Page 21 of My Brother's Forbidden Friend

“Noah bought it as a surprise,” my dad says.

I smile and any hurt I had disappears. “That’s so sweet.”

He shrugs. “I thought so. Now, about where Cam’s gonna live…”

“You want Cam to live with me?” I don’t think my eyes could get any wider.

“Chevelle’s right. We should think this over,” Marla says.

“It’s your decision, but I’ll be honest… I don’t like the idea of you living here alone when we don’t know for sure what Derek is gonna do. Cam is like family, and he could use some help right now. Besides, your house is close enough to the marina that Cam can walk to work,” Dad says.

“I second Dad,” Fisher says through the speaker.

Marla raises her eyebrows and bites the inside of her lip.

I can’t see Derek making another appearance, but my dad has a point. “Okay, I guess. Cam can move in with me.”

“That’s my girl,” my dad says.

“I’ll drop him off later. Until we know for sure this Derek guy is gone, it’ll be nice to know Cam’s with you to protect you.” Fisher hangs up without saying goodbye.

The pit of my stomach sours. How am I going to live with the guy I’ve crushed on for years without wanting to give in to temptation?

7

“HONEY, I’M HOME.”

Cam

Fisher comes into the interrogation room, sits in the chair across from me, and sighs.

“What? Just tell me.”

He looks up and smiles. “Thank your best friend Fisher for bailing you out of trouble again.”

I stare at him for a beat. “He caved?”

“Yes. So again… thank your best friend Fisher.” He points at himself, his smile wide and annoying as all hell.

“Thanks. Although you could’ve been nicer when you arrested me. You didn’t even let me get a shirt.”

He stands and I follow suit. “I can’t treat you differently than I would anyone else. People wouldn’t vote for me next year.” He shrugs.

“I hit somebody to protect the honor of your sister.”

I don’t miss the way his jaw tightens at the mention of what happened to Chevelle. “I didn’t know that. I thought maybe you got drunk and got into a fight.”

“Derek was at Mandi’s wedding as Chevelle’s date. When he pressed charges, what did you think?” I shake my head as we leave the interrogation room. At least he never put me in an actual jail cell. I can just imagine him snapping a few pictures and spreading them around town as a joke.

“Well, I’m a little busy and sleep deprived with, oh that’s right, raising twins. Do you know how hard it’s been since they started to crawl? And Allie called this morning after I left to say Laurie has started running. My life is officially over.”

I laugh because he’s so dramatic. “It’s supposed to be a blessing raising kids.” I slap him on the shoulder. “Thanks again for springing me. Drive me home?”

He stops short of the door and his eyes crinkle at the sides. He puts his fingers on the bridge of his nose. It’s his way of saying there’s more he has to tell me. “So, your dad called me because he wanted to know if he should send a lawyer over.”

“I knew he wouldn’t stay mad at me.” I reach for the door.

“I told him we worked it out, and he thanked me and asked if you could stay in the apartment above our garage. He’s having a crew box up the stuff from your apartment and he’s taking the car back. You’ve been cut off.”

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