Her cell phone rang in the other room. Not having much hope it would be Quinn, she raced to answer it anyway. A quick glance at the caller ID confirmed her suspicion. Of course it wouldn’t be him.
“Hey, Mom,” she answered, forcing herself to sound cheerful.
“How’s my birthday girl?” her mom asked.
“Happy birthday, sweetheart,” came her dad’s voice from the background.
Larissa blinked back more tears. Her birthday was normally a favorite day of the year because she spent time with her parents usually for dinner and a movie. It would be so different today. This year she’d spend it entirely alone. She had tried to remind Quinn about her birthday earlier in the week, hoping he’d take the day off to be with her, but he’d grunted something incoherent and fell asleep.
“Thanks guys,” she said into the phone. “I wish you were here to celebrate with me.”
“Just a few more months and we’ll be there,” Elaine said. “We can celebrate then. We’re so excited to spend a week with you. I wish it could be over Christmas, of course, but I understand why it has to be after the holiday. I’m sure you’ll have a lot of massages to give over the holiday anyway.”
It was difficult listening to the happiness in her mom’s voice when Larissa felt so miserable. She wanted to blurt out how lonely she was, but that would just make her parents worry, and she didn’t want that.
She took in a few breaths, just to make sure her voice would come out steady. “Yeah, they said Christmas can get kind of hectic, but you and Dad will be here two weeks after. That’s even better, because I’ll have more time to show you around the island.”
“And we can’t wait to meet Quinn,” her mom said. “After Jacob, I wondered how long you’d stay single so I’m glad you’re dating again. Do you think Quinn’s the one?”
The one too busy for her on her birthday? Sure, he was the one. “Maybe,” she said instead. “Time will tell.”
“I guess so,” her mom agreed. “Listen, I don’t want to keep you on the phone all day, I’m sure you have other things you want to do, but your dad wants to talk to you.”
“Sure, put him on.”
There was shuffling sounds and then her dad’s hearty voice flowed down the phone line. “I love you, princess. Have fun today and tell your guy we said hi to him too, okay? He better take good care of my angel.”
The tears caught in Larissa’s throat and sudden homesickness overwhelmed her. “I will, Daddy. Give yourself a big hug and kiss from me, okay?”
“I sure will.” Ray’s typically happy chuckle sounded in her ear, and Larissa desperately wished she could see his face. She might be a year older today, but she would always be her dad’s princess and angel.
“Oh, hang on,” he said. “You’re mom has something else to tell you.”
“Sweetheart,” Elaine’s voice came back on the line abruptly, “I know it’s your birthday and everything, but don’t forget to do your breast exam when you shower. Today’s the day.”
She sighed. Like she could ever forget. Every month on the same day, like clockwork since her diagnosis. She never missed an exam, but her mom never failed to call and remind her either. It was a worry for them all. “I’ll be sure to do it, Mom. Thanks for the reminder.”
“I knew you would. Love you, bye bye.”
“Love you.”
Larissa waited until her mom hung up and the phone went dead in her ear before lowering it. Sitting around feeling sorry for herself wouldn’t make the day any easier. She needed to take her shower, do her breast exam, and get over to the massage studio. She had three clients today, which would at least make the long hours pass by more quickly.
She walked into the bathroom and stood in front of the sink, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Twenty-eight today. She’d reached the age when most people had children already or worked in some high-powered position at their jobs. Yet, here she was, in a relationship she was afraid would never work out, living in paradise but feeling more lonely than she ever had in her life.
“Happy birthday to me,” she whispered.
***
John tapped on Quinn’s office door before striding through it. “What are you doing here?”
Quinn resisted the temptation to roll his eyes and pointed at his laptop. “Finishing off the last few reports so I can go over this with you. Project Green is sending out a representative Friday that I’ve been hashing out the details with, Kathy Hanlon. I want to give them a budget we’re comfortable with as soon as they show up, that way we only need to go over their ideas. I’ll only get the weekend with Kathy.”
“You’ve been working on this nonstop.” John shook his head. “Son, did you forget what today is?”
Quinn raised his eyebrows. “Wednesday?”
The skin around John’s mouth tightened in clear disapproval. “Yes, Wednesday. Your girlfriend’s birthday, according to her personnel file. I thought you’d at least take today off. Isn’t that why you’ve been working so many hours all week, so you could make her birthday special?”
“Her... birthday?” Quinn had a dream the other night that they talked about birthdays, but that didn’t really happen. Or did it? “Shit.”
“Watch your mouth in the office,” his dad warned. “But if you forgot Larissa’s birthday, that about sums it up. Maybe even holy shit.”
Quinn’s heartbeat rose and panic flooded through him. He couldn’t get the reports done in time unless he worked on them today. “Dad, what am I going to do?”
“Leave. That’s what I’d do. This will be here tomorrow, but judging from what Larissa told your mom at that dinner party, if you miss her birthday, she might not be.”
Quinn was torn. This was just the sort of thing Larissa meant when she said she hadn’t felt like he was there for her. It must not have been a dream. She really told him about her birthday, and he was missing it, leaving this morning without even waking her for a proper kiss. But he was running out of time on the project too.
