“I can’t,” Cam told him.
Michael glared at him. “Why not?”
Cam inhaled raggedly. “Because I’m in love with her.”
“The hell you are. Don’t go near her. Or me. Or Josh.” He pushed Cam again, as though to emphasize the point. Cam took it without responding. Michael was a boy. An angry, strong boy, but a child still the same. “And don’t talk to me again. I hate the sight of you.” He walked toward the kitchen door, his shoulders slumped.
“Michael…”
He didn’t answer, just stomped down the hallway and yanked open the front door. Cam stared at the card laying crumpled on the floor. He needed to call Mia.
But then he remembered Michael’s bag, still in his car. He’d drive it around to her place. Try to reason with the kid. Work out how to make it all okay.
Because he couldn’t lose her. Not because of a stupid bunch of flowers. They’d come too far for that.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Mia slung her purse over her shoulder and slid her key into the front door, smiling as Josh continued to unleash a constant stream of chatter about his day.
“And then Noah laughed so hard he started to choke. The teacher was so scared she sent him to the nurse. So he got out of getting in trouble.”
“That’s good.” Mia smiled down at him, her brain full of thoughts. She needed to put dinner on, get Josh to do his homework, do some work of her own. Maybe if she was really lucky, she’d get to speak to Cam tonight.
“Yeah. I’m gonna try that next time. It was so cool. He went as red as a strawberry.”
The sound of feet pounding against the pavement made her look over Josh’s head. She frowned when she saw Michael running down the road, his own face red, his chest heaving.
Had he run all the way from football practice?
Before she could call out to him, the roar of an engine cut through the quiet of the neighborhood, Cam’s blue Audi swinging around the corner like it was on rails.
Michael glanced at the car and ran faster, right as Cam climbed out and lifted what looked like Michael’s duffle. Mia’s brows knitted together as she watched him swallow hard and walk toward the house.
What the hell was going on?
“Cam?”
“Mom!” Michael shouted, his breath coming in harsh pants. “Get inside.”
“What?” She shook her head, trying to understand.
“Don’t talk to him,” he yelled, his eyes wide and crazy.
“Cam!” Josh called out, his face brightening as he spotted the football player half-running across the road. He barreled down the steps, throwing himself at Cam’s stomach. “I got an ‘A’ on my project. How cool is that? It’s all thanks to you.”
Michael stopped in front of Cam and Josh, his eyes narrowing as he continued to pant. “Get your goddamned dirty hands off my brother,” he growled.
“Michael!” Mia called out, running down the steps. “What’s come over you? Don’t swear.”
“He doesn’t care about your project,” Michael continued, pulling at Josh’s shoulder. Josh released his hold on Cam, and looked up at Mia, a hurt expression on his face. “He’s using you, Josh. To get to Mom.”
“He isn’t.” Josh’s lip trembled. “You’re my friend, aren’t you, Cam?”
Cam ruffled his head. “Sure I am, buddy.”
“Don’t make me hit you again,” Michael said, his voice thick. “Take your hands off my brother. Now.”
“Sweetie, can you go inside?” Mia said, looking down at her youngest son. His eyes were tearing up, like he was about to let out a sob. “Go and get some potatoes out from the cupboard. I need to peel them.”