Page 58 of Second Chance at Sunshine Inn

Cade just stared at the slice in front of him, not sure when he’d be able to eat again. His world had just been turned upside down.

***

Later that evening Cade nosed his pickup truck into the garage. He killed the engine and stared at the dark dashboard. After meeting Declan for lunch, he’d driven around for hours, parked by the beach, and sat on a bench while watching the waves, trying to make sense of the bomb Declan had just dropped. He’d spent his entire life believing he was an only child, but now he had a half brother whom his mother had kept a secret for all of his thirty-three years. It didn’t make any sense, and he had no idea how to process this information.

Wrenching the door open, Cade dragged himself out of the truck. He exited the garage and hit the code on the door to close it before unlocking the door that led to his apartment. Footsteps crunched on the gravel driveway, and he turned just as Everleigh caught up to him.

“I’ve been waiting for you for hours. How’d it go?” Her pretty face beamed.

“Not great.”

Her smile dissolved. “What happened?”

“I’d rather not talk about it tonight.” He pushed the door open.

“Wait!” She grabbed the door before he could close it. “Cade, talk to me.”

He closed his eyes and held the bridge of his nose. He was too emotionally and physically exhausted to deal with her constant bright outlook. “Everleigh—”

“It’s not healthy to keep things locked inside. You can trust me.”

Could he? At that moment, he did trust her—completely—though the admission unnerved him. At the same time, he longed to unpack some of his confusing feelings with someone.

He took a deep breath, and something in her bottomless brown eyes compelled him to confess it all. “He says he’s my brother.”

Her eyes narrowed, and her brow pinched.

“He insists that DNA on a website proves it, but it has to be some sort of mistake, right?” he asked, hoping she’d agree with him.

“Why would it be a mistake?”

“He showed me the results, but don’t those websites make mistakes sometimes?”

“I don’t know, Cade.” She looked unconvinced. “Haven’t law enforcement officials used those websites to solve crimes?”

His posture wilted. “Yeah, I’ve heard that.”

“Maybe he’s telling the truth?”

“But that’s just not possible,” he replied. “He’s six years older than me. There’s no way my mom had another baby and didn’t tell me.”

Everleigh considered this. “How long have your parents been married?”

“Thirty-four years.”

“And you’re thirty-three, right?”

He nodded.

She paused for a beat. “Maybe she did keep it from you. How old would she have been when she had him?”

Cade swallowed and calculated it. “Barely seventeen.”

“She was young. Maybe she was scared or had no choice but to give him up for adoption.” Everleigh’s expression warmed. “Cade, I’m a NICU nurse. I’ve met plenty of terrified new moms. I’ve seen teen moms in all kinds of situations, and many weren’t good at all. Sometimes adoption is the best option, but it’s never easy.”

“But why wouldn’t she have told me?” He could hear the strain in his voice. “I’ve spent my entire life thinking I was an only child, Everleigh. I’m just so—”

“Confused and hurt?” As she finished his thought, she took his hand in hers. The warmth of her skin gave him comfort. “Your mom must have her reasons, and you need to forgive her, okay? I know you’re hurting, but she deserves the benefit of the doubt. Go talk to her and ask her to be honest with you, then listen without judgment.”

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