Page 48 of Teasing

The funnier thing is it just feels right.

When the hell did that happen?

EMMIE

Healing... truly healing, not just existing, requires you to abandon the versions of yourself you created to survive.

—Emmie’s Secret Thoughts

I’m sitting on our dock, catching up on the reading due in my Biological Aspects of Behavior class—thrilling, I know—when the wooden boards behind me creak, and Camden’s shadow blocks out the sun. “Hey. I’m getting out of here in a few minutes.”

“Really?” I hold my hand out, and he pulls me to my feet. “Kinda early, isn’t it?” I don’t need to be at Maverick’s for another hour, and I’m sure he won’t leave right away.

Camden shrugs and shoves his hands in his pockets. “I have a meeting with Brady Ryan, my position coach. Not sure what it’s about, and I don’t want to be late.”

So many players are cocky assholes. At least the ones I knew in college were. The ones I know now aren’t. Well... maybe Jamie is a tiny bit. But he’s Jamie, so it doesn’t count. But Camden has never been that way. Not when he was in high school and was the starting QB all four years. And not when he was being recruited for college and everyone wanted him, but he just wanted whatever offer could help us the most. Things are so strained between us, and I wish I could just fix it. But I don’t know how.

“Okay, well I have something I want to show you before you leave.” I hurry back to the house and grab the bag from the dining room table. “Wait... I need a Sharpie.”

Camden watches me search the kitchen drawers like I’m crazy before I find the gold glitter Sharpie I knew I had hiding in here and hand it to him excitedly. “What am I doing with this, Em?”

I pull the black and gold jersey from the bag and lay it flat on the table. The giant, gold number 2 proudly stitched below MONROE gleams up at us. “I’m going to need you to sign this for me, big brother. I want to wear it while Rosie and I watch the game tomorrow, and a signed jersey is always better.”

He presses his lips together but doesn’t say anything as he uncaps the pen and scribbles his barely legible signature on the back of the jersey, then stares at it. “I would have gotten this for you, if I knew you wanted it.”

“Of course I want it, but I didn’t need you to get it for me.”

Cam’s eyes look heavy as he stares at it. “Think Dad’s going to watch the game?”

“He’d love to see you as a King.” My heart hurts, thinking about how much he’d love to be in the stands cheering him on. “Have you seen him yet?”

Camden shakes his head.

“How about Vivi?”

Another silent shake as we stand here right in front of each other but also somehow so far apart that my heart hurts. I wrap my arms around his waist and lay my head against his shoulder. “I’ll make sure the nurses know to tune the channel into the game tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Em.” His words are thick and pained.

“He didn’t know what he was doing, Camden.” I’m not sure if I’m trying to convince him or myself, but I think we both still need to hear it.

“I know.” He kisses the top of my head. “I’ve got to go.”

“Have a great game.” I watch, heartbroken, as he nods and picks up his overnight bag. “Kick Buffalo’s ass.”

“We’ll see how much playing time I even get.” He looks as tired as I suddenly feel as he turns for the door.

“Cam—” I call out, and he stops but doesn’t look back. “I love you.”

“Love you too, Em.” And then he’s gone, and I’m left with the aftermath... like always.

“You’re sure this is okay?” Maverick asks me for about the millionth time, and Jamie laughs and signs something I can’t quite make out to Ryker, who laughs too.

“Let’s go, Mav,”Jamie grabs his bag from the floor and stares at his best friend.“We’re going to miss the plane, and then Declan will have all our asses.”

“And some of us still need to make good impressions,”Ryker adds with a smile.

“Like he didn’t wipe both your asses.”Watching these three together is like night and day compared to my house and my relationship with Camden, and that hurts my heart, but it also warms my soul and gives me hope, so I go with it.

---