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“What is it?” he asked, concerned.
I couldn’t keep it together any longer. I hugged him and hid my face in his chest, tears streaming down my face. It felt good to finally let go,
to finally relax. Crying helped. It’d been so long since I had broken down like that.
I had to be strong.
For Declan.
And before him, for Mom.
“It’ll be fine,” he said, putting my arms around me and stroking my hair. “Don’t worry, Sydney, I’ve got you.”
I cried for a few minutes, until my throat was dry and tears would no longer come. I was embarrassed at first, but he was so good, so caring, that I forgot all about it and just let myself be vulnerable.
When I finally caught my breath and wiped my eyes, I said, “Thank you. I needed that, apparently more than I realized.”
He nodded once. “Tell me, what’s going on? I’ll do whatever I can to make you not want to cry like that again Sydney, just let me help.”
I was silent for a long moment, deciding whether or not I could make this last small leap of faith in him. I had only known him a day.
But I had to tell him the truth. It helped that we were on an island, I realized. Owen had said there was no one around in a mile radius, so nobody was watching. No one would know my secrets.
No one but Owen.
After a few more minutes of doubt, I said, “It’s my brother, Declan.”
“Is he alright?”
“No.” I tried to force on a smile, and couldn’t. It pained me to speak about it, as if suddenly Declan’s illness was becoming more real than it was.
Owen was motionless, frowning, waiting patiently for me to speak, before asking any more questions.
I took my time.
“It’s cancer, of all things. Kind of cliché, I know, but…” I shrugged. The tears were clouding my vision again. “I don’t know what to do. I shouldn’t be here. I thought… I thought I was doing this for him. I thought I was on a mission for my brother! But it just feels like I’m doing this for myself. Like I’m taking a vacation from him. I’m being so ridiculous.”
“No, no, you’re not.” He was dead serious, as if the news hit him just as hard as it had hit me when I first heard it. “I think you are very brave, and selfless. It takes balls to do what you did, Sydney. If I knew from the start, I wouldn’t have made you come here. I’m sorry.” He kissed her.
“Don’t be,” I said. “You’ve done nothing wrong.”
“Neither have you.” I looked out the windows, at the beach in the distance, thinking. He said, “Do you want to go back to Chicago?”
“No. That’s the problem.”
“I see. I have another idea, and I’m not sure how you will take it, so… Either way. I really enjoyed our time together. I know it was short, but I feel really good when I’m with you, and I don’t just mean the sex.”
“Although that doesn’t hurt, does it?” For the first time, I could smile.
“Hell no it doesn’t. So, what would you say if I offered you to stay here with me for a while longer?”
The idea excited me, which is why it hurt so much to refuse. I was speechless for a moment, then said, “I’d love to, Owen, really, but I can’t. I have work, and I can’t afford to miss any more days. I have to take care of Declan!”
“I’ll take care of everything. I’ll call your work right now and handle it. And don’t worry about Declan. Just stay here, and I’ll take care of it. I have friends at the Mayo Clinic. And let me worry about the bills. It’s not a big deal.”
“What do you get in exchange?”
Chapter 14
