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Chapter 1
Beau Cameron
***
Chicago, Illinois
"Hey!"
Beau turned when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Oh, hey, Beau. I saw your shirt, and I knew you were one of Astrid's boys, but I thought you were AJ. You looked like him from back there."
"Hey, Lizzy," Beau said, slowing down so she could catch up to him.
It was a brisk spring day, and Lizzy held two coffees, one of which Beau assumed was for his mother, Astrid. Lizzy was a nice woman in her forties who had been working for Beau's mom as a personal assistant for the last six or seven years—ever since Astrid took the position as the Head Ballet Instructor at the Arts Academy of Chicago.
Beau's father made good money as a film producer, and his mom didn't work while the children were young. Astrid had been a renowned dancer in her youth, and eventually, the academy reached out to her with a job offer. The AAC was a prestigious school, and Astrid was now in a position of authority there as the Dean of the School of Dance. Beau was on campus—on his way to his mother's building, which was why he was not at all surprised to run into Lizzy.
"It's my hair," he said, running his hand through his shaggy locks as they walked. "It gets lighter when it's long. I need a haircut."
"It's not your hair," she replied. "It's just your whole… stature. I saw the Notre Dame shirt, so I figured it was one of you guys, but AJ's usually the one who… I don't know… you're looking bigger, thick-er."
Beau laughed at how hesitantly she said it. "Thanks," he said.
She locked her arm in his and looked up at him. "Are you getting taller, too?" she asked, seeming perplexed. "Is it possible to grow at your age?"
"I don't think I'm any taller," Beau returned, glancing at her with an amused grin.
They continued walking next to each other.
"Do you have any lady friends over there in Indiana?" she asked. And then she continued speaking before Beau could answer. "Wait, what are you doing at home if school's in? Are you here to see your mom? I assume you are, but why aren't you at school?" Lizzy stopped talking and took a sip of her coffee even though she didn't need it.
"We came for a wedding this weekend, and AJ got a stomach thing—a bug or food poisoning, we're not sure. Either way, we're riding back together, so we hung back an extra day to let him get over it."
"Aren't you in the middle of your lacrosse season?"
"Yep, full swing. He better be up and ready to play by Saturday."
"When do you graduate?"
"In May."
She nodded. "I wasn't sure. I knew one of you was graduating, but I never can remember which one's older."
"I graduate this year, and AJ next."
"Your mom was telling me you have a job all lined up, and for some reason, I thought it was your brother she was talking about. You graduate in May, and AJ has another year?"
"Yes."
"He's not going to know what to do without you there."
Beau smiled and nodded because he knew it was the truth. "I take care of him in ways he doesn't know."
"Like what?" she asked since they still had a stretch to walk before they reached the building.
"Like dishes," Beau said. "That boy does not do a dish to save his life. He won't know what hit him with all the dishes he'll have to do."
