Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 81426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81426 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 326(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“I’ve heard that a time or two,” Theo teased.
“I think…I think I’m going to talk to my dad when he gets here. I’m going to tell him about me.” That still meant spending the holiday apart, but I felt like this was something I should talk to my dad about in person. I also didn’t want him to be alone on the holiday, and I knew he wouldn’t go to Florida.
“Wow…I’m good.”
“Shut up.” I ruffled his hair and felt like Cam when he did the same to Lincoln. “Thank you for talking me through this.”
“Yeah…I thought everything automatically fell into place when you became an adult.”
I laughed. “I wish. It’s okay to struggle. We all do, no matter how old we are.”
Theo was quiet for a moment, then looked at me and said, “I want to go to the party for sure—like for sure, sure.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, then realized how many times we’d used that word and smiled.
“Yes. I don’t want… I don’t want to feel alone anymore. I mean, you and Cam are great. You’re like totally the best, but I want…”
“Want to know kids your own age who are like you. There’s something to be said for community. It’s understandable. And I’m very proud of you.”
“I’m proud of you too!” he replied, and I laughed.
We continued to draw. I ended up with a new piece of paper, and before I noticed what I was doing, my hands were sketching a cartoon Camden…then a cartoon me. It was silly, and yeah, I was slightly embarrassed, but I kept going, let myself enjoy creating.
“It’s good,” Theo said after a while. “You should give it to him.”
“I can’t give this to him.” I wasn’t twelve.
“Why not? Would it be silly if I gave you my comics?”
What was with him today? The more I thought about it, the more I knew he was right. In so many ways, Cam was always the one putting himself out there with me. If it hadn’t been for him pushing it, we likely would have never become the kind of friends we had.
“Okay. Maybe I will. Do you think he’ll laugh at me?” I teased, making Theo chuckle.
“No, he won’t laugh at you. If he does, I’ll meet him in the hallway after school.”
That made me grin, and as I looked at him, it hit me how much he meant to me, how much I enjoyed spending time with him. I’d always wanted siblings, wanted a family to feel less alone, and now I had that, not only with our friends, but in Theo as well.
“Hey…thank you.”
Theo’s nose wrinkled. “For what?”
“For being my friend…for being like a little brother to me. I always wanted a little brother, and now I have one.”
I worried his face would split, his smile was so damn big. “I…I always wanted a big brother too.”
“Come here, kid.” I stood and pulled him into a hug, which he returned. It took a moment, but then I noticed he was crying softly. Theo wiped his face and pulled away, obviously embarrassed.
“I should like, go or whatever. I have this…thing I have to do.”
“Okay. I’ll be in touch about the party.”
Theo grabbed his stuff and headed out.
My thoughts automatically went to what I’d told Theo. I wanted to tell my dad. Cam was worth the risk, but I wasn’t sure I should tell Cam that. Would it only disappoint him if something went wrong?
That made me realize I missed him, that I wanted to spend as much time with him as I could. I didn’t let myself overthink it, just put on my jacket and grabbed my keys, phone, and the drawing, and went out the door.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Camden
I have to end it… ~ Letter from Henry
I was beat.
It had been a long-ass day at work. One of my men had been sick, and we were working on a tough job. My mind hadn’t quite been in the game as it should have been either, hadn’t been since Saturgay, as frustrating as it was. I didn’t want to be upset with Jude in any way, but I thought maybe I was. Which made me feel guilty because I didn’t believe in pushing anyone to come out, and he was spending a holiday with his father. How could I be upset with him over that?
God, I wanted to spend the holiday with him, though. I wanted to cement what I had with him because I was so damn scared he didn’t feel the same…or scared that even if he did, he would decide this wasn’t something he could do. That it was too much. That no matter how he felt, he wouldn’t want to be with a man, be with me. It wasn’t like that hadn’t happened to me before.
Usually I ended up at his condo after work, at least for dinner or something, but I just didn’t have it in me that night. Not because I was angry or didn’t want to be around him—the fucker. I always wanted to be around him, but again, I was exhausted. It had been a long day.