Page 109 of Break Points and Face Offs

“Are we together now?” I ask, my mouth dry.

“That ball’s always been in your court.”

“Why?”

Will shrugs. “It’s a bigger deal to you, with your family and everything.”

“What will your family think of us?”

He smiles. “I think they’ll love it.”

“Just as long as you’re happy, right?”

He stops, pulling me up short. “Priestley, I’m sorry your parents didn’t give you that. But it looks like you’ve got a chance to make it right with your brother.”

“I know.”

“And you can have as much of my family as you want. The more, the merrier.”

I step close enough to press my lips to his. Greedily inhaling his familiar scent and the warmth of his big, strong body.

All this talk of his family makes me think about that conversation I had with his mom. How worried she was about him.

“I don’t want you to work so hard,” I murmur against his mouth. “You don’t have to take care of everybody.”

He steps away and looks down at his shoes.

“My parents went bankrupt paying for my ma’s treatment.”

“Oh.”

“They had to remortgage the house and everything.”

“Didn’t she have health insurance? What about your dad? Isn’t he a local hero?”

“You know that’s not how the world works, Priestley. Of course they had health insurance. It wasn’t enough. She almost died. She was sick for two years. We were desperate. Experimental treatments, surgery, chemo. You name it, we tried it. It worked. But it cost everything they had.”

“Will, I’m so sorry.”

He strokes my hair. For once, I feel like my response to something vulnerable and emotional was the correct one—the natural one.

“Thanks, baby. But do you see why I have to help them out? Why I need this degree, a good internship?”

“Shit. Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“Because what would it have changed? Even if you stepped aside and let me win—which I didn’t want you to do by the way—I still wouldn’t have won the internship. That internship was never meant for anyone but you.”

I feel my face get hot and drop my gaze to my shoes.

“Hey,” Will lifts my chin until I’m looking at him. “You didn’t know. And you have earned a lot of what you’ve got in life.”

I scoff.

“You have. Don’t discard everything you’ve achieved because you might have had a helping hand here and there. You’re still smart as fuck, you still work harder than most people I know.”

“Not harder than your parents.”

“No, probably not.” He pulls me in until my face is pressed against his chest.