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Yeah, he’d heard that a lot recently. For a moment, the two of them just looked at each other. And then Daniel was hammering on the front door.
“I’ll deal with him,” Michael said.
“It’s my door he’s breaking down,” Cam pointed out. “Talk to your mom. She deserves to hear it from you.”
Michael nodded, walking to the door that led to the living room right as Cam walked down the hallway to the front door. His mom looked up expectantly as he sat down beside her on the sofa.
“Is Cam coming?”
“We have company.” Michael took a deep breath, trying to center himself because all hell was about to break loose on the woman who deserved it the least. “I’m so sorry. This isn’t how I’d planned to share this, but I want you to hear it from me. Mom, I’m in a relationship with Grace.”
He didn’t feel any better for getting it out there. If anything, he felt worse. Like he was opening the door for the beast to run out.
And just like Cam, she didn’t understand.
He could tell that from the way her mouth was open, but no words were coming out. And unlike Cam, she knew who he was talking about right away.
“We didn’t mean for it to happen. We met a year ago, and…” He let out a breath. “And we liked each other. Without knowing we were step cousins.”
She frowned. “I don’t understand. How did you not know you were cousins?”
He didn’t bother going into the technicalities of it. “I’ve been away for so long. The last time I’d been here, she was a kid. And I guess she didn’t recognize me either.”
“So you two have been in a secret relationship for a year?”
He shook his head. “No. The morning after we met she figured it out, and I didn’t hear from her again. I only realized who she was when I came back to town. I saw her atChairsand it all clicked.”
“But you got together, anyway?” his mom asked.
“We tried to fight against it, but…”
Her hand felt so frail in his. “But you didn’t.” Her voice was soft.
The living room door opened. Cam looked flustered. “Michael? Daniel would like to speak with you.”
“Daniel is here?” his mom asked.
Cam nodded.
“And Becca? Is she here? Do they know?”
“They know.” Cam’s voice betrayed no emotion at all.
Michael squeezed his mom’s hand and stood, walking over to where Cam was standing. Cam put his hand on Michael’s shoulder. “I’ll stay with your mom.”
“Thank you.” Michael nodded and walked through the door to the kitchen. Daniel was standing by the breakfast bar, looking nothing like the cool, easy uncle that Michael remembered. His clothes were crumpled, his hair falling everywhere it shouldn’t. But there was a haunted look on his face that made everything else fade into insignificance.
“I’ve come to ask you to leave her alone,” Daniel said. “Before you tear the family apart.”
“I can’t do that.” Michael shook his head. “I love her.”
“If you love her, you’d leave her,” Daniel said, his voice low. “You know you’re no good for her. She’s too young for you. And you know this town, everybody will talk. They’ll say it’s wrong on so many levels. That you’re related, that you’re taking advantage. They’ll whisper behind her back until the life drains out of her.”
“I won’t let that happen.”
“You won’t have a choice. And you’ll take the shine out of her, the way it disappeared when she had to leave France. Don’t do that to her. If you love her, walk away.”
Michael swallowed hard. He’d expected anger and fists. Not this ice cold demand. And he had no idea how to handle it. “I won’t hurt her,” he told Daniel. “I’ll protect her. I always will.”
