Page 95 of Never Will I Ever

“You can keep talking with the lights off, Cole,” I tell him with a smile. “Just make sure you get some sleep, okay?”

The inscrutable expression on his face tells me that wasn’t the reason he followed me out here, which he confirms when he says, “Can I talk to you about something?”

Frowning, I nod. “Of course. You know you can talk to me about anything.”

He crosses the small porch before taking a seat on the top step, and I follow suit by dropping to the wood beside him.

“What’s going on with you?” he asks almost immediately.

I have to hand it to the kid, he doesn’t beat around the bush, preferring to go in swinging a machete instead. Unfortunately, I’m not really sure which particular bush he’s wanting to hack down right now.

“What are you talking about?”

He narrows his gaze on me. “Just because I’m only eleven doesn’t mean I’m stupid. Kaleb.”

Now I’mreallyconfused.

A frown pulls at my brows as I turn toward him. “Why would you think I’d—”

“Because there’s something going on with you and Avery.” His stare doesn’t falter when he adds, “I saw you two at the bonfire tonight.”

It’s an innocent statement, but the underlying judgment etched into its meaning tells me all I need to know. We slipped up. Weren’t as careful as we should’ve been.

The reality is, it was only a matter of time before one of the kids noticed what was happening. I was just hoping it wouldn’t be one of my brothers, if only to avoid the conversation we’re evidently about to have.

I still make an attempt to play it off, though, and aim a smirk at Cole. “What, talking? That happens when you work with someone.”

“Not you two,” he comes back with a scoff. “A few weeks ago, you wanted him as far away from this place as possible.”

This kid is way too fucking observant.

“We might’ve started off rocky, but you could’ve even called us friends at one point,” I remind him while doing my best to keep the defensiveness from my voice.

“Friends don’t look at each other like that.”

“And how would you know that? You’re a bit young to—”

“Don’t try telling me I’m too young to be talking about this with you,” he immediately cuts in, and the slightest amount of guilt gnaws at me.

Some of the conversations Cole and Ihave had over the past few months are ones I didn’t expect to have with either of my brothers for another few years. About sexuality, human decency, and respecting others privacy, just to name a few. He’s long since proven he’s mature enough to talk about these kinds of topics.

When I don’t respond right away, he crosses his arms andpushes further.

“After what he did, how can you even think…” He trails off, his nose wrinkling up. “I don’t get it. You don’t like him.”

The problem is, I do. Very much. I like him a lot fucking more than I should.

“Well, things can change.”

“He hasn’t,” he volleys back. “There’s no chance he’s any less of the asshole who caused all that shit back at your school.”

“One, watch your language,” I warn, leveling him with a hard look. “And two, you don’t know that. You don’t even know Avery.”

“And sleeping with him means you do?”

How the hell?

There’s no part of me that wants to answer this question, let alone discuss it with him. The issue is I can’t very well lie to him. Not when he was just accusing me of it earlier.

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