Somebody Like You: A Small Town Single Mom Romance (The Heartbreak Brothers Book 4) by Carrie Elks (best love story novels in english .txt) 📗

she hit that guy who released the video?” Cam could remember seeing it all over social media. Gray had confronted the guy who’d spread an indecent video of Maddie when she’d been at college, and Maddie had ended up with her fist in the guy’s face. The internet had gone crazy for her.

“Yeah, that’s right. But when I flew there, I did it because I was fighting for her. Not because I was running away.”

“I’m not running away,” Cam said, his voice vehement. “I’m going because if I stay it’s only going to get worse. Not just for me – I could hang around if that was the case – but for Michael and Mia. If I go, Michael will play football, and maybe he and Mia’s relationship will be okay. If I stay, I’m a permanent reminder. I can’t do that to them.”

“When do you fly out?” Logan asked, his brows knitted together.

“On Friday. I’ll be there for a few days. I’m thinking of heading back to Boston after. If I get the job I’ll need to clear out the house, maybe put it on the market. I guess I’ll need to learn about L.A. real estate.”

“So that’s it? You’re done?”

“It’s not like that. If it wasn’t for her kids, I’d fight for her every step of the way. But it’s a no-win situation. If she chose me, I wouldn’t respect her. And if she chose them…” he trailed off, shaking his head. “Of course she’ll choose them. Which she should. So either I hang around here like a has-been football star, or I try to work out what the hell to do next.”

“But you love her,” Tanner said, running the pad of his thumb along his jaw. “You can’t leave her if you feel that way.”

“What should I do then?” He wanted to feel some hope. But everything was too dark for that.

Tanner shifted his eyes. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But there has to be an answer.”

“Are you going to tell her you’re going?” Logan asked him.

“Of course I am.” He needed to see her one last time. Maybe then his heart wouldn’t ache so much. “I’m not an asshole.”

Tanner coughed into his hand. “Disagree.”

“Shut up.” Gray nudged Tanner in the side.

“What? Cam used to razz me constantly. And he still hasn’t let me forget that I stood outside of Van’s house with a boombox on my shoulder.”

Cam shot a glance at Tanner. “It wasn’t a boombox, it was a Bluetooth speaker. Lameness should never be forgotten.”

“See? It’s not just me.”

Gray rolled his eyes at his brothers. “What if the kid changes his mind?”

“Then I’ll be back here like a shot.” Cam had no doubt about that. “But I can’t stay in this town knowing she’s so close yet so untouchable. It’ll kill me.”

Logan sighed. “Yeah, it’d kill me, too.”

“I guess even the Hartson brothers can’t solve every problem.” Tanner blew out a mouthful of air. “It sucks.”

Wasn’t that the understatement of the year?

“Yeah it does.” Cam nodded. “It sucks like crazy.”

“Can I speak to Michael?”

Mia stared at Cam, her heart racing at his close proximity. He was the last person she’d expected to see standing on the front steps when the doorbell rang. It was unfair. She wasn’t prepared. All she wanted to do was roll onto her tiptoes and press her lips against his, as though that would make everything okay.

But it would only make things a hundred times worse.

“It’s not a good idea.” Her hands were shaking. “He’s still in a terrible mood, and isn’t coming out of his room.” She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. His gaze dipped to her mouth. “Give him some time.”

“I haven’t got any.” His words were simple, but they made her frown. “That’s what I wanted to talk to him about. I wanted to…” Cam shook his head. “I don’t know. Apologize, I guess. And tell him I won’t be coaching him anymore. Or anybody for that matter.”

“You’re not going to stay at Columbus High?” Her voice was thin. She knew she had bags under her eyes that matched his.

“I’m not staying in Hartson’s Creek. I can’t. I’m going to take the job in L.A. if I’m offered it. And if I’m not, I’ll stay in Boston for a while, work out my next move.”

She wasn’t surprised at the tears stinging her eyes. They felt like a constant companion since Monday. But she was shocked at how much her hands started shaking. Her body felt light, too spacey.

“You don’t need to leave,” she whispered.

“Yeah, I do. I can’t stay around here. Not with you here, too. It’s just too hard.”

The tears spilled over, running hot trails down her cheeks. “Oh Cam…”

“Please don’t cry, baby,” he said, swallowing hard. “It makes me want to hold you, and I can’t.”

Wiping the stubborn trails away with the heels of her hands, she nodded, her eyes captured by his. For a moment they stared at each other. Her chest felt painful, as though her heart might explode at any moment.

“I wish…”

“I know.” He nodded. “Believe me, I know.”

“Will you be okay?” Her eyelashes felt wet as she blinked.

“Eventually.” His smile was grim. “I’ll throw myself into football. It’s always worked before.” He didn’t sound too convinced.

“Maybe you’ll find somebody out there.” She attempted a smile. “Somebody with no kids to take on.”

“I told you, I love your kids.” He glanced down at the step. “I just wish they liked me.”

A tiny sob escaped her lips, despite her best effort to stop it. She wanted to beg him to stay. To ask him to wait. But it was a selfish impulse. Michael might take years to get over this. She couldn’t ask Cam to hang around, hoping her son grew up and got over himself.

Even if part of her wished he would.

“I’ll work out a payment plan for your car repairs,” she said. “Send it to you.”

Cam shook his head. “No. That’s my one request. Let me write it