Page 19 of His Team

I start to blush and I’m happy he’s not in front of me. Not once have I ever thought he was interested in me. Although, I doubt I ever would have noticed because Cam has always been my world.

I still remember the day Mrs. Jemma and my mama talked me into breaking Cam and his girlfriend up. I didn’t think twice about it. Cam was my boyfriend a week later.

“If I say yes, it’s just as friends, right?”

He gives a deep, rich chuckle. “If that’s how you want to start. Sure. What time should I pick you up?”

I blow out a breath and run my hand through my hair. It’s not like I’m cheating on Cam. We’re on a break.

I’ve given him a hall pass. Why shouldn’t I take mine? We will be together in the end.

“I’ll be ready by seven. Is that okay?”

“See you at seven,” he says with a smile in his voice.

I hang up with a huge smile on my face. I’m going on a date. A date with someone other than Cameron Perry.

I never in my life thought I would ever say those words. I know nothing other than Cameron. I’ve been told all my life he’s who I’m meant to be with, but here I am going on a date with someone else.

Now ain’t that something?

Cameron

I look in the mirror and give myself a wink. I’ll admit I put a little more effort into getting ready tonight. The guy looking back at me is single after all.

I haven’t been single since junior high school. I was fourteen the last time I could say I wasn’t in a relationship. Kay may have done me a favor.

However, I’m not going to give much thought to that tonight. Tonight, I’ll enjoy myself. I’m going to have a few beers, hang with some new friends, and maybe I’ll find someone worth hooking up with at the end of it all, but that’s a big maybe.

“Live your life, Cam,” I say to my reflection.

Before I head out, I straighten my white button-up and tuck the front in, leaving the back hanging out of my blue jeans. Then I fix my belt buckle.

One more look over my outfit and I nod at my brown flat lace-up boots. Not sure about my shirt, I try rolling up the sleeves. I get one rolled up and sort of like the look of one rolled and the other down.

I push a hand through my hair, and it falls right back into my face. I’ll go for a cut soon. I tend to keep mine shorter than my brother’s.

“Time to go,” I huff and turn to head out of the bathroom.

Thomas is sitting on the couch scoffing down a burger, already dressed and ready to go. Caleb still hasn’t moved from his spot on the couch. I walk over to him and kiss the top of his head.

He flinches away at first but looks up at me and smiles. I don’t take offense; my brother has his aversions. But since we were little, he has come to me for hugs and affection when he needs them. The flinching is almost reflexive at this point when it comes to me.

He always smiles it off to let me know he’s okay with my displays of affection. I respect when he lets me know it’s too much. Caleb is very vocal when he’s having a bad day or he’s overwhelmed.

“Have a good time. I’ll try to come along next time. I want to go to my first college party. I just need more time to prepare.

“Tonight is too soon. I’m not ready for that,” he says while searching my face as if to read my reaction.

In fact, I know that’s what he’s doing. I give him a smile. “I’m not going to rush you to do anything. Rest up. Next week will be the first full week of baseball and classes. The rest can wait.”

“Thanks, Cam.”

“I love you, bro. Let Kota know if you start to feel sick.”

“I’m cool. Don’t worry about me. Be you, Cam. Tonight, just be you. Not Cam and Cal, just Cam.”

I can’t help smiling at my brother. He’s the only one who gets it. He has lived it with me. It is rare that we get to be just one person.

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