Jase nodded. “I agree. It’s just that it’s obvious you really care for her . . .”

“I do, but . . .”

But I wanted what my parents have. I wanted something that could last with Avery, and how could we build a relationship when she didn’t trust me with the truth of her past? When I trusted her? We couldn’t. And I couldn’t go through what happened with her Wednesday night again. I never wanted to see that horror in her face. I never wanted to think that I had been the cause of it. Thinking about it now still made me sick. Not because of what might have happened to her, but because what I was doing had, in one way or another, terrified her.

And that would never change until she was honest with me.

Jase left shortly after that, but not before trying to get me to go with him. I wasn’t in the mood to be around other people, especially a bunch of drunk people. When a knock came about an hour later, I figured it was him again, but when I opened the door, I was caught off guard.

Avery stood there, arms huddled around her waist. Her eyes were red and swollen. Fresh tears tracked down her cheeks. I opened my mouth, but closed it.

“Can we talk?” Her voice cracked in a way that made my chest splinter. “Please, Cam. I won’t take up much of your time. I just—”

“Are you okay, Avery?” Concern for her overshadowed everything else.

“Yes. No. I don’t know.” She gave a little shake of her head. “I just need to talk to you.”

Drawing in a deep breath, I stepped aside. “Ollie’s not here.”

A little bit of tension seeped out of her shoulders. I led her into the living room and sat on the couch. I had no idea what was going on, but I doubted she was about to unload a confession. “What’s going on, Avery?”

She sat on the edge of the tattered recliner that had belonged to Ollie’s dad. “Everything.”

Tensing, I scooted forward, twisting my cap backward. “Avery, what’s going on?”

“I haven’t been honest with you and I’m sorry.” Her lip started to tremble and the urge to gather her in my arms was hard to resist. “I’m so sorry, and you probably don’t have time for—”

“I have time for you, Avery. You want to talk to me, I’m here. I’ve been here. And I’m listening.”

I held her gaze until she let out a deep breath and then she began to talk—to really talk. “When I was fourteen, I went to this party on Halloween. I was there with my friends. We were all dressed up and there was this guy there. It was his house and . . . and he was three years older than me and friends with my cousin.”