The Endgame Is You (Rixon Raiders 4)

At least, I hoped it was.

“They’re looking good,” Clarke yelled over the chorus of cheers and chatter. “Strong.”

“It’s their year.” I grinned at him.

“I really hope so.”

Xander peeked up at me and I frowned. “What?”

“Are you and my brother going to get married one day?”

“I...” I stuttered over the words. “Maybe. I mean, I hope so.”

Karen and Clarke smothered their laughter.

“Why?”

Please don’t say you don’t want us to. My heart galloped in my chest as he stared up at me before beckoning me closer. I dipped my head and waited.

“Maybe if you do, and you come back to Rixon, I can come live with you.”

Oh God.

My heart.

It broke for the boy looking at me with nothing but hope and sadness in his eyes.

It broke for his parents, trying so hard to be unaffected by their son’s growing detachment.

But most of all it broke because I couldn’t give him the answer he thought he wanted to hear.

“Hailee?” he said.

“Uh, it’s not something I can really answer, buddy.”

Disappointment flashed in his eyes.

“We still have to get through college and then figure out what we want to do.”

“You’ll be coming home though, right?”

Crap.

This was not going well.

I was digging a deeper and deeper hole. I glanced over at Karen, but she and Clarke were deep in conversation.

“Wherever we decide to settle down, you will always be welcome, Xander.” I chose my words carefully. “If we get a place big enough, you can even have your own room. We can decorate and—”

The announcer’s voice came over the speaker and relief flooded me.

I gave Xander a reassuring smile, but he barely returned it, and I hoped the game would be enough to take his mind off things.

Cameron

“Okay, listen up and listen good, ladies,” Coach said, his eyes glancing to the scoreboard. We were tied with a little over a minute on the clock. “We’ve got a shot at one final play, and we need to make it a good one. Because anything less is not an option, you hear me?”

“Yes, sir.”