Page 58 of Someone Like You
He moved closer to the dock and grabbed the rope. “I have an idea.” He looked over his shoulder at her. “Park yours. You can ride with me. I want to show you something.”
Maddie couldn’t think of a single reason to object.
Dawson tied the rope around his Jet Ski and anchored hers to the dock. Then he climbed on again and helped her onto the spot behind him. He reached back for her hands and eased her arms around his waist. He looked back, his voice warm against her face. “We might go fast.” His grin melted her heart. “Don’t let go.”
“I won’t.” She shivered, but not because the cold water was getting to her. With her arms around Dawson, the warmth from his back spread through her body. She hoped the ride would last an hour. At least.
He took her upstream under the 205 Bridge. If they went much farther they’d wind up in the gorge. The same section of the river they’d driven past to get to the falls yesterday. Instead, Dawson turned the ski around and glanced back at her. “Hold on!”
She tightened her grip on him just as he took off flying across the river. The current was working with them now and the ride was faster than any she’d ever taken. She could feel his ab muscles working beneath his wet suit as he angled the machine one way and then the other.
When he slowed to an idle she finally exhaled. Her heart raced and they were both breathing fast. She leaned her face alongside his. “Do it again!”
“In a minute.” He idled to the right and she saw a strip of land she’d missed before.
“An island.” She wiped the spray from her face. “Is this what you wanted to show me?”
“Yes.” He drove a few feet up onto the shore and took her hand. “Come on. I love this place.”
The sun was warmer now, and once they were off the Jet Ski, Dawson peeled back the top half of his wet suit. He had a tank top underneath, but it did nothing to hide the way he looked.
Maddie left her wet suit on. She was still wearing Connor’s ring, after all.
They sat on the sand, side by side. Dawson seemed careful to leave a few inches between them.Good guy, Maddie told herself. On top of everything else she liked about Dawson Gage, he had character. Faith was action to him. That much was clear.
“This is as close to a deserted island as we’ll get inPortland.” He grinned at her. “It’s just a little strip of land, but I like to think of it as mine.”
“And mine.” She nudged his elbow and then regretted the fact.Contain yourself.She aimed for a less flirty tone. “At least today.”
“Yes.” He looked at her and his smile dropped off. “At least today.” Those beautiful eyes of his. So much wisdom and empathy. Like he knew her every thought.
They spent an hour on the island. Dawson talked about his high school and college days and how he’d managed without his mother. And she told him about Hayley and her drowning accident and how for the longest time she’d thought the terrible ordeal was her fault. “I was supposed to watch her.”
“I’m sorry, Maddie. For you and Hayley.” He shook his head. “But you were a child.” Dawson worked his toes into the sand. Somehow they’d moved closer to each other and now his elbow brushed against hers. “Your sister wasn’t your responsibility. It was an accident.”
“I get that better now.” Every time their arms touched it was electricity for Maddie. She tried to concentrate. Then she remembered she was wearing a ring on her left hand and that she was officially engaged. Planning a wedding. “Connor was the first one to help me see I wasn’t to blame.” There. She had brought her fiancé into the conversation. “Connor’s always been good for me that way.”
Dawson did a couple slow nods. But he didn’t say anything. Like maybe he wasn’t sure how to respond. Instead after a few minutes he asked if she was looking forward to staying at the Quinns’. “They’re the nicest people.” Maybe it was Maddie’s imagination, but his tone seemed a little cooler. “I’m sure Louise is glad to have you.”
The mention of Louise made Maddie remember something. “Is she sick? Louise?” Maddie shifted toward him and her toes brushed against his. Like her body had a mind of its own. She inched away and looked at him. “She seems tired. A little slow when she walks.”
Dawson took a deep breath and stared across the river. “Yes.” He turned to her again. “Louise is very sick.” She works at the coffee shop because it’s something she shared with London. She always said her time there … would be the last to go.”
“What?” Maddie sat cross-legged and faced him. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“She asked me not to.” Dawson rubbed his neck. “She’s in kidney failure, Maddie.” He clenched his jaw and looked at the sand between them. When he lifted his face to hers again his eyes were damp. “London was going to give her a kidney. But neither of hers survived the accident.”
Maddie’s heart pounded. She was still trying to understand. “So … she’s on a donor list? And after a transplant she’ll be fine?”
“She’s been on the list for more than a year.” He sighed. “She’ll be mad I told you … but Louise has three months, maybe four without a new kidney.”
What was this? “You mean … she’s dying?”
“Yes.” He looked out over the river. “London was a perfect match. And honestly … I’m not sure Louise is upset about dying. She’ll get to be with London again.”
Maddie shook her head. “No.” She patted Dawson’s knee. “We can’t let her think like that.” Her mind raced. If London was a perfect match, then … “Wait!” She stood and stared down at Dawson. “If my sister was going to give her a kidney, I should at least be tested.”
Dawson was on his feet now, too. “Louise would never allow that.” He took both Maddie’s hands in his. “Don’t even think about it.”
