Page 67 of Second Chance at Sunshine Inn

“I got some supplies at the hardware store and decided to repair the toilets in all of the bathrooms while I was at it.” Staying buried in mindless jobs was the best way for him to cope with stress. It was either that or cooking.

She studied him, and an expectant expression crossed her face. He could feel the curiosity and worry radiating from her, and guilt nagged at the edges of his conscience for how he’d dodged her questions earlier in the day. He’d been aware of how anxious she was to find out about what had happened with his mother, but he didn’t want to risk the guests hearing their conversation. Plus, he just wasn’t ready to talk about it. Doing so would feel like baring his soul.

But now he was feeling calmer, and a little more ready to share.He stood and pointed to the sitting area in the Sand Piper Suite. “Want to talk?”

Her eyes lit up. “Yes! Please!”

He almost chuckled at the eagerness on her face. “Come on.” He held his hand out to her, and when she linked her fingers with his, his pulse picked up speed. He towed her to the sofa, where she sat. Then he took the armchair across from her.

She folded her long legs under her and stared at him, looking as if she might burst with anticipation.

“Has your life ever been completely blown up?”

Her face pinched. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“I found out yesterday it’s all true. I have a half brother I never knew existed.”

“Really?” she squeaked.

He nodded and brushed his hands down his face. “My ex had convinced me to register with one of those DNA websites, and she picked Family Tree.” He glowered. “She wanted to find out about our heritage before we had kids someday.”

“Your ex?” she asked, intrigue glimmering in her eyes.

Uh-oh.He was not prepared to tell her about Serena, so he chose to avoid the question. “I sent in my swab sample, but I was never really interested in learning about any mystery relatives. Well, not until Declan found me. Sometimes Family Tree emails me updated info, but I usually just delete their messages.”

“Wow,” she said, drawing the word out.

“Everleigh, what would you do if you found out your mother had lied to you for your entire life? Or if you discovered a long-lost sibling?”

“I-I don’t know.” She paused. “How do you feel about having a brother?”

He leaned back in the chair and tried to sort through the emotionschurning inside him. “I can’t really explain it. It’s a mixture of elation and shock.” He rested his right ankle on his left knee. “My childhood was lonely. I was jealous of my buddy who was the oldest of four.” He thought back to those days. “Ryan always had companions around when he went on vacations. He had someone to share things with.” He scoffed. “Someone to fight with too.”

“I can relate to that.”

“You can?” he asked, and when she nodded, his intrigue sparked. He paused for a moment, but when she didn’t elaborate, he continued. “Sure, we had a dog and even a couple of cats, but it’s not the same. You can’t ride your bike to the beach with your cat or play on the swing set with your dog. You know?”

She nodded.

“But it’s also so shocking that I can’t put it into words. I mean...” His voice trailed off while his thoughts raced.

She reached out and blanketed her hand over his, and a wave of heat careened from his hand up his arm. “I’m sorry you had a lonely childhood. That must have been difficult.”

He took in the warmth in her eyes, and something inside him shifted. He licked his lips and tried to keep his thoughts on track. “I think I want Declan in my life, but I don’t know how to make that happen.”

“What do you mean?”

“My mom doesn’t want to see him. She flat-out refused when I brought it up.” He explained how Mom had rebuffed Declan and then wouldn’t even consider sitting down with the two of them. “She won’t tell me what happened that made her choose to reject her own child. And I can’t understand why she’s acting this way now.”

Everleigh gave his hand a squeeze, and he took comfort in her touch. “It must have been something terrible.”

“Yeah.” His voice was shaky, and he cleared his throat. “Declansaid he’ll be in town until Sunday, so maybe my mom will change her mind before then.”

She nodded, and her lips turned up in a faint smile. “I’m glad you finally told me. I was so worried about you last night and this morning.” She was silent for a moment. “Cade, I’m always here for you if you need someone to talk to. Don’t forget that, okay?”

Her words touched him deep in his heart. At that moment, he felt closer to her than he’d ever felt to anyone in his life. The thought scared him, and he pulled his hand back and leaned away from her in the chair. Once again, he was falling into the trap of trusting someone—a trap he recognized all too well. “Let’s talk about something else.”

She blinked in surprise.

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