When she gets home, I’ll apologize for what I said and take Jace up on his offer to study.

I’ll study so hard I’ll get a better grade than Liam. Then she’ll have no choice but to let me play.

And then when she sees how good I am on the field—how much better I am than Liam is out there—maybe she’ll finally love me more.

He slides a glass of juice across the counter. “Of course I’m right. Now drink up so we can throw the ball around for a little while.”

As usual, Jace had a way of pulling me out of a funk and cheering me up.

Truth be told, I often found myself wishing he was my only brother.

My life would be so much better.

Jace flaps his hand like he got stung by a bee. “Damn, boy. Keep that up and I’m gonna have to start wearing a mitt.” Holding the ball, he backs up a few more feet. “Think you can throw it to me when I’m standing this far away?”

Running over to where he’s standing, I seize the ball from him. “I don’t think I can. I know I can.”

Quick as lightning, I run across the yard.

Jace told me running builds stamina and I’m going to need a lot of it if I want to be a quarterback.

If that’s the case, I’m gonna ask Mom if I can start running to school.

Getting a firm grip on the ball, I bring my arm back and focus on my target.

I’m about to launch it, but a sharp pain infiltrates my chest.

My breath leaves me in one big rush as the pressure grows and I drop to my knees.

Jace runs to my side. “What’s wrong?”

Liam.

That stupid twin thing we have.

I clutch my heart, sweat dripping down my face. “It hurts.”

“I’m gonna call an ambulance.”

“No.” I shake my head. “Don’t.”

“Are you crazy? Something’s wrong.”

“It’s not me.”

He regards me like I’m crazy. “What?”

“Call Mom,” I croak out. “Make sure Liam’s okay.”

“Liam? That doesn’t ma—”

“Just do it,” I bark.

Come on, Liam. Man up and stop acting like a baby all the time.

He fishes his cell out of his pocket and brings it to his ear. “She’s not answering.”

I force myself to stand. “It’s fine.”

Jace’s eyebrows pinch together. “What?”

I wipe at the grass stains on my jeans. “I said it’s fine.” I pick the ball back up. “Let’s play.”

I’m not going to let Liam’s issues get in the way of football.

He gets in the way of enough.

His mouth drops. “Seriously? I thought you were having a heart attack.”

That gets a laugh out of me. “Young people don’t have heart attacks, dummy.” I give him the ball. “You throw it this time. See if I can catch it.”

“I don’t think that’s a good id—”

The sound of his phone ringing cuts him off.

Must be Mom.

“Hey, Dad,” Jace bites out.

Or not.

Something’s changed between them the last few weeks. They used to be close, but nowadays, it’s almost like Jace despises him.

Then again, he’s probably feeling snubbed like the rest of us due to Dad working all the time.

“Wait…what? When?”

I can’t hear what my dad is saying…but whatever it is can’t be good because Jace drops the phone.

“What happened?”

“Mrs—” He swallows and tries again. “Mrs. Garcia.”

I don’t understand why he’s so distraught about our neighbor.

“Did she die?”

He shakes his head. “No. She’s coming over.” He looks like someone sucker-punched him in the gut. “Dad’s on his way to the hospital.”

That feeling in my chest is back with a vengeance.

“Is he okay?”

“I don’t…I don’t know.” He looks down at the grass. “I don’t know anything.”

“What do you mean you don’t know anything? You just spoke to Dad. What did he say?”

He’s so out of it, it takes him a full minute to answer.

“He said there was an accident. Mom’s car went off the side of the road.” He buries his head in his hands. “That’s all he would tell me.”

That can’t be right.

“What does that mean? They’re okay, right?”

“I don’t know!” he screams. “I don’t know.”

It’s like it’s the only sentence in his vocabulary.

“They’re okay,” I whisper, more for my benefit than his.

Mom once told me if you put positive thoughts into the universe, they’ll become true. “They have to be.”

“Yeah.” Appearing to gather his composure, he inhales sharply. “You’re right. Everything will be fine.”

But it wasn’t.

It never would be again.

Because two hours later, we found out Liam and Bianca were in emergency surgery…

And our mother was dead.

Chapter 17

Sawyer

“The police told my dad she was driving home from my elementary school when she veered off the road.” Cole’s agonized voice is barely above a whisper. “When they went through her purse, they found a copy of the release form she’d filled out, along with a receipt for the check she wrote so I could join peewee football.” He closes his eyes. “She wouldn’t have been there that day if it wasn’t for me.”

Oh, God. My rapidly sinking heart folds in on itself.

Without thinking, I put my arms around him, hugging him as tight as I possibly can. “I’m so sorry.”

My chest physically aches for the little boy who believed his mom’s death was his fault, and the man standing before me who refuses to think any different.

He stiffens. “I don’t want your pity.” Before I can blink, he backs me into the wall. “What I want is your help.” His fingers grip my jaw. “I need you, Sawyer.”

He isn’t playing fair. He can’t open up to me like he did and then demand I help him.

Isn’t that what you asked him to do? my mind prompts.

Dammit. I hate when my conscience gets involved.

It would be wrong of me to turn my back on him, but I also want time to mull this over so I can make an informed decision.

“I’ll think about it.”

It’s the only answer that feels right.

He’s silent for the better part of a minute before he sighs. “Okay.”

It’s only then I remember my arms are still wrapped around him and his body is pressed against mine.

Neither of us makes a move to amend our position.

My vision has adjusted to the darkness enough I can make out the turmoil in his eyes, the bow of his full lips, and the sharp lines of his jaw.

He’s so beautiful…so tortured.

Before I can stop myself, I trace his cheekbone with my thumb.

“You were just a kid,” I tell him. “It wasn’t your fa—”