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“I just want to help him.”
“Even if it costs you your dream?”
He let out a weary sigh. “You’re looking at me like it’s not only my dream I’m sacrificing.”
My stomach knotted. “So, you are considering giving everything up?” The words spilled out before I could stop them. “I’m sorry, that’s not fair.”
It was his brother. His kid brother who had almost lost his mom. I couldn’t resent that.
I wouldn’t.
Not when I’d pulled him away from them.
“I wish I could wave a magic wand and make all this better for you and Xander.”
“I know you do, and I love you for it.” Cameron reached for me, fisting the oversized Wolverines t-shirt and pulling me into his arms.
“We get through senior year and then I go home, at least until this stuff with Xander gets better. He needs me, Hailee. I can’t just turn my back on him. I can’t...” His eyes shuttered, torment etched into the lines of his handsome face. “But if you don’t want to follow me, I’ll understand. I know you have a better shot at following your dreams here or in Philly.”
“Stop.” I leaned in touching my head to his. “Where you go, I go.”
“Yeah?” Relief washed over him.
“Cameron, as if you need to ask.”
“It won’t be forever, I promise,” he breathed the words as if they were hard to say. “Just until he’s in a better place.”
“It’s okay. He needs you.”
“And I need you. I will always need you, Hailee. I hope you know that.” He stared at me with such intensity, I sucked in a sharp breath.
“I do.”
Cameron
“Can’t I stay another night?”
“We need to get home, sweetheart,” Mom reached for Xander, but he dodged her advance. The flash of hurt in her eyes gutted me.
“Xander, please, don’t make a scene. Cameron and Hailee need to—”
“Hey,” I said, finally making myself known. “Are you all set?”
“Yes,” my parents said at the same time as Xander grumbled, “No.”
“I think Hailee wanted some help, if you two want to—”
“Sure thing.” Dad squeezed my shoulder, guiding Mom away.
“Hey, squirt. What’s going on?” I sat down beside my brother.
“I don’t want to go back to Rixon.”
“No? But what about school? Your friends?”
“I know Mom and Dad call you and tell you everything, Cam.” He flicked his knowing eyes to mine.
“They’re worried. We all are.”
