Suddenly Last Summer. Sarah Morgan
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suddenly I’m worried.”
“Don’t be. The only reason I’m pleased to see you is because now you can do the boring incomprehensible bit of talking to the doctors and I can focus my attention on more important things.”
“Would those more important things be female?”
“They might be. Was that Élise I saw leaving? Did you know she was with Gramps when he collapsed?”
“Jackson told me. She didn’t mention it.” Which, now that he thought about it, was a little strange.
What had they talked about?
All he could remember was the brush of her cheek against his, the silk of her hair and the scent that had slid into his veins like a drug. And the chemistry. Always the chemistry, simmering in the background like a summer heat wave.
The doors to the nearest elevator opened and Sean saw Jackson standing there with Kayla.
“Élise texted me to tell me you were here. We weren’t expecting you for another hour at least.”
“I may have broken a few speed limits.” Sean wondered how long it had been since his twin had slept. “Any change?”
“Not that I can tell, but I’m not the doctor. It’s hard to get information from anyone. For all I know they might be useless at their jobs. You need to speak to them.”
“I called from the car. This place has one of the highest heart attack survival rates in the country. They took him straight to the cath lab for balloon inflation and stenting. They had him out of the E.R. in seventeen minutes. That’s impressive.” It came as a relief to discover that even though he was affected personally, the doctor in him was still able to detach and analyze.
Jackson glanced at Tyler, who shrugged.
“Don’t look at me. I never understand a word he says. It’s all those books he reads. Don’t suppose his patients understand him, either, but they’re probably reassured by the expensive suit and the astronomical fees he charges.”
It was a relief to relax with his brothers for five minutes. “You could wear a suit occasionally, Ty. If you tidied yourself up you might even get laid.”
“The reason I’m not getting laid is because my teenage daughter is living with me. I’m a shining example of parenthood.”
Sean grinned. “It must be killing you.”
Jackson intervened before the conversation could degenerate. “Can we focus on Gramps for a moment? Explain again, and this time use plain language.”
“The artery was blocked, so they unblocked it by inflating a balloon against the artery wall and inserting a stent, like mesh, to hold it open—” Sean used his hands to demonstrate. “All the studies show that if they can do that within ninety minutes of the original attack, there is a better chance of survival and fewer complications. Time from the onset of symptoms to reperfusion is an important predictor of outcome.”
Jackson pressed a button on the elevator and the doors closed. “I asked for plain language.”
“That was plain language.”
Tyler rolled his eyes. “If he ever gives us the complicated version I’m going to need a large drink.”
Jackson was frowning. “So is that good news?”
Relatively speaking.
Sean decided they didn’t need to know all the potential outcomes. “How did it start? Was Gramps sick? Did he have chest pain?”
“According to Élise, one minute he was standing up, the next minute he was on the ground.” Jackson watched as the buttons illuminated one by one, stopping at what felt like every floor to let people in and out. “He was working on the deck of the old boathouse.”
“Why?”
“We’re converting it into a café.” It was Jackson’s turn to sound irritable. “Don’t you read your emails?”
“I get a ton of emails. So why was Gramps doing the work?”
“Because there wasn’t anyone else. We’re stretched to the limit. Gramps wanted to help and I don’t have the luxury of being able to stop him, even supposing I could. Everyone has been doing what they can to keep the place afloat.”
Everyone except him.
Sean stared straight ahead, feeling the guilt cover him like sweat. He was the only one not doing anything to stop the family business from sinking.
He turned his head to speak to Jackson and wished he hadn’t because his brother was kissing Kayla. A slow, lingering kiss that had as much eye contact as lip contact.
Immediately he thought of Élise. Of that single, hot night the summer before.
The night neither of them had ever mentioned.
He looked away. “Could you put each other down just for two minutes so we can focus here?”
“You’re witnessing true love,” Tyler drawled, “and it’s a beautiful thing.”
“Sorry, but it’s been a tough day and we don’t see that much of each other.” Kayla rested her head on Jackson’s shoulder. “But that’s going to change soon. One more week!”
Sean frowned. “You’ve given up your job in New York?”
“Yes. I’m going to be working and living here full-time. You knew I was doing that.” Kayla twisted the engagement ring on her finger. “I told you at Christmas.”
At Christmas he’d been focused on surviving three days of living in close quarters with his family without revealing the rift with his grandfather. He’d given virtually no thought to the way anyone else was feeling.
“Right. I guess I lost track of time.”
So Kayla was giving up her life to come and live here at Snow Crystal. Another person sacrificing everything for love. What the hell was he supposed to say to that?
Congratulations?
Have you thought this through?
What happens when you wake up and start resenting everything you gave up to live here?
“I hope you’ll both be very happy.”
“We are and we will be.” Jackson looped his arm around Kayla’s shoulders. “Ignore him. He’s just jealous. He can’t keep a woman long enough to learn her name, that’s his problem.”
“I’m not the one with the problem.”
Commitment meant putting your own needs second and he was too selfish to make that sacrifice for anyone. He wanted to be able to work when he needed to without feeling the constant tug of duty and responsibility. He wanted to travel without always feeling there was another place he should be. He wanted freedom. He didn’t want to feel trapped and stifled in the same way his father had.
10,11,12—the elevator had to be the slowest ever. He felt like getting out and pushing.
“Tyler, you should go home.” Jackson still had his arm around Kayla. “Gramps won’t thank us if he comes home and finds the place neglected.”
“He never thanks us, anyway,” Tyler muttered and Sean slid his finger around his already loosened collar.
“I’m not expecting a warm welcome.”
“You could come home more often,” Jackson replied mildly. “That would help.”
Tyler eyed his suit. “He doesn’t have the right clothing. You can’t walk around Snow Crystal in silk shirts and Armani.”
“It’s Brioni. I bought it when I was presenting at a medical conference in Milan.” He didn’t add