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“But what, Bell? You can tell me anything, you know that. It’s pretty obvious there’s more to your relationship with Cash.”

“I’m definitely not innocent in the Tori-Cash saga.”

“They’re toxic and have been since high school, from what it sounds like,” I say, because I’ve witnessed them fight so many times, it's ridiculous. Bellamy and Maverick always pass it off as their normal.

“Yeah, but even in high school…” Again, she pauses, and it breaks my heart that she doesn’t feel comfortable enough to tell me, but I remind myself this isn’t about me.

“Put it this way, from the day I moved there when I was seventeen years old, Cash and I…we never saw each other as siblings.”

Okay, so this has been going on for a long time, even longer than I had always assumed.

“I’m not going to push you, but you know I’m here. Hell, you know all my dark family secrets. I’d never judge you. Never.”

She smiles and reaches for my hand. “I know you wouldn’t.”

“But tonight’s not the night. Let’s go celebrate your man.”

Nodding, I take her hand. “Even the strong ones need a shoulder to lean on sometimes.” I kiss her cheek before we head downstairs. “I’m always here.”

Twenty-Seven

Spring break- five months later

“Iwish I was going to get one year withallof you at Mountain Ridge,” my sister says from her spot on the edge of the pool.

Graham tosses her the football. “Aw, little Outlaw, you know you’ll still get to see me.”

She throws it across the pool to Nola, who came home with us for spring break.

“I know, I know. Just try to get drafted somewhere on the East Coast.”

“I’m hoping for New Orleans. That’s a quick flight.”

“You know damn well my parents will expect to see your ass on the regular,” Nola chimes in.

Graham chuckles, “That’s a given.”

“Let’s hope our bye weekend next season lines up with a Sunday game day so we can all come to at least one,” I say, knowing Coach would give us leeway if it's possible for us to go to one of Graham’s games.

“That would be awesome,” Graham smiles proudly.

I lift myself out of the pool to sit beside Willow.

“Since you and Berkley won’t be here the whole summer, I think I may talk to Dad about moving up there earlier in the summer too.”

I nod, because I think it will be good for Willow to get away from the town that holds so much pain for her.

“Have you decided where you are living yet?” Nola asks Willow.

She shakes her head. “Still waiting to see what the girls are going to do since Darby is moving into the basketball house.”

“I do know…I’m not living in a dorm.” Her nose crinkles. “I don’t like people I don’t know.”

I chuckle, nudging her arm. “Well, how are you supposed to decide if you like them if you don’t talk to them?”

She side-eyes me. “I can determine a lot from afar.”

We all laugh. I never knew there was such a thing as an anti-social extrovert until my sister grew up.

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