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“I didn’t even know I was adopted,” I admitted.
Her fingers covered her lips. “Oh my God. That must have been awful.”
“It was a shock; that’s for sure. The people who adopted me are from a pretty strict religious sect—not a cult, though. Not really. But they’re so, well,strict. I can’t imagine them lying to me all this time. But I can’t ask them, because they disowned me and haven’t taken my calls for seven years.”
She gaped at me. “What did you do? For them to disown you, I mean.”
“It was terrible,” I whispered. “I wouldn’t go to the church college they picked.”
Her face contorted as she reared back. “For real?”
“For real.”
“And you’ve been alone all this time?”
I lifted a shoulder in a half shrug, not liking to dig up the past and all the loneliness. “Pretty much.”
“Well, you’re not alone anymore,” she asserted, squeezing my hand. “You have us now.”
“It’s almost too much to believe.”
“Yeah.” She made a face. “It’s so weird to have you look just like me but sound so different.”
I laughed. “Tell me about it.”
She grinned at me. “So…what was it like? Growing up? I always knew I was missing someone close to me. But you didn’t? Did you feel it?”
“I…” I considered the way I’d always been the odd man out. “I think I did. I never fit in, never felt right. I don’t think my adoptive parents had any idea I’d been taken—they’re not that kind of people. Like I said, they’re very strict. I don’t think they could have kids, so they adopted me and I was an only child.” I looked around, seeing Felix and Chad playing Frisbee on the beach. Tanya and Ivan sat with his parents and ours under a gazebo not far from where Marcia and I sat. “Though, I guess I wasn’t, was I? It’s weird. To find out I have this whole other life.”
“I bet. It’s something I’d write about.”
My eyes widened. “You write?”
She shrugged. “It’s more a hobby right now. I’m actually a librarian.”
I stared at her, open-mouthed.
“What?” she asked. “I know I don’t look much like a librarian and I don’t give off that vibe.”
I shook my hand and flattened my hand to my chest. “I write—on the side. AndI’ma librarian. At least, I was until I quit my job because my boss wouldn’t give me time off to come down here.”
“I can’t believe it!” she exclaimed while we laughed, hugging.
“Hey! Mom!” Marcia called, her arm around me. “You’re not going to believe this!”
Strangely, my thoughts drifted to Tarek right then. I didn’t think he’d believe this, either.
Chapter Seven
~ Sariah ~
Exhaustion dragged me down by the time I returned to my hotel room that night. I’d barely had a moment to breathe since arriving at the brunch today, which had turned into an all-day hangout. I’d managed a quick text to Tarek, but not much more. I hoped he understood. But if he didn’t, then we weren’t meant to be together.
I really liked him, so I hoped that wasn’t the case. I wanted more than one date. Whether it became more than a fling remained to be seen, though.
My phone rang as I dropped into bed. I snatched up the cell, thinking it was him. Seeing the screen, I groaned and dropped the device back on the mattress beside me. Hadrian. He’d probably had a bad day at the library and wanted to “complain me” into feeling guilty.
Twenty-four hours ago, I might have dived on the call, hoping he wanted me to come back to my job. Now, I didn’t see myself ever leaving Sizzle Beach, so I let the call go through to leave me a message.
