Page 126 of I Blame the Rival

“Why are you crying?”

Her hands cradle my face, those pale blue eyes glistening back at me.

“You’re smiling.”

I freeze, staring at the tears sliding down her face.

“I didn’t know if I would ever see it again.” Her fingers brush my lips, memorizing the upward curve, “My baby boy’s beautiful smile.”

Amber’s tears continue to fall as I wrap my arms around her, pulling her close. It’s a routine we used to do a lot, her sobs filling the kitchen while I stitched her back together, but this time it’s different.

This time I’m different.

“It’s okay, Mom.” I whisper the same reassurance I did all those years ago, except this time I’m doing it with a full heart, “We’re going to be okay.”

She clutches me tightly, hearing the one thing that was always missing.

Hope.

Chapter 25

Lacey

“Are we inviting your roommate?”

“Of course we’re inviting my roommate, she’s the one who suggested a night out.”

Cecelia’s gruff voice floats through the dorm walls and I smile, hearing Maren’s squeal of excitement.

“I’m so excited to see her! It’s been so long.”

“You literally saw her in the hallway last week.”

“Yeah, but that’s not the same as hanging out.”

Closing my latest romance novel, I put it down on my nightstand before going out to greet Cecelia’s friends.

“Are you ready to hit BEATS tonight?”

Maren squeals again, running over to throw her arms around me. I laugh, squeezing her back while Ava gives me a nod of acknowledgement over her shoulder.

After Cecelia joined my brother’s weekly movie night, she declared we needed to instigate something similar for our own dorm. Two action movies later and Maren and Ava finally started acknowledging me in the hallways. Another three and suddenly I was cool enough to be considered a friend.

Although my relationship with Cecelia isn’t a natural one, I realize now that our rocky start was a double-edged sword. I wasn’t willing to put myself out there and she wasn’t willing to look past the book nerd exterior.

The sex marathons are still a thing, but those nights I usually sleep over at Skylar’s or we spend hours talking on the phone together. It might not be a perfect solution, but it’s one that I can live with.

Maren grins, “This is my first time being the DD, but I think I can handle it.”

Ava snorts, “You couldn’t handle the alcohol last time, so let’s hope this turns out better.”

“I wasn’t that bad.”

“You made out with three different guys before passing out on the bathroom floor.”

Maren shrugs, “You can’t blame a girl for making her presence known.”

I smile, adjusting the purse strap over my shoulder, “Actually, I have a surprise for all of you tonight. Especially you, Cecelia.”

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