The Endgame Is You (Rixon Raiders #4) - L A Cotton Page 0,72
to stop at the store for supplies then head straight to your apartment. I’ll tell you when we’re out of arrivals.” Felicity hung up. “Come on, babe. It sounds like we have some catching up to do.”
She didn’t push for answers on the ride to Asher and Mya’s apartment, and I was grateful. I still needed to assimilate my thoughts on everything. But when we pulled into their underground parking lot, I knew my reprieve was up.
I climbed out of the car and went around to the trunk to get my bag, but Flick beat me to it. “I can carry my bag,” I protested.
“Hush, you’ve got to think for two now.”
I shot her a disapproving look.
“Too soon?”
“What do you think?”
“I think you need to explain how you’re pregnant when you told me you and Cameron were going through a dry spell?”
“Seriously, that’s what you’re choosing to focus on?”
“Fee, you’re doing it again,” Mya said.
“Sorry, I’m sorry, okay.” She held up a hand. “I just... pregnant. She’s freakin’ pregnant.”
“Yes, I got it the first time.” Mya offered me an apologetic look. “How are you feeling, really?”
“Confused. Scared. Did I say confused?”
“It’s okay, Hailee. You’re going through something huge.”
“Have you told Cam?” That was Felicity. I pressed my lips together, averting my gaze. “Hailee... you have to tell him.”
“I can’t, not yet.”
He was dealing with something huge; he didn’t need this to worry about.
“Girl,” Mya reached for my hand. “He’d want to know.”
“I need to process it first and then figure out what I’m going to do.”
“What do you mean?” Felicity paled. “You’re going to keep it, right?”
“I...” I couldn’t answer that question. My heart said yes. But... a baby?
Cameron and I weren’t even together. Well, at least, I didn’t think we were.
God. Everything was such a mess.
“I’m still in college. I want to graduate.” Guilt coiled around my heart.
The elevator doors pinged open and we all filed out, heading for Mya’s apartment.
“You can’t be more than, what, two months along?”
“The doctor thinks I’m nine weeks.”
“So you’re due when, June?” Felicity asked, doing the math.
“June second.”
“Perfect. You can take finals, graduate, and then have the baby.”
“And where we will live? What about my plans?”
Her expression fell. “It’s not straightforward, but you’ll figure it out. Besides, Cameron will step up.”
“I think Cameron has enough on his plate.” My heart clenched again. Finding out I was pregnant was supposed to be a happy occasion. It wasn’t supposed to happen now, in the middle of all this.
She rolled her eyes. “You can’t seriously be thinking about keeping this from him because of what’s happening with his mom?”
I blinked away the fresh tears.
“That’s all the more reason to tell him. God knows, that family needs some good news.”
“I’ll think about it. But please, don’t tell Asher or Jason yet. I need time.”
“Hailee—”
“No, Fee, I mean it. I told you in confidence. This is my business. Please respect that.”
She let out a little huff, but nodded. “My lips are sealed.”
“Good.” Because this wasn’t some salacious secret that would cause a scandal. It was the kind of secret that changed lives.
I knew Cameron deserved to know, but I’d walked away to unburden him. If I told him now, I’d only be adding more responsibility to his shoulders.
At least that’s what I kept telling myself, as I followed my friends into Asher and Mya’s apartment.
Cameron
“What will happen to me when Mom dies?” Xander’s words were like a punch to the stomach. I hugged him tighter, running my nose over his hair as I tried to swallow the ball of emotion lodged in my throat.
“You’ll have me and Dad.”
“What about Hailee?”
Fuck. He was really hitting me where it hurt today.
“Hailee and I are...” The truth was, I didn’t know what we were anymore.
We talked and texted occasionally, and she sent Xander these cute little care packages. But we didn’t talk about the elephant in the room.
Us.
When I’d found out Mom was sick again, I hadn’t turned to Hailee. I couldn’t. Instead, I’d steeled myself to be there for my family. Hailee needed to graduate. She needed to chase her dreams, and figure out what she wanted.
I’d always imagined that our life would end up back in Rixon one day. But not like this. Not because Mom was... I still couldn’t say it.
“Did she go back to Michigan because of me?”
I pushed Xander out of my arms and lowered my face to his. “Hailee loves you, squirt. She loves you so much. But I need to be here with you,