Page 107 of A Chance for Us
“I’m . . . doing okay. My father-in-law passed away four days ago, so I’m still in Georgia.”
“I’m so sorry to hear that,” she says sincerely. “I hate to do this now, but I got the test results and wanted to call you right away.”
I had completely forgotten about that. “Great. Do we have any answers?”
“Yes, and . . . I need to refer you to a doctor who can handle this.”
“You can’t prescribe me some drugs?”
I turn, looking through the window. Maren’s head is thrown back, her hands are clasped in front of her, and she’s laughing without restraint. She looks so beautiful, so happy, and I will do anything to keep her happy.
My sister was right, I needed to be here. Not just for her but also for myself. I needed to see how stupid it was to think I could close myself off and be okay.
I love this woman.
I love her, and I’m married to her, and I never want to be without her.
“Oliver, the blood work came back irregular, and the biopsy shows that you have cancer. You need to come home and see an oncologist—immediately.”
Twenty-Seven
MAREN
Ipull into the driveway of my beach cottage, feeling as if I could sleep for days, and when I move to open the door to my car, Devney is there, opening it for me.
“Hey, Mare,” Devney says, backing up so I can get out.
“What are you doing here?”
“I thought maybe you could use some girl time.”
I start to cry again, which I swear is all I do, and hug my best friend. “I could. I so could.”
She wraps her arm around my shoulders and we go inside. She already has three bottles of wine and cookies waiting for me.
“This is perfect.”
She grins. “Good. I had very clear instructions.”
“What?”
“Your husband called on his way home from Georgia two days ago.”
“Wait,” I say with shock. “Oliver called you?”
“He did. Almost caused me to drop Cassandra when I heard his voice.”
This man continues to shock me. He called Devney, his ex and my best friend, because he couldn’t stay the extra days in Georgia with me. He had something urgent at home that he had to take care of immediately. He hasn’t said what, but I assume it has something to do with the resort.
I miss him, but I understand the pressures of work, so I’ve been trying to let him focus on that without bothering him too much.
“I can’t believe he called you . . .”
“He was very persuasive, not that it took much to convince, but it was very sweet.” Devney pours us each a glass of wine before sitting down. “So, tell me the truth, are you okay?”
I sink down, feeling like I can let it all out. “No, I’m not.”
“I didn’t think you would be. Hell, after my brother and sister died, I wanted to crawl into that hole with them, but we can’t.”
