Page 30 of The Man I Love

January

Seven Months Earlier

New York

Sam saton the edge of her bed, glancing down at the photo Tristan’s father had placed in her palm in the restaurant. Mr. Montgomery had been clever in writing his number on the back, knowing Liam’s face would haunt her every waking minute. He was an innocent child, unknowinglyand unfairly placed in the middle of so much pain. He had no idea what was going on, yet his life depended on the healing of others.

She flipped the photo over, seeing Mr. Montgomery’s familiar scroll written in blue ink. She wished she had the strength to throw it away, but she couldn’t. She came back to it again and again, letting the magnitude of the situation sink in a little farther.

Tristan and Renee had a little brother they didn’t know about.

He was born on Renee’s wedding day.

And he was dying.

A mixture of emotions hit her all at once. He was the exact duplicate of Tristan. His mischievous smile, that trademark Montgomery jaw, down to the unruly blond hair she wished she could brush aside with her fingertips. She wished for more than that, though. She wished for strength. For the clarity to know what to do in this situation, but most of all, she wished she could tell this perfectly innocent boy that everything would be okay, that it would all work out, that everything would be fine, that he would live … but she couldn’t. Pouring herself a tall glass of wine, she picked up her cell and dialed Renee.

“Hey,” she answered on the third ring. “What are you doing up?”

Samantha closed her eyesbecause, in all the chaos of the evening, she’d almost forgotten how late it was. “Your dad”—the word squeaked out of her—“came to see me tonight.”

There was a long pause on the other line.

“What?” Renee finally answered. “What did he want?”

Samantha swallowed hard, envisioning her best friend pacing her living room. “You have a baby brother,” she said without holding back. “His name is Liam, and he has stage four acute lymphocytic leukemia.”

The room was so quiet as she recalled every detail she knew about Liam’s illness to her best friend.

“Oh my God,” Renee cried.

“Your dad is looking for a donor, he wants you and Tristan?—”

“I can’t.” Renee almost choked.

Sam sat heavily on her bed as her heart shattered into a million pieces. “I know your dad is an ass, Renee, but Liam?—”

Renee interrupted, emotion making her words twisted and difficult to understand. “I’m pregnant, Sam. I can’t even give blood, let alone …”

Sam closed her eyes, feeling like a complete idiot for having forgotten.

“I’m sorry.” She gripped her skull. “I didn’t think?—”

“It’s not your fault,” Renee uttered, “I wouldn’t have known either except for the blood drive at work last weekend.”

They both sat in silence for a minute, and Sam fell back on the mattress, her heavy sigh only breaking the surface on what she was feeling.

“What did Tristan say?” Renee finally asked.

Sam’s eyes burned a hole into the ceiling. “I haven’t told him yet.”

“What?” Renee practically shouted.

“I’m going to.” Sam sat up again. “I just need time—I thought I’d try you first…so you could help me figure out what to say.”

“He won’t take it well.”

“I know.” Sam sprang from the bed and started to pace.

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