Page 37 of Take Me Away, Cowboy

“Aurelie,” Paige whispered, in part because she didn’t want to rouse Owen, and also because her voice wouldn’t get any louder if she wanted it to.

“She’s gone,” came the reply, choked out between sobs.

“I’m so sorry, Aury. When?”

“Yesterday morning. In her sleep, at least.”

“You can be thankful for that, I guess. How’re you holding up?” She wouldn’t tell Aurelie where she was—her friend had enough on her plate.

“I’m barely here, Paige. I mean, I knew it was coming, she’s been sick for so long, but to have her gone for real? Forever? I can’t quite get my head to wrap around it.”

Paige closed her eyes. She couldn’t imagine losing her mother at this stage in her life, and to cancer at that. She’d watched Aurelie’s mom wither away, had helped care for her until she was just the skin and bones of the woman who’d raised Aurelie. It was a horrible way to go.

“I am here, whatever you need,” Paige said. But when her side throbbed with each breath, she knew there was no way she would be able to go back for the funeral. She might have to tell Aurelie what had happened sooner rather than later. “When is the service?” she asked, gauging when that conversation might have to happen.

“Not for a couple weeks. I don’t want you to come back. I don’t want you to see her like this, and frankly, if you come back, I may never leave. I need to use this as the reason to get off the island, or I never will.” Paige nodded, even though no one could see her. “I need to go right now, I’m at the funeral home and they need me to pick an urn. How the fuck is that even important right now?”

Aurelie broke down on the other end again. Paige ached, this time for her friend who she was helpless to in that moment, her moment of greatest need.

“It’s not. Not at all. Pick whatever your heart pulls you to, then head to the beach. You’ll feel better there.”

“Okay. Yes. I will. I miss you, Paige.”

“I miss you, too, Aury. This will be okay, you know that, right? You won’t ever be the same, but someday you will be okay. I love you and will call soon.”

Paige could only hear fragile wails on the other end, and then the line went dead. She set the phone down gently on the counter and sighed deeply. An almost matching sigh from the chair startled her.

Owen.

He stirred, opened his eyes, meeting hers for a brief moment. Then, like her, his memory seemed to catch up. She recognized it in his eyes, the same panic she’d endured the night before.

He was at her bedside in a leap. A five-o’clock shadow swathed his face, a good look for him under different circumstances. He wrapped her hand in his and squeezed. She grimaced involuntarily, and he loosened his grip but didn’t release her hand. Instead, he stroked it gently.

“I’m so sorry, Paige,” he said. Tears filled the corners of his eyes.

“You saved me. I don’t remember much about how we got down, only that I would still be up there if it weren’t for you, and I’d be a lot worse off.”

“No, you wouldn’t have been in that position at all if I hadn’t been selfish, taken you above your comfort level.”

“I liked everything about being out of my comfort zone with you yesterday,” Paige said, smiling as much as her cheeks could manage.

His cheeks flushed bloodred. She attempted a wink that was more of an exaggerated blink than anything else. Good gracious, she had almost no control of her faculties. That was the pain meds. She hated to think what she’d feel like without them, though.

“Still, I should have kept an eye on the weather. Normally would have,” he mused, running his hands through his hair. He didn’t have his hat on like he normally did. She liked his hair long, free. Another look that would be better outside of the sterile hospital.

She probably didn’t look too hot. If only she had the energy to care.

“Paige, forgive me. I never should have put you in that position.”

“Owen, forget it, please,” she said, emphasizing thepleaseso that he would stop making her feel bad about one of the best afternoons of her recent memory.

Sure, getting thrown from Justice put a wrench in what was otherwise an amazing adventure, but it didn’t change her emotions.

“Don’t you get it? The end of the day was unfortunate, I still don’t know how unfortunate, but I’m breathing, so there’s that. And I had the best time with you. Please don’t take that from me.”

Owen wouldn’t look her in the eyes. Her heart sped up, pounded on her chest.

“Owen, look at me,” she demanded, her voice perking up along with her energy.

---