Her eyes narrowed. “In accounting?”
“No. My mom’s boyfriend. Remember? From the wedding?”
“Oh. Right. What did he say?”
“I got up to pee this morning and I saw a voicemail from him on my phone from last night. My mom is sick, Lela. She has breast cancer and she’s been hiding it from everyone. Including Stuart.”
“Oh, my God.” Lela reached for him. He took her hand as if it was the only lifeline he had. In so many ways, it felt like that was the case. “I’m so sorry. What’s the prognosis?”
“I don’t know exactly, but she has surgery scheduled for tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow? How was she going to hide that from Stuart?”
“She tried to send him off on a fishing trip. He canceled at the last minute. He said it didn’t feel right. Then he happened to answer the phone when the doctor’s office called to confirm.” Like so many things with his mom, he was presented with yet another mystery. Why wouldn’t she have simply told Donovan and Austin what was going on? Or Stuart, for that matter? It wasn’t as if she’d ever shied away from uncomfortable subjects. Instead, she’d lied to Donovan’s face at her granddaughter’s wedding. She’d lied to Austin and Stuart as well. “I feel like I need to be up there. It’s not really fair to Stuart to have to care for her. She’ll be in the hospital for a few days, then she’ll go home to recuperate. Once I know she’s good, I’ll come back.”
“How long do you think? Tammera and Delia’s wedding is a week from Saturday. Not that you have to feel like you should come. You should do whatever you need to do for your mom.”
“I plan to be back for their wedding. I want to be there. I want to be there with you.” He rubbed his thumb back and forth over her smooth skin. Why did the timing have to play out this way? Why couldn’t he and Lela enjoy a small stretch of happiness?
She gave him a smile that sent his pulse racing. “Good. I’m happy to hear that.”
He took her hand and raised it to his lips. “I know it seems like I’m leaving.”
“Well, you are, in fact, leaving.”
“Yes. But it won’t be long, and hopefully you understand that this is important.”
“Of course. You’re doing the right thing.” Rio jumped onto the bed and head-butted Donovan’s elbow, then flopped down onto the mattress. Donovan stroked the arch of Rio’s back while Lela scratched behind his ears. “Rio will miss you. I’ll miss you.”
Donovan’s heart felt like it was breaking, but he reminded himself this wasn’t a real goodbye. He and Lela would pick things back up as soon as he returned. He was ready for the next step and the one that came after that, too. “I’ll miss you, too.”I love yousat right on his lips, but he wanted the moment to be perfect, and with worries of his mom’s health weighing him down, it simply didn’t feel right.
He got up from the bed and Lela climbed out from under the covers. She padded to the bathroom door and grabbed her robe from the hook. He hated seeing her wrap herself up like that, but he’d keep the vision tucked away inside his head. They walked downstairs together and shared a parting kiss in the front hall. “Safe travels,” Lela said as she opened the door.
“Thanks. And don’t say anything to Echo. I’ll call her from the car once I’m on the road. Otherwise, she’s going to want to come with me. I need to do this on my own.”
“I won’t say a thing.”
Donovan hurried down the stairs, but those words that were stuck in his mouth told him to stop. When he turned, Lela was standing there in her robe, leaning against the doorframe, watching him. He blew her a kiss, she caught it, and pressed it against her lips. It would have to do for now.
He hopped in a cab back to his place, tossed some clothes in a suitcase, and was on his way in under an hour. Once he was out of the city, he called Echo and told her what little he knew.
“Dad. I should go with you.”
This was precisely what he’d feared she’d say. “No, no, honey. This is fairly routine surgery and your uncle Austin is coming down to help as well. Plus, you and Lela need to hold down the fort at work.”
She sighed. “Just call and let me know what’s going on, okay?”
“I will.”
“Can I ask you one question?”
“Of course.”
“How was it hanging out with Lela and her parents last night?”
Despite his worries, Donovan found himself grinning. “It was wonderful. We had a great time.”
“Good. Glad to hear it. Drive safe. I love you.”
