Page 31 of His Team

“Don’t get your ass kicked.”

“Are we going to that kickback? The one the team invited us to?”

“Do you think you’re ready for that? I mean, I’m down if you want to go, but are you ready to try?”

He purses his lips and squints. I give him time to gather his thoughts and feelings. I never like to assume I know what he’s feeling or to rush him through his thought process.

Patience is key with Caleb. You get more from him when you allow him to take his time. Parties are harder. However, my mama won’t be involved with this one and I think that’s a positive thing for my brother to be able to relax and cope.

“I want to try. The guys invited me. It’s not like I’m trying to tag along with you. That felt good. To be seen and invited.

“I might not like it once we get there, but at least I can know my limits early on and say I’ve had the experience,” he says, shaking his hands out at his sides.

“Well, we have two weeks to work on things like that,” I say, pointing to the handshaking.

Over the years we’ve worked on his different tics and stims. Not because I thought he needed to change for anyone, but because our mama would get so mad when he couldn’t stop whatever it was she deemed as weird or inappropriate.

My mama is a trigger for my brother and she’s too selfish to realize when she would get angry with him it only made thingsworse. So I helped lessen the behaviors for him, not her or to hide who my brother is. Although all that work has gone a long way in helping us now.

Caleb clenches his fists and grinds his teeth. “I can do this, Cam. I want to do this.”

Determination fills his eyes and my heart swells with pride. This guy is going to shock the shit out of the world one day. I can’t wait to see him prove our parents wrong, our mama more so than our daddy.

Daddy only wants the best for Caleb and to protect him from the world. Sometimes, in her own twisted way, I believe my mama wants the same.

“Then we will go. If you hate it once we’re there, we’ll leave.”

“Thanks.”

“You got it, bro.”

CHAPTER 11

Hanging Out

Maribel

My chest warms as I see Cam up ahead. He looks great even from this distance. He’s wearing a pair of light blue jeans that are hugging his thighs. His head is down, and his hands are in his pockets. The jean jacket he has on over his white tee fits his broader shoulders nicely.

As I get closer, he lifts his head, and a smile comes to his face that blows me away. His eyes sparkle with it and his face lights up. I’m pulled into his smile as we close the small distance between us.

I’m so caught up; I lean in to kiss him but catch myself at the last minute and turn to kiss his cheek. Cam wraps his arms around me and pulls me into a hug. His cologne wraps around me as well, hugging me just as tight.

“How was the movie?”

“It was good. I needed the laugh,” I reply.

“Oh yeah? Want to talk about it?”

“Not at all. I came to hang out with a friend and forget all of that drama.”

“Then let’s go. I plan to have a ton of fun kicking your ass in bowling,” he says and frowns.

“What? What’s that look about?”

“If I knew you were going to wear boots like that, I would have planned something else. It’s going to be a shame for you to trade those out for them ugly-ass shoes.”

I burst into laughter and shake my head. “Whatever, Cam.”

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