“Oh, Cam was hot, and somehow he’s only gotten hotter with age. Have you seen those arms? And the way he caught Oscar’s fist? Smokin’ hot, baby sis.”

Maybe I really didn’t want the answer to the question I shouldn’t have asked. Nor did I want to see my sister walk through the door I’d stupidly opened. Stop being selfish.

“Yeah, so I’m going to head home. Want me to throw Rosie’s unicorn in the wash?” I asked.

“I got it.” Her mirror-image eyes saw more than I was willing to show.

My feet took me to the door, my sister following behind.

“I love you, Rule Maker,” she said, hugging me tight.

“I love you, Rule Breaker,” I replied before leaving, wondering for the millionth time if Dad had known who we’d grow up to be when he’d given us those nicknames in elementary school.

And Cam was right. I needed change and progress, but what I wanted was for the rules to shift. To bend.

He’d always broken them, just like Charity.

I was halfway down the stairs when Charity poked her head out of the door. “Willow.”

“Yes?” I turned, wondering what I’d forgotten.

“I never hooked up with Cam for a reason. He only had eyes for one Bradley girl, and it wasn’t me.” There was zero teasing in her tone or expression.

“Wh-What?” I sputtered. That was definitely not the answer I’d expected.

“Think about it. You’re the only girl who’s lasted more than five minutes in his orbit. He may have glanced at other girls, but he only saw you.”

“No. That’s not…” But it was true. Just not in the way she thought. “He sees me like a sister.” That was why he’d protected me growing up. Why he walked me to the bus when Scott Malone started teasing me. Why he sat across the aisle on the half-hour ride from Buena Vista back to Alba. Why he did everything until we got older and then he…stopped.

“Because you almost were his sister. But don’t be blind, Willow. He looked at you for years. He only stopped when you got together with Sullivan.”

That was impossible. “No, you’re wrong. Cam never cared that Sully and I started dating. He was barely speaking to me anyway. I annoyed the crap out of him by then.”

She rolled her eyes. “Okay. If you say so.”

“I do!”

“Yep. Okay. See you tomorrow. Good night!” She shut the door, leaving me gawking up the stairs.

“You’re wrong,” I muttered, but having the last word didn’t make me feel any better.