Redeem Me (Kin #6)(14)
Author: Jennifer Foor

“What do you mean he broke up with you?” My father was furious from the moment my breakup left my lips.

“You heard me, daddy. He said we weren’t going to work out. Now I’m a mess inside and I don’t know how to make it go away.” I started crying right in front of him, but didn’t get the expected hug that most girls would get from their fathers. Instead he stood up and walked over to the liquor cart, filling two glasses with dark bourbon.

He drank half of his before responding again. “It’s for the best, Cameron. You’ve got too much going for you to be tied down to a dreamer like Parker. What kind of future could he ever offer you with a career in football? Even if he’s picked up for some Canadian league, he won’t be able to provide for you long term. That boy’s going to end up working for his father in a garage. Mark my words.”

My dad didn’t understand that money meant nothing to me. I’d live in a tent with Parker if we could be together. Happiness wasn’t justified by money; it was about living life to the fullest. The best things in my life so far had been free. “I love him.”

“You love the idea of having a boyfriend. I get it. I know you’ve lived a semi-sheltered life, but it was only because we were able to offer you a top-notch education. One day you’ll thank us for making those choices for you.”

I started thinking about my arguments with Parker. He always said that becoming a lawyer was my parent’s dream for me, not my own. I always refused to believe that, but as my father spoke I was beginning to take light of his words. My parents had pushed being a lawyer on me, for as long as I could remember. When I was ten he gave me a set of business cards with my name on them. I still had them in my closet somewhere.

The whole point was that he was never going to understand my feelings for Parker, or how it felt to be in love for the right reasons, instead of a good business choice. If my dad had his way he’d arrange my marriage, pawning me off on one of the younger partners.

“I do appreciate what you’ve both given me. This has nothing to do with that. I want to be with Parker, because I love him, whether you choose to believe that or not. I feel empty inside without him. I wish you could understand that.”

My mother wrapped her arms around me. “We do, but we also know that you’ll recover from this, and it will only improve the strong woman we’ve raised you to be.” As quick as she’d begun to comfort me her mood immediately adjusted. “I’ve got a brilliant idea. You should come with us next weekend to the lodge. It would do you good to get away.”

“Mom, I don’t feel like going to the Pocono’s. I’d be the third wheel.”

“Nonsense. There will be plenty of people with us. Half of the firm is going with their families. Perhaps you could even invite a girlfriend to come along.”

I shrugged, feeling sorry for myself as soon as she’d said it. “I don’t really have many female friends.”

“Well that needs to change. I think having a boyfriend certainly held you back from spreading your wings. I assumed by now you’d have joined a sorority.”

She must have had me confused with her other invisible daughter. “That’s never going to happen, mom. I’m not into all that kind of socializing. Besides, dad has made it clear that my studies come first. That would only be a distraction to the plan.” The plan had been drilled into my head every day of my life. I knew she was just trying to cheer me up from my recent heartbreak, but joining a sorority wasn’t the answer.

“That’s too bad. I’ll never forget my sisters from college.”

“I’m not you, mom. I’m going to keep my focus on school. It’s for the best. Maybe I’ll pick up an extra class in my free time.” It stressed me out to even consider it, but I knew it would occupy my time enough to relieve some of the worrying I’d been doing. I’d never felt so emotional, and I was afraid that it was going to lead me into a state of depression I wouldn’t be able to get out of. I couldn’t even remember feeling so lost in my life. It was becoming a travesty.

“You know what? I think I may take you up on that offer. Maybe a weekend away will do me some good.”

My mother clapped her hands together. “Perfect. Be here at four on Friday. We’ll pack up the car and head out. It’s going to be a great time. You’ll get to meet some of our best clients.”

I wasn’t thrilled that they were going to take my current state of depression as a sign from above that I wanted to mingle with people the firm represented. The only thing I was interested in doing was being with Parker, or learning how to let him go.

Chapter 10

Parker

It was difficult to focus on anything when I was occupied by my mistakes. Even after doing the right thing, I struggled with my decisions, knowing that the consequences had cost me dearly.

I’d avoided her at all costs, finding it easy since our schedules were usually on the opposite sides of the large campus. It wasn’t until the weekend arrived that I fought with myself over going to visit her.

That Saturday morning I sat in my bed, after tossing and turning for yet another night, fighting with myself to be a man and accept that I couldn’t change what had been done. Unfortunately, after being so restless, I knew there was only one type of drug that would help me.

Her name was Cameron.

I showered and dressed quickly, all the while contemplating what I was going to say to get her to forgive me. After my second shoe was on, I raced over to her dorm to find a note on her door.

Notes for Professor Stein’s class are located on www.penncollege/stein/notes20148789

Be back on Monday

I stopped the girl next door in the hallway. “Hey, do you have any idea where Cameron went?”

She shrugged. “How the hell would I know? She doesn’t speak to me.”

“Thanks anyway.” I watched her walk away before heading in the opposite direction to exit the building. Once I’d made it to the cafeteria, I knew I was going to have to reach out to her. There was no way I could go through another day without hearing her voice.

I waited until I was done eating to pull out my phone.

It rang four times before the voicemail picked up. She’d always answered my calls, so this worried me. I started to wonder if my decision had caused her to do something out of character, or even drastic. I’d never even considered that maybe she’d become so distraught that she’d become sick over it.