It means nothing that he’s sorry now. Even shitty people feel remorse every now and again, and I refuse to be the dumb girl who gives a man a pass only to get hit in the heart even harder the next time.

I won’t forgive him.

I can’t forgive him.

I drag my hands down my face with a groan.

Jesus fuck, why do I sort of kind of want to forgive him?