My Brother's Best Friend

Chapter 32

Maddie

I get home around lunchtime. Cameron didn't come inside—I thought it'd be best if he just dropped me off after what happened yesterday and this morning. Still running on the high, it would definitely be obvious what had gone on between us.

My mom is busy making dinner for tonight in the kitchen, a random country song quietly playing through the speaker. It smells like meatloaf, and even though I just ate breakfast I'm already hungry again.

Probably from the workout with Cam in the shower.

My cheeks turn bright red just as my mother whips her head around when the front door closes. "Oh, thank god." She drops the spatula down onto the counter and races over to pull me into a warm embrace. "I thought you were dead!"

"I'm fine," I tell her, completely smothered by her sweater.

"Your father is going to have a conversation with that Mark boy," she warns, but I immediately shake my head.

"Mom, that's not necessary..." I start, but Ethan enters into the kitchen now, his eyes narrowing at my clothes.

"Are those Camerons?" He asks.

I forgot I was wearing them, but I clumsily hold the plastic bag up in my hand and say, "Yeah. I didn't want to wear my dress and heels back home so he let me borrow something of his."

"Oh, right." He nods as if he was overthinking, and internally it makes me want to scream. He's so close to figuring it out. Cam and I have to be more careful next time. "But Mom, you don't have to worry about Mark. Tell Dad I've got that covered."

"Nobody has to do anything." I straighten my shoulders and stand up taller, letting them know I'm serious. "I can handle myself. Yes, what he did sucked, but it's over with. I'm honestly okay now, alright? So rather than everyone beat him up I'd just like it to end. I want to forget about it."

My mom purses her lips together, clearly disagreeing with me, but she doesn't protest. Instead, she picks the spatula back up and heads back over to the stove. "I think we all need a bit of a break," she admits. "With the run-in with Mark, and your brother stressing about states, I just want us to have a little family time. You know?"

Ethan and I exchange glances, knowing where this is going.

"I say we go away for a weekend," she suggests. "I think next weekend will be perfect, don't you? If you boys win the game this Saturday then states won't be for another two weeks."

"Okay, but we'll probably still have practice," Ethan says to try and get himself out of it, but my mother just wags a finger in his face.

"Not so fast," she says. "I already spoke with coach about it."

"You what?" His face gets red, clearly embarrassed. "Mom, why would you do that?"

"He thought it was a good idea too!" She exclaims. "If you win this weekend he thinks a few days off will get you and Cameron in the right head space for States."

"Cameron?" I ask. "He's going too?"

I didn't mean to say it, it just came out, and my mother glances at me questionably like I've lost my mind. "Of course, he's going. That boy doesn't have a family right now, Maddie. We're all he's got. I'm not going to leave him out."

I stare down at my feet, and the guilt starts to creep in.

"Plus, I know you two don't always see eye to eye, but he really looked out for you last night. Taking him with us is the least we can do. If you'd like you can bring Maya so that you have a friend there too."