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Looking down at Ari, her head is tucked away in randfather”

She eyes hiether in her little mind

“She’s beautiful,”his tears “She looks just like you”

He doesn’t say anything about Kyle and I’rateful I’ it up now That’s a whole different can of worms I’m just not ready to open yet And I hope I won’t have to We spend a little while talking,his intention to be part of my life, and Ari’s, clear I have no idea how to feel about it, except cautious Is it strange that I don’t trust him after all this time? Maybe, but it’s not just me that I have to be cautious for

Later, once my father has left, and Ari is safely tucked in bed, Cameron finally shows up and I practically throw myself at him

“Hey,” he chuckles “I didn’t think you’d o”

He pulls away, frowning as soon as he sees ? Are you okay?”

I shakeanything yet After ood thirty ain It felt like all of the anger and indignation that I’ve kept bottled up for all this time left my body all at once, in the forh, I felt like I needed it

“Is she okay?” Carandmother, alks past us on her way out of the kitchen

“She’s fine, dear Why don’t you take her up to bed, she just needs soht as rain”

I hear randmother make her way upstairs and then I’ainst his chest He placesway toI crushhiet the mess inside my head for a little while

“Whoa,” Ca er”

“I want you,” I whisper I try to capture his esof rejection

“Don’t you want , and I know it, but I’m desperate

“Of course I do,” Caently “I alant you But not like this”

I look away, and try to pushto escape and it seeh My own behavior e like a total nut job right now?

Ca anywhere,” he says, crushing , Hayley, I hate seeing you this upset and not knowing how to make it better”

I keep my face averted, afraid that if I look at hione mental

“My father was here” I don’t recognize n It’s hoarse

“What? Why was he here? And after two years?”