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)
“Hey, Mama K. How are you?”
“I’m good. Keeping busy with school. How are you?”
Lincoln had talked her into going back to school to become a nurse. She was loving it, and I was so damn happy for her.
“Good,” I replied as we headed for the kitchen. “Keeping busy myself.”
“Yes, I’ve heard that. What’s this about you having a boyfriend? I always thought you and Rush would be together one day, but he always said you were straight. A mom knows these things.”
Ugh. This was awkward. Guilt churned through me, hating that I was lying to the people who were most important in the world to me, but then, was I lying? Camden and I were something. “It, um, wasn’t something I tried to keep a secret. I just didn’t really know, I guess? Until I did.”
We were in the kitchen by then, and she reached over and patted my hand. “Things work out the way they’re supposed to. You and Rush are the best of friends. More like brothers. I see that now. That boy is so head over heels in love with Lincoln, it’s a joy to see. They’re perfect for each other, and now you have Camden.”
There was a time when those words would have hurt, when I would have wished Rush was with me. But I didn’t any longer. Still, Cam and I weren’t the same as Lincoln and Rush. “We’re not serious, Mama K.”
“Hmm…” She smiled. “I seem to remember Rush saying the same thing about him and Lincoln.”
I chuckled uncomfortably. “This is different.”
“We’ll see. Does your dad know?” Her voice was soft, caring.
“No.” He wouldn’t care if I was gay, bi, or fucking everyone in the world, not just because he’d never been homophobic, but because he didn’t care about anything. It was tough sometimes, thinking about that, because I knew my dad loved me. He had never hurt me. He’d always been there for me and tried to give me what he could. I never wanted for anything other than affection. He loved me, he just didn’t actively love me because he couldn’t actively care about anything.
“Your turn to get Boyfriend Questions 101. I kind of like this.” Rush grinned, walking into the kitchen.
“Hey, man. What’s up?”
He was already wearing his moto pants and jersey. I’d come over in my jersey but not bottoms because they weren’t the most comfortable things in the world.
“Not much. Ready to get out there and ride.”
“Yeah, me too.” I missed it. We hadn’t ridden together in a long time.
“I’ll let you boys go. I need to head back out to my house anyway.” She was living in the guesthouse on Rush’s property.
The three of us walked out together, Mama K to her place and Rush and I toward my car, where I grabbed the rest of my shit. Then we went for the garage. “Have you talked to him lately? Your dad?” he asked.
“Yeah, I call about once a month, same as always. He’s still working like crazy, surviving on frozen dinners and his sorrow.”
“I’m sorry.” Rush squeezed my shoulder.
“Yeah, me too.”
“How are you and Cam doing? Christ, that’s so weird to say. I can’t believe you’re seeing Camden fucking Burke.”
Him and me both. I shifted, scuffed the dirt with the toe of my shoe. “We’re good.” Which we were. Not a lie. “I like spending time with him. He makes me feel good.” Not a lie again. See? We weren’t being dishonest to everyone we knew.
“I’m glad. I feel like things have been a little different with us for a long time now. We pretended it wasn’t—or hell, maybe that was me, and I’m sorry about that. You’re my best friend. You’re like a brother to me. I’m so fucking glad you’re in Fever Falls, and I just want you to be happy.”
“I know.” And I did. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that Rush loved me and wanted my happiness. He just didn’t love me the way I used to think I wanted. “I’m figuring shit out. Took care of my depression and enjoying my work.” Even if it wasn’t what I wanted to do forever. I felt too old not to know what I did want, but there wasn’t much I could do about that. “I’ve got more friends here than I ever let myself have, and I have Cam.” I did have him. Even if we were only fake boyfriends, I had his friendship, and that was important to me.
“God, this is weirding me out. Camden Burke and my best friend.”
A laugh fell from my lips. “Yeah, took me some getting used to as well. There’s something about him. He just got under my skin.” I didn’t know how, and I sure hadn’t expected it, but that was exactly what happened.
“You did the same to him. He was different with you from the start. None of us really understood it. You’re not his usual type. I was worried it was a game at first, but yeah, obviously it’s not.”