Chapter Twenty-Seven

Kyle

Faith’s cheeks were flushed, and from the way the hushed words tumbled from her mouth, this had nothing to do with being at Dolly’s.

His palms went slick on her back, and his entire body went rigid. He really liked this girl, but he’d told so many lies. What would she think of him if she realized she’d just publicly made out with the only eighteen-year-old player virgin in all of Suttonville?

So much for destroying her reputation.

His lies had dug him into a trench he wasn’t sure he could climb out of, no matter how much he wanted this girl. This sweet, kind, graceful girl, who watched him with shining eyes—she didn’t deserve this. Not even a little.

“Kyle?” Faith tilted her head to get a better look at him. “You okay? Did I say something wrong?”

“Hey! Asshole!”

All his breath whooshed out in a gust. Irony was a bitch—he’d just been saved by Cameron. He couldn’t handle the guilt of pulling a fast one on Faith, but anger? Anger he could handle.

In fact, he was furious. With himself, to be honest, but Cameron would be an acceptable substitute. He was stomping their direction, flanked by five football players. Holly Masterson sat on the hood of Cameron’s truck, looking hurt and scared.

Faith, on the other hand, was pushing to move around Kyle like she wanted to fight this fight. Not going to happen. He needed to hit something. Cameron’s jaw, preferably. He couldn’t be suspended for a fight outside of school, and this moment had been a long, long time in coming. He wasn’t that eighth grader Cameron had punched in the face for standing up to him after one too many taunts. He could swing a bat and send a ball four hundred yards. Beating the hell out of Cameron would take less effort than that.

Kyle turned and held an arm out to keep Faith behind him. “Hey, Cam. How’s it going?”

Cameron stood toe-to-toe with him. He was an inch shorter and twenty-five pounds lighter, at least, but like all bulldogs, he thought physics didn’t matter. He poked Kyle in the chest. “What are you doing with my girl?”

“Your girl?” Kyle asked calmly, even though his fists were aching to pound this douche canoe. “I was under the impression that you cheated on her, and you two broke up. I didn’t even meet her until the day after that, which means you aren’t in the picture.”

“Then how does it make you feel to have my leftovers? She’s just using you to get back at me.”

“How would you know?” Faith shouted. “It’s not like we ever did it. It’s not like that’s a secret—you told the world. I never loved you, Cameron. You treated me like shit, then you talked trash about me all over school. Kyle is better to me than you ever could be. If I want to be with him, it’s none of your business!”

Cameron lunged forward, and his football buddies sprang after him, trying to catch his arms, but he was too fast.

Kyle was faster. He caught Cameron’s wrist in an iron grip and squeezed. In a dead voice, he said, “Stop. Now.”

Cameron winced but didn’t back down. “Or what? You’re nothing but a big chickenshit. You know it and I know it. Don’t forget—I owned you first.”

It took all his self-control not to break Cameron’s wrist. He let himself squeeze a little harder, though. “Past is past. And you know as well as I do that I could turn you inside out today. Let. It. Go.”

The murmurs of the crowd around them swelled as the baseball team stalked over. “You heard him, jackass,” Tristan said. “It’s not a good idea to start something with a bunch of guys who carry baseball bats in their trunks—and know how to use them.”

Cameron’s face turned purple. “This isn’t over.”

“Go back to Holly,” Faith said. “Leave us alone.”

Cameron glared at her over Kyle’s shoulder. “So that’s how it’s going to be? Your feelings are hurt, so you fight dirty? I knew you were going to break up with me before I even started up with Holly. I could tell. But you didn’t bother to tell me, leaving me hanging for two months.”

Faith stiffened, and Kyle pressed his back against her, to let her know he’d handle it. “You knew, and you still hung on? You waited until you could see the words ‘I’m leaving you’ stamped on her forehead, then cheated on her so you can say you broke up with her? Kind of pathetic, man.”

“I’m not talking to you, Sawyer.”

Faith huffed behind Kyle, and he pulled Cameron’s arm up and back. “It’s over whether you like it or not. Get over her and move on.”

The manager of the drive-in came hustling out. “No fighting! You there—let the kid go!”

Kyle released Cameron’s wrist. “We were just leaving. Good-bye, Cameron.”

Staying in front of Faith, using the rest of his team to provide some cover, Kyle opened her car door and ushered her inside. The team hung around until he started the engine and backed out.

“Where to?” God, he was tired. The adrenaline from the fight was leaving him, and his legs shook whenever he tried to clutch or brake.

“Wherever.” Faith sounded just as tired, and belatedly, he noticed the tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Hey, it’s over now.” He reached over to pat her knee. “All done.”

“Do you think I hurt his feelings?”

Kyle’s mouth dropped open. “You care if you did?”

“Well, yeah.” She sniffled. “I’m such an idiot. I’m sorry, Kyle. I pushed things too far, didn’t I? He’s more hurt now than before, and he’s going to go after you again because of me.”

“I’m big enough to take it.” His hands tightened to crushing force on the steering wheel, like he wished they had around Cam’s wrist. “Don’t worry about me. And don’t worry about him. He’s not worth the time. He hurt you, Faith. Over and over. You deserve a guy…” He swallowed hard, knowing he was about to throw away one of the best things to ever happen to him. “You deserve a guy who’s honest with you. Who gives you all his attention. Not someone who sees you as a distraction.”

She gulped down a shuddering breath. “Could we go somewhere? Just for a minute? If I go home crying, my mom will ask a bunch of questions. And my dad might shoot at you.”

“I know just the place.”