She laughs at something he says and rubs his arm up and down. I'm on my feet, intensely not watching them. Then she steps closer, so close they're almost touching. I don't even realize I've left the building until the sun hits my skin—the heat of it matching the heat of my blood that's pulsating in my ears. Before I know it, my eyes are shut, the hose is in my hand, and I'm pulling the trigger.

Her squeal causes me to snap my eyes open.

Cam's back is to me. His shoulders are lifted and his body's rigid.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she shrieks.

Cam turns around with a glare already in place. When he sees that it's me, the glare fades. He crosses his arms to match hers. "I think you owe Gabby an apology."

"Oh my God," Gabby cries, before turning on her heels and stomping away.

I do the same.

"Where do you think you're going?" Cam yells after me.

"Calling Logan," I shout over my shoulder. I snicker to myself—proud that I was able to come up with a retort so quickly.

It doesn't last long before a cold burst of water hits my back. I freeze. My hands form fists at my sides as I turn to face him. "You're a jerk!"

"Yeah?" he says, dropping the hose. "I know someone that might disagree with you." He flips his cap backwards, and I know what it means. It's the sign. The thing he used to do right before he'd kiss me. I play it out in my head—him stepping toward me, grabbing me around the waist and pulling me to him. And then he'd kiss me.

But that's not what happens.

He turns his back to me and marches off. "Yo, Gabby!" he shouts.

And I lose it.

He was right. He makes me crazy.

I run after him and jump onto his back, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist.

He bends over himself, and I think he's going to try to shake me off, but somehow, he swings me around so we're face to face with my legs still around him.

He smirks. "What are you doing?"

Stupid smirk. "I'm going to wipe that stupid smirk off your face."

He chuckles. "How?"

"With my fist."

"Do it with your mouth," he challenges.

My body tenses, and I look around. The reason I didn't do this stuff at school still stands. Nothing's changed. Nothing but Gabby—who's now standing only feet away. "Did you call me?" she asks Cam.

And a fire burns in the pit of my stomach. I know what the fire is now. It's jealousy. "Yeah." I glare at her. "He called you a whore."

Cam chuckles. I don't know why, it's not funny.

"Who the hell are you?" she clips.

I roll my eyes and watch Cam's smirk widen. It pisses me off so much that I wipe it off... with my mouth. I kiss him, harder than I've ever kissed him before. Because it's not just a kiss, it's a message.

When I pull back, he quirks an eyebrow in question. With my legs still around him and his arms holding me in place, I shrug. "I don't like sharing."

"Good," he says before moving in for another kiss. My eyes shut, my lips anticipating the feel of his. But it gets cut short when a burst of cold water sprays us both.

I scream.

He grunts.

Mark stands with the hose in his hand and shakes his head at us. "Cool it," he says, squirting us again. "Shit. You're both drenched. You're useless to me now. Get out of here."

We run, hand in hand, to his bike. I jump on the pegs, soaking wet clothes and all. Leaning in as close as I can, I envelop him in my arms.

He tilts his head to look up at me. "I'm sorry about what I said yesterday, but I don't like the thought of sharing you either. No more games. You're my girl now, Luce."

And I swoon.

Just a little.

***

We end up at the river, sitting on the grass and looking out at the water. "So things are good at home—with your dad I mean, he's okay now?"

"I think so. He hired a full-time, live-in nanny."

"I know."

"How do you know?"

"Mom told me last night." He comes closer and throws a lazy arm around my shoulders. "She organized it. Helped him interview for the right one. She's been there every day watching over things."

My eyes go wide. "What? Why would—"

He shrugs, like what he's saying isn't a big deal. "Because she cares about me, and I care about you, so it's important to her."

I press my cheek against his chest to hide my blush. "She lives in the garage apartment. Her name's Virginia."

He scoffs. "Sounds like vagina."

***

We're both laughing when he rides up my driveway. But it stops when we see Dad sitting on the porch playing cars with the kids.

Cameron's shoulders tense beneath my hands, but he doesn't say anything. They stay that way until we come to a stop at the bottom of the porch steps. I hop off the pegs and brush down my clothes, nervous at the situation about to play out. Cameron stares down at the ground, the muscles in his jaw working back and forth. Then Lincoln shouts his name, causing him to look up.

The grin on Cam's face is instant.

Liam follows behind Linc, the same time the front door opens and Logan and Lucas walk out. Not Jackass Logan, my brother Logan.

Lincoln barrels into Cam, his arms wrapped tightly around his waist. "Are you back now? Are you gonna start playing with us again?"

"I can have the bases set up in two minutes," Lucas says, and even though he's only three years younger than us, I can see he's just as excited to see Cam as the rest of them.

"Yeah yeah," Logan joins in.

Dad clears his throat. "It's getting late," he drawls.

"I'll see you guys at the game tomorrow," Cam says to Lincoln and Liam. To me he asks, "You'll be there, too, right?"

I start to answer but Dad cuts in. "She won't be at the game."

"Oh." Any signs of excitement leave him. "I guess I'll see you at school then."

Dad's heavy feet thud against the porch steps as he makes his way down to us.

I don't know if Cam realizes, but he steps in front of me, becoming a shield between my dad and I. My dad's eyes narrow, but the corner of his lips lift. Dad's a big guy, intimidating to most. Cameron just hasn't read him right.

I hold his hand and squeeze once, so he understands that it's okay—that things are settled and that I'm not afraid of him. Not anymore.

"Lucy," Dad says, his voice softening. "Tomorrow's the first Sunday of the month."

My breath catches. "But..."

Cam steps to the side now, allowing Dad and I to speak.

"I know we've never done it—you and me." Dad rubs his hand across his beard. "And I know that it was a day for you and your mom. But she's not here anymore, Lucy, it's just me now. So I'd like to take you out tomorrow. Just the two of us. If you'll have me."

CHAPTER EIGHT

-LUCY-

"You look exhausted." I giggle, watching Dad rub his eyes.

"I'm fine, sweetheart." He takes a sip of his coffee. "So this is what you and Mom did? Shop for two hours?"