Not So Broken (West Coast College Book 3)

Chapter 15

Ava

Cameron and I have fallen into a comfortable routine over the past few days leading up to the weekend.

We've both attended class, and since Professor Brown hasn't eased up with the homework, Cameron has been jotting down all our slides onto sticky notes so later I can study them and then teach the material to him.

I actually...enjoy spending time with him. Cameron's easy to be around and we avoid all talk about anything personal.

Ever since those photos of us at the floral shop were leaked, I have had non stop calls from my parents and Connor. Even Xander has tried texting once or twice-all left on delivered.

Connor's been making up excuses about how he needs to meet this "fucker" who's dating his little sister but he doesn't realize he lost big brother privileges years ago. To me, he's merely a fly on the wall at this point.

I blocked my parent's numbers last week but even that isn't working. My mother is very determined. She's created multiple phone numbers, multiple Instagram accounts, multiple of everything. Anything to try and get through.

The only reason she's contacting me at all is because she wants to meet Cameron. Have us over for dinner so she can humiliate me in front of him, nag me about all my flaws and then suck up to Cameron before tying him down somehow but I know if I don't agree soon, she'll show up at the apartment when I'm not home and have him running for the hills.

"Ava? Did you want something to drink?" Cameron asks, nudging his shoulder with mine. He gestures to the cooler in front of him.

"Huh?" Shit, I forgot where we were. I smile. "Just an iced tea, thanks."

Everyone's at Coach Miller's house for a team barbeque. When Cameron said team dinner, I thought he meant a few of us were going to Shaw's and getting a drink, not the whole ass hockey team playing lawn games at his coach's house.

Men.

Carrying our plates over, Cameron heads for the table farthest away from his loud and annoying teammates, where Maeve and Allie sit. Kyla is definitely harmless flirting somewhere around here with Seth trailing behind her.

"You better not fucking wake him, Cam. He didn't sleep a fucking wink and kept us up all last night." Maeve snaps, glaring at him like just his presence annoys her.

Liam's curled up against Allie, his head laying on her chest as he snores away. I take the seat next to them, brushing some of his hair away.

Cameron snorts, snickering. "Oh, I can tell. You look like shit. You sure it was Liam who kept you up?"

Rhys grins proudly, cursing when Maeve elbows him. "Nova, what the fuck? This is what I get for making you come-"

"Rhys fucking Beckett. You will never see my fucking tits again if you finish that sentence. Zip it the fuck up."

Rhys gasps playfully but stops talking. Cameron and I snicker.

"Oh, please." Rhys drawls. He glances between the two of us with a smirk. "If you stopped seeing Ava's tits, Cam, I think you'd have a fucking hissy fit."

Oh. My. God. I hope someone pulls out a fucking gun and shoots me.

I can feel my face heat, and Cameron clears his throat from across me. I can tell he's tense but he just shrugs. "Probably."

What the fuck!? My head whips towards him but he's already looking at me with a cheeky smile, batting his eyelashes at me like some fucking dog.

I hate you, I mouth. He winks. I roll my eyes.

"Aww, aren't they so cute, Rhys? So cute I threw up in my mouth a little." Maeve gags, freezing when Liam adjusts besides me, digging his face into Allie's neck before she relaxes again. Allie smiles when Noah comes and sits on her other side.

"I hate these fucking things." Noah groans, placing some fruit in front of Allie and burying his face into her hair.

Allie pats his head, rolling her eyes playfully. "Aw, you poor man child. You just wanna go home and snuggle Leo."

"Fucking right, I wanna go home and snuggle with him. He's much better than these horny idiots." Noah spits, adjusting Liam's head off Allie's neck before kissing her forehead. Maeve rolls her eyes at the display.

"Anyone see Kyla? And Seth?" Mae asks, her head swivelling around the large backyard. We all glance around.

"That girl? She could be dead in a fucking ditch and still gushing about her new nails." Noah says casually, his arm finding its way around Allie's waist.

"To be fair, her nails are always fucking awesome." Maeve agrees, slapping Rhys's hand away from her food. He frowns.

"Hey, I wanted to ask you when Nationals are for you. Cam mentioned something about it being next weekend or something?" Allie says quietly, leaning over and popping some watermelon in her mouth.

I hesitate, hands wringing underneath the table. "Oh, ah, next weekend. Sunday morning. Why?"

Allie smiles. "Well, Noah and I wanted to come watch and I wanted to buy tickets beforehand." She falters. "Is that okay with you? If we came and watched? I think everyone was planning on coming."

Everyone? What the hell?

I glance at Cameron but he's busy chowing down his burger. His lips are tipped up though, a mischievous smile on his face like he's planning something.

"We don't have to if it'll make you more jittery. I completely understand-" Allie rushes.

"No, no. I-I want you guys to come. Just wasn't expecting it, is all."

I think my parents have been to about two whole competitions and that was when I was around seven. Atlas and Connor came to most of them-well, until I was sixteen at least. Connor stopped talking to me after that, let alone come and watch my fucking figure skating competitions.

The thought makes me want to laugh.

Cameron stands suddenly with his water, walking around the table until he's stopped behind me.

He's so close I can feel his breath on my neck when he leans down, the itch that spreads across my skin suddenly very hard to resist.

Do not squirm. Do not squirm.

"Can we talk? I think I saw some chocolate cake sitting on the table over there."

Fuck, I squirmed. Damn it. Why is he so close?

I swallow the frog in my throat. "Sure."

He leads us over to where they do in fact have chocolate cake, scooping us up both a slice before he leans against the table.

"Do you think I could take you out again? Like on another date? Jennifer said people ate it up last time. Thought I was all serious about life and shit." Cameron jokes. I pinch at my collarbone.

Hiding a yawn, I adjust my hearing aids. "But family talk is off the table considering what happened last time..."

Cameron winces, remorse flooding his eyes. "I'm sorry I snapped like that. Just on edge from the text Quinn had sent me that evening."

I nod, understanding. "I know. But still. I don't want to accidently trigger something else."

Cam looks away, his shoulders relaxing before his eyes meet mine again. "How about tomorrow? What time are you done work?"

Huh. Didn't think he'd remember that I work tomorrow. "Noon."

"Great. Be ready by three. And leave your wallet at home." His dimple pops when he smiles. I try to hide my own but fail miserably.