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He engulfs me in a hug, and we absorb comfort from each other. I’m silently telling myself everything will be fine. I’m sure he is too.

A bell rings, alerting us someone has just come through the front door of Sheridan House.

A few moments later, a tall, trim man with a full head of gray hair strolls into the kitchen.

“Tate,” Slade says. “You made it. Good to see you. Thanks so much for coming.”

Slade releases me and, hiding his worry, greets the man named Tate.

“Marin,” Slade says, “This is Tate Hayes, Joss’s father.”

Tate offers me a polite handshake.

“Dad, is that you?” Joss says, as she rolls down the hallway. They embrace in a sweet hug, happy to see each other.

We exchange small talk, then Slade gets down to business. “Marin and I are just about finished cleaning up in here. Basically, the rooms not asking for privacy still need to be cleaned. I’d help, but my mother just called and has asked to see me. She says it’s important.”

Joss perks up. “What? Is she okay?”

“I don’t know,” Slade says honestly.

Tate jerks his head toward the door. “Get out of here. We’ll take care of everything, including finishing up the kitchen. Don’t give Sheridan House another thought. We got this.” Joss and her father exchange fist bumps.

Slade nods. “Thanks, Tate. Can’t thank you enough.”

chapter eighteen

BEFORE I KNOWit, we’re in Slade’s car, speeding toward his mom’s condo. I don’t tell him to slow down. I know he’s worried sick. A few times during the drive, he reaches out to hold my hand. I love being the one who can give him comfort.

When we arrive, Slade doesn’t knock. He uses his key and barges through the door. “Mom! It’s me.”

We rush in, only to find Lauren sitting on the couch covered with a blanket, looking perfectly fine. As fine as she can look right now, that is.

“Mom, is everything okay?”

“I told you I’m fine, Slade. Please don’t worry so much.”

“Then what is it? What’s wrong?” Worry is evident in every crevice of Slade’s face. “Is the cancer back?”

“No, this is not about my health. Nothing’s wrong exactly. I simply need to speak with you. It’s important. Please, have a seat.”

Lauren directs her gaze at me. “Good to see you, Marin. I’m glad you came.”

“Happy to be here.” Relief seeps from my every pore. “Glad you’re okay. You gave us a bit of a scare.”

“Sorry. That wasn’t my intention.” Lauren shifts her position on the couch, looking a bit nervous.

Slade sits in one of the wingback chairs facing the couch, and I take the other one.

“What is it, Mom?”

Lauren grabs a tissue to wipe away a few sudden tears. “There’s something I need to talk to you about. I’m afraid it won’t be easy for you to hear. Again, it’s not about my health, so take a deep breath before you turn blue.”

Now I know where Slade gets his sense of humor.

Slade, however, finds no humor in the situation whatsoever. “What are you talking about?”

“The thing is, Slade, we never know how much time we have left on this earth. My cancer could come back, I could get in a car accident, anything could happen. Now that I’ve experienced a near-death situation, I’ve realized there are things you need to know.”

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