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ChapterSixteen
HARLEY
“Here you go.” Gemma handed me a glass of water.
I was seated in her kitchen on a stool at the counter with my feet hooked around the rungs. “Thank you.” I took a swallow, glancing out the windows.
Gemma had purchased this home with Diego. The house came with horses, and I watched one of them nibbling grass along the edge of the fence. The home sat on a rise, offering a view of Kachemak Bay in the distance through the trees. Sunshine glittered on the surface of the water, the wind ruffling it and creating little sparks of light.
Looking back toward Gemma, I watched as she stirred meat in a pan. She was making tacos. She had invited me over for dinner with her and Diego, something she did fairly often.
She glanced over, casting me a quick smile.
“What?” I asked.
“Just thinking I'm glad you are who you are,” she replied.
“Same.” I loved Gemma, and she was perfect for my brother.
She turned the flame down under the pan, setting a lid on it, and turned around to face me. She smoothed a hand over her rumpled, honey-blond curls, her eyes sparkling with her smile.
After a second, her gaze sobered. “I invited you over early because Diego's worried.”
“Worried?” I interjected.
She sighed. “Yes.”
Even though she didn’t spell it out, I knew she was referring to his concern about my health. “It’s fine. I have a minor heart issue.”
Gemma's brow furrowed, her concerned gaze skating over my face. “A minor heart problem? You're pretty young for a heart problem.”
I shrugged, ignoring the nervous feeling in my belly. “Apparently, there's a family history of it.”
“But what is it?”
“It’s this thing where sometimes my heart goes too fast or skips a beat. It’s called supraventricular tachycardia or SVT.”
Gemma nodded slowly. “Okay, so what does it mean?”
“Well, if it's happening, and if I get up too quickly or something like that, I might faint. That's what Grant saw. But it's fine,” I insisted. “I haven't fainted that many times.”
“How many times?” Gemma pressed. She pushed away from the counter, crossing over to slide her hips onto a stool across from where I was sitting at the island.
She looked way too worried for my comfort level. “It's really not much, I swear. Have you ever fainted?”
“Yeah. Heat stroke one summer.”
“Oh, really?”
“We traveled to the beach on the East Coast. I wasn't used to the humidity.”
“See, fainting happens,” I said, striving to keep my tone nonchalant.
She cocked her head to the side. “You know, I'm giving you a dry run.”
“What?”
“A dry run. Diego is going to show up, and you could use some practice.” She glanced at her watch. “He’ll be here in about fifteen minutes. He’s going to ask you all the same questions. I know you don't want him to worry, but it'd be best if you're honest. Is there anything we can help with?”
