Page 136 of Trust Me Always

I climb out, tucking the keys in my pocket, and meet her where she stands. She smiles innocently, and my own tugs at my lips as I throw my arm around her, tugging her close. “Okay, brat. You’re doing the talking here.”

“Mypleasure, Big Guy.” She stretches up, kissing my cheekbefore taking my hand that’s around her and leading us straight to the pickup with the keg in the back of it, several small tents off to the right.

A brunette girl and two blond dudes are sitting in folding chairs in front of it, and they look at us wearily, wondering if we’re about to narc on them. Little do they know, it was our parents who started this tradition when they were back in high school and the owner of this land used to babysit us both.

“Is the buy-in still ten bucks?” Cameron gets right to it.

One of the blonds narrows his eyes, looking from her to me and back. “It’s fifteen for outsiders.”

An unexpected laugh leaves me, and he glances over again. This time, his eyes widen. “Wait, I know you,” he starts.

Before he can say another word, another shouts, “Bro…dude, it’s Lancaster!”

I look toward the voice, finding a guy wearing the same letterman’s jacket I’ve got hanging in my closet sliding up, red Solo cup in hand.

“Yo, you played with my brother, Clayton Miller!” The guy grins. “I’m Calvin.” He reaches a hand out, and I take it for a shake. He glances back, a couple others walking up to join us, before facing me. “I was on the freshman team your senior year. Didn’t play much then, but I’m starting safety now. Varsity.”

“Good for you, man.” I smile. Looking across at the others, I say, “Running backs?”

The one on the end gives a drunken smile and raises his cup. “Nailed it.”

“Coach still playing his running backs both ways?”

“Yup. Running back on offense, outside linebacker on defense.”

I nod, looking to the big guy with his chin lifted all cocky-like. He’s a good six two with shoulders that about rival my own. “Let me guess, you’re the new me?”

“Depends.” He lifts a lazy shoulder. “Who were you?”

Cameron chokes on a laugh, pulling my wallet from my back pocket to pay the keg guard.

“Bro, shut up!” The eager friend shoves him. “You know who he is. You’ve been trying to break his record for two years now.”

The guy glares at his friend, and I fight the smirk that wants to appear.

Little fucker.

“I’ll run some drills with you tomorrow morning if you’re up for it.”

The guy narrows his eyes, trying to decide if he wants to keep the toughness about him, but we’re all the same here: small-town boys who want to make our families proud—make ourselves proud.

“Yeah, man.” He chooses the right route. “I’m free tomorrow.”

“At the field, six a.m.?”

He nods, standing a little taller.

Cameron slips in front of me, passing me a cup with a secret smile. “See?” she whispers.“King.”

She kisses my jaw, a natural gesture she’s done a hundred times over, but this time, the soft press of her lips makes my skin feel tight. I want to hold her there, tip my head to the side and see if she’ll keep going, trace a path that she can call her own. Feel the heat of her breath and see if it rivals the heat building in other places. My eyes lower to hers, and she winks, slipping away, and I shift my body so I can keep her in my sight but stay to answer questions about college ball with the new West Coldon High varsity players.

Cameron makes friends fast, and it helps that we’re only a couple years older than them. She dances around with several girls before hopping over to dominate the reigning duo at beer pong.

She smiles and laughs and drops down by the fire, talking about god knows what but having a good-ass time while she does it.

I note that the dude I offered to train with tomorrow hasswapped his Solo cup out for a can of grape soda and smile to myself. I wonder if he noticed I passed my cup off, not having had a single drink.

I’ve just finished a conversation with a guy I remember from high school when Cameron wraps her little arms around my stomach, sticking her hands inside the pocket of my hoodie like I did hers.