Page 24 of Trust Me Always

It doesn’t matter if he supposedly caught feelings along the way, making his own plan fall in on himself. It means nothing that he’s sorry now. Even shitty people feel remorse every now and again, and I refuse to be the dumb girl who gives a man a pass only to get hit in the heart even harder the next time.

I won’t forgive him.

I can’t forgive him.

I drag my hands down my face with a groan.

Jesus fuck, why do I sort of kind of want to forgive him?

CHAPTER EIGHT

Cameron

With a squeal,I toss the Ziploc full of plastic forks back in the bag and dash across the quad the moment my parents come into view.

My dad smiles wide, his arms already outstretched, and I jump, letting him catch me and twirl me around the way he always does.

He chuckles, lowering me back to my feet, and I tear away instantly, wrapping my arms around my mom’s neck, hugging the life out of her before moving back to my dad.

He smiles, his whiskers scratchy against my face. “And here I thought you didn’t need me and your mama anymore.”

“Pshh. Yeah right.” I tug back, smiling at the two of them. “Who else is going to pay my tuition?”

My dad laughs loudly, slinging his arm around my mom and tugging her closer as I start to lead them toward the quad.

I wrap my arm through my dad’s free one, smiling down at the two of them. “How’s Zeus?”

“He’s getting grayer around the whiskers but still bringing your mama mice as gifts when she’s trying to relax on the back deck.” My dad grins when my mom makes a face.

“Don’t make that face, Mother dear. You’re going to cry like a baby when I take him after I graduate.”

I don’t realize what I said until both my parents’ feet falter, and they turn to look at me fully. Shit.

My mom’s features soften, and she reaches out to takemy hand. “So you’ve decided? You’re moving out right after graduation?”

“I mean…” I look for an out. Moving out wasn’texactlywhat I was thinking, but I don’t want to get into that yet. “Look, it’s not like it’s happening tomorrow. It’s only September, and I’ve still got another year after this and?—”

“Pumpkin, it’s all right.” My dad tries to smile reassuringly, but it just looks a little sad. “We’ve known since you were two feet tall that the pigs and chickens wouldn’t be enough for a girl with a heart the size of a blue whale.”

My scowl is instant. “I love the farm.”

“I know, but we moved to the house in town for a reason. You’re a people person, Cameron, and we’ve known that for a long time.” He pauses, looking over at my mom. “Actually, your mama and I have been talking about selling the house, moving back to the one on the property.”

My face falls, my eyes instantly finding my best friends across the yard. “You’re selling the house?” They’re moving onto the farm property?

“Don’t look so sad. We both know if you’re not coming home, Ari isn’t coming home. Hell, I’d be surprised if any of you do since you’re all sharing the beach house in Oceanside.”

Sadness fills me at the thought of not going back to my childhood home, my best friend’s place just a skip away, but I get it and it makes sense. I look back to my mom and dad. “You know”—I cock my head—“I should have seen this coming.”

My dad smiles, wrapping his arm around me and steering us over to where Ari has finished unpacking the bag we brought of paper products, spreading them out along the picnic tables piled with items others contributed.

“Hi, guys!” Ari beams, hugging my parents and pointing them in the direction of where hers are already settled alongside Brady’s, Deaton the center of attention as he runs between them, forcing them all to take chip after chip that he offers.

“Man, to be a baby who can make anyone do anything that they want.” I sigh dramatically and Ari chuckles, hip checking me. “You bummed your boo thang isn’t here?”

Her smile grows a little sad, and she looks out across the quad, gaze settling on her brother manning one of the many grills, as per usual, Payton at his side. “Last year was tough, but with everything going on with Mason, me, and Payton, I had a distraction. This year though…” She pinches her lips to one side. “I mean we’re only a few weeks into the semester now and I just feel like I’m?—”

“Swear to god, if you say missing half your soul or something else super Hallmark like that, I might actually vomit, and the wedges I’m wearing are way too cute for that.”

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