Page 41 of The Risks of Reuniting

Ugh. Kaden sucks.

Lucy

Totally.

And, just as suddenly as cell service appeared, it's gone again. But I can vividly imagine the conversation that goes on from there about our youngest cousin, Kaden. He's a real bum nugget, and none of us like him. He's pulled a nasty prank on all of us at some point, he's clearly Grandma Sue'sspecial boy, and he drives us all bonkers with his ridiculous personality and constant bragging about attending Harvard. In case it seems like only the girl cousins don't like him, the boys feel the same. Gavin calls hima pipe clogger, which never fails to crack me up.

I read through the conversation again and laugh to myself, tucking my phone away and glancing back to the soccer game as I do. The game is over, but Holt is standing there looking back at me. My smile drops as that same magnetic feeling from the first time we met slides up my chest and heats my face. I'm frozen as he makes his way over. The two boys are gone, probably called inside to help their parents with the after dinner clean up.

Holt is hesitant as he approaches, as though I'm a wild animal that may dart away at any moment. To be fair, he's wise to regard me as such, because I feel wild inside right now, and I'm not sure how I'll react.

His eye is swollen and black, and the scratch on his cheek has scabbed over. He looks exactly like a guy who tangled with the wrong people, and it gives him an unfamiliar rough edge that has my heart feeling tender. He threw himself right into the fray to protect me, and I can't ignore that.

"Hey," I offer, my voice soft. "You look like a raccoon caught you in a dark alley."

His answering grin is immediate and relieved, and he tucks his hands in his pockets as he looks down at me. "Yeah? I think it gives me a certain something."

"You going to give yourself black eyes weekly, to keep up the look?"

"Don't think my optometrist would be happy with me for repeatedly injuring my eye."

"You have an optometrist?" I ask, laughing. "You've gotten old."

He points at his eyes. "These babies are my moneymakers. Have to keep them in shape."

"I thought you said your hair was your moneymaker?" I reply, calling back to the head wound he had to shave some hair for.

He rubs at his head. "Peru has been violent this time."

We smile at each other, and then his face grows serious and my stomach drops. I know that look. He wants to apologize for yesterday, and I stand as he opens his mouth.

"Don't worry about it," I cut him off.

His mouth slaps shut and he frowns. "You don't want an apology for what I said?" he asks.

I shake my head and move toward the door of my bunk room. "Would you mean it?"

He sighs and tucks his hand back into his pocket as he rotates to face me. "Not really. But I do want you to go back to being comfortable with me, and if an apology will help then I mean it sincerely."

"Why did you say it?" I ask.

He smirks. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

I think about it, and answer honestly. "I'm not sure."

He looks down and changes the subject. "How does your arm feel?"

I raise it so it's in a better-lit place. "Sore."

"It was pretty cool, how you jumped in to block Emilia from harm," he states, one side of his mouth tugging up. "Hero stuff."

I drop my arm and shrug. "You jumped in too. It's what we do for . . ." I pause, not wanting to say it out loud, but he does.

"The people we care for."

I nod. Unwilling to lie. "Yeah."

"You know I still care for you, right?" he asks, stepping closer, his expression serious.

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