Page 95 of Skylar

“Like you said, things change. From what I understand, a lot more went down on this trip than usually does on your visits home.”

“That’s true,” Skylar said, turning her head to look at him. “In the past, Shiloh was perfectly healthy. It was easy to slip in and slip out again without too much emotional turmoil.”

“I know it can’t be easy to leave when Shiloh’s still not one hundred percent, but she’s headed in that direction.”

Skylar took in his profile as he spoke. He had a strong jawline with a nose that had a slight bend to it thanks to him having it broken by a collision with a guy’s elbow when playing basketball in high school. His clean-shaven cheeks as a teen haddisappeared, as he seemed to prefer a bit of scruff. A five o’clock shadow is what her dad would likely call it.

She hated to admit that she found him as attractive now as she had when they were teens. For a moment, she wondered if the reverse was true. However, as quickly as that thought came into her mind, she shoved it away.

Skylar already knew that he’d thought he could do better than her as a teen, and that probably hadn’t changed. It was a moot point, regardless.

They’d reached a point where they could be around each other without anger and hurt raging inside her. It wasn’t completely gone, but she could manage it in a way she’d struggled to when they’d first reconnected.

“Are you getting used to living in a place on your own, rather than in your mom’s basement?”

Aiden gave her an exasperated glance before he said, “I wasn’t living in my mom’s basement. I actually own the house, so I was living inmybasement while my mom and my niece lived on the main floor.”

“So, are you going to move up to the main floor now that she and Willow have moved back to Serenity?”

“I don’t think so. At least not yet,” he said. “I think there will be times when they come to spend time in Coeur d’Alene, so then they can stay in their old rooms. Plus, I’ve got the basement set up like I want it, and I don’t need all the extra space that’s on the main floor.”

“Were you surprised when your mom decided to move back to Serenity?”

Aiden didn’t answer right away, his attention on the traffic as they came to a stoplight. As he accelerated through the lightwhen it turned green, he said, “Yeah. A little, but I was pretty sure that it would happen at some point. I’m actually happy about it though, even if it means I’m living on my own.”

“Why are you happy about it?”

“One of the reasons my mom was so willing to move in with me was because that house was just too hard for her to be in. She’d been doing okay after Dad’s death, but when Bethany died, it was like Mom couldn’t handle being in the house anymore. She just walked away from it, not wanting to bring any of the furnishings or anything to the house in CDA.”

“I can’t imagine how difficult that has been for her.”

“I remember so clearly what my mom said as we stood over Bethany’s casket, her staring at her daughter for the last time.” Aiden hesitated, then cleared his throat. “She said no parent should ever have to bury their child. That a parent wasn’t supposed to outlive their children.”

The words sank deep into Skylar’s heart as she considered the battle Shiloh was fighting for her life. She couldn’t imagine how she’d handle it if Shiloh lost that battle.

Her breath caught in her throat as her heart began to pound. Her world narrowed as she struggled to take a breath because of the vice that had tightened around her chest.

“Skylar?” Aiden’s voice was distant, but she could hear the alarm in it. “Hang on, baby. Just hang on.”

She felt the car come to a jerking stop and reached out to grab the dashboard, hanging on to it like a lifeline. The door beside her opened, and she felt a touch on her back, then Aiden took her hand, which was fisted against her chest.

“Skylar, I want you to breathe with me.” Aiden’s voice was closer, calming her with its steadiness. “Deep breath in. Now let it out.”

Skylar unfisted her hand to grab onto his as she focused on his voice, fighting to draw in a breath to fill her lungs when it felt like there was a vice around her chest.

Was she having a heart attack?

Or was this just a panic attack?

Aiden continued to guide her breathing, and slowly but surely, her breaths got deeper and more fulfilling. Then her heart rate slowed, and everything around her came back into focus.

“Aiden?” she said as she turned to look at him.

He gave her a gentle smile that filled his eyes with something that almost looked like affection.

“Are you feeling better?”

She nodded. “I’m sorry. I think that was a panic attack.”

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