He ran his fingers through his hair, wondering if it was hopeless. Something was going to have to give. He looked up at John. “Is that fancy boutique open this slow season? I can’t remember if they left.”
John’s eyes lit up with pleasure. “They’ve decided to stay since you’ve helped pick up business so much. Excellent idea. What are you thinking? Flowers? A new dress? Maybe a diamond necklace?”
“As much trouble as I’m in, I’d better make it all three.” Quinn opened the bottom drawer of his desk and pulled out the island directory, looking in the business section. “I’ll send a bunch of flowers to her studio. She has massage clients today, but then I’ll take her out for dinner. Maybe Shane can sit us at the chef’s table?” He glanced up at John.
“That’s awfully short notice for the chef’s table,” John said, “but it’s the slow season. I’ll call and make those arrangements. Does this mean we’ll go over the budget tomorrow instead?”
“I’m going to rush to finish it before I leave for dinner,” Quinn said. “I might have to work all through the night tomorrow, but I’ll get everything done. Don’t worry, okay.”
John’s eyebrows narrowed. “I am worried, son, but not about budgets. You do realize your happiness is more important than this project, don’t you? This could happen next year instead if it needed to.”
Sure, he said that, but it didn’t make it true. What Quinn did or didn’t do affected the whole family, their fortune, and everyone’s future. He couldn’t brush it aside for a birthday, even if it was for the most wonderful woman Quinn had ever known.
“Don’t worry. I can do it all.”
***
Larissa rinsed the conditioner from her hair and then lifted her left arm, carefully probing her breast and looking for any changes since the last time she checked. She tried not to be too obsessive about looking, but she also held her breath every month with fear. If she ever found another lump, it would likely mean removing the breast. After everything she’d be
en through, that was the last thing she wanted.
Fortunately, everything felt normal, and Larissa let out a sigh of relief. Just for completeness’ sake, she checked the right breast too, but she never worried so much there. It was her left one that betrayed her.
She prodded the area, catching her breath when she felt tenderness up near her armpit. It was probably nothing, but the tissue felt a bit harder in that area than she remembered.
“It’s the right side,” she said to herself, wincing when she touched it again. “I’m sure it’s fine.”
Too bad she didn’t really believe that. It had a lump, pretty large from the feel of it. She should have been checking over there more thoroughly. This spot had to be there longer than just this month.
Her legs trembled uncontrollably and Larissa slid down the shower wall to sit on the ground, tears splashing down her face. She sobbed helplessly. In a perfect world, she’d find out she was worried for nothing—the abnormal skin was normal breast changes. That’s what the doctors told her the first time she went in with the smaller lump on the left side.
‘You’re too young for cancer,’ her gynecologist had said. ‘We’ll test it to be sure, but at your age I’m sure it’s benign. Normal fibrous changes most likely. This is nothing to worry about.’
A mammogram, breast biopsy, surgery, and radiation treatments later, Larissa had lost her job, lost her fiancé, and her parents lost most of their money. Definitely not benign.
Shaking, the hopelessness overwhelming her, Larissa hugged her legs to her chest and cried herself out. The shower water ran cold before she gathered the energy to climb out and place a phone call to Dr. Peterson.
***
“Something elegant and beautiful,” Quinn said into the phone, talking to Tiffany, the saleslady at the boutique. “Maybe a bit daring. I want her to feel full on sexy.”
“And you want the dress delivered to her at your hotel room immediately?” Tiffany asked.
“Yeah. In fact, take a few choices and let her pick the one she wants. I’m sure she’s a size six, but I don’t know about shoes.”
“Sir, I’m good at my job. I’ll find her the perfect dress and all the accessories to go with it.”
Quinn glanced at the clock. “She’ll probably leave to work in less than an hour. Can you make this happen?”
“Yes, of course. I have the letter already written that you dictated, and I’ll bring over several necklaces to the office for you to choose from once I leave Larissa. Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. McCallister?”
“No, that’ll be good.” Quinn blew out a relieved breath. “Thanks for helping save my bacon.”
***
Larissa wiped at her face, nodding even though Dr. Peterson couldn’t see her through the phone. “Thank you for fitting me in. I’ll see you as soon as my last client leaves. Around three.”
“Try to relax, Larissa. Everything is fine. The chance of this being anything serious is small.”
“Sure it is.”
A knock sounded on the door of the hotel suite.
“I have to go, Dr. Peterson. I’ll see you at three.”
Larissa hung up the phone. Wiping her face a second time as the person knocked again. She didn’t want to face anyone. Heck, she didn’t even know how she’d make it through her work day. It was hard to take comfort in the fact that the lump was probably nothing. Even though that was true, she couldn’t stop feeling scared.
She pulled open the door to see a pretty blonde standing on the other side, her arms full of black bags.
“Larissa?” the girl asked.
“Yes, I’m Larissa. Can I help you?”
She pulled an envelope off the top bag and handed it to her. “Mind if I come in and set these down?”
Larissa stepped back and unsealed the envelope while Blondie pushed past her.
Inