Page 4 of Edge of Heaven

“Hey, what’s wrong?” He sits next to me and wraps one of his big arms around me. He’s six feet five inches and built solidly, so it’s easy to feel safe in his arms, even though I should know better.

I sniffle. “It’s Toby.”

“Is he sick again?”

“The insurance won’t cover the clinical trial…” I spill out the story. “I don’t know what to do, but I have to go. I have to get work so I can pay for it. I don’t want Mom to lose the house…” I’m babbling through my tears and finally he gives me a little shake.

“Hey. Stop crying. It’s going to be okay.”

“You don’t understand.”

“I do.” He forces me to look at him. “I’ll pay for it.”

“What? No. I just broke up with you!”

“Come back to me, baby.” His voice is soft, cajoling…tender. “I love you, Taryn. Let me take care of this for you and prove to you I can be better.”

I should know better.

I really should.

But I’m desperate.

And he’s throwing me a lifeline.

“We’re talking about my son’s life,” I whisper. “You can’t wake up one day in a bad mood and decide you’re not going to make the payment or some shit.” I give him as hard of a glare as I can muster up in my current emotional state.

“I won’t,” he promises. “You’ll see. Things will be good if you give me another chance. Let me handle this and then go spend some time with your son. Then meet me in New York in three weeks.”

I should say no.

But I don’t because…Ican’t.

Because I’m scared.

Because I don’t have anyone else.

“Okay,” I whisper.

“Good girl.” He hugs me and then tugs me to my feet. “Come on. Let’s get you to the airport.”

He’s being so nice I’m almost convinced he means everything he’s saying.

Maybe leaving him was the wake-up call he needed to realize he doesn’t want to lose me.

Maybe things are going to be okay after all.

Or maybe not.

I catch the look of surprise on Dusty’s face as we breeze past him in the lobby.

Toby needs me, and I’ll do whatever it takes so he has the best chance possible of beating the leukemia.

I’m doing this for him.

It’s only a year.

And if Callum goes back to being a jerk, the day the treatments are over, I’m out of here.

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