“Hey,” I say, reaching across the tent for his hand. “I don’t think she’s ruined her life. Why would you say that?”

“Dani Patrick. Those horrible things you said about her.” His voice catches, and even in the dark I know he’s crying.

My gut flip-flops. I did say awful things. I called her irresponsible and said she was ending her life before it even began. Ugh.

Way to stick your foot in it, Julian.

I sit up and cross my legs on my sleeping bag. “Hey, come here.” I hold my arms open, and Elijah leans forward and lets me hug him. Eventually he lets go and sits across from me, our knees touching. I hold on to both of his hands.

“Hey,” I say after we sit in complete silence for a few beats.

“What?” Elijah says, his entire body stiffening across from me.

I don’t even have anything to say. I know what I said about Dani, and I know what that must have sounded like to Elijah.

“I’m sorry?” I say.

“Are you really? It doesn’t sound like it,” Elijah answers.

“I just… I didn’t know that Frankie had a baby.” I know I sound pathetic, but I really don’t know how to apologize for any of this.

Elijah shakes his head. “But it’s obvious what you think of people who have kids when they’re young. Sometimes shit happens, Julian. To Dani Patrick. To Frankie. To my own parents! It doesn’t make any sense, and maybe it’s not the choice you would make if you found yourself in the same situation, but… it doesn’t make the people it happens to less than. Don’t do that.”

I hang my head and squeeze his hands in mine. “I don’t want to hurt you. I really didn’t mean to.”

“Frankie didn’t want me to tell anyone,” Elijah says. “She said she didn’t want people gossiping about her before she even gets here. But I couldn’t let you think I just left and didn’t say anything because of something you did. It wasn’t you. Frankie told me she was pregnant the day before we… in the locker room.”

“When I kissed you.”

“When I kissed you,” Elijah says.

A smile pulls on my cheeks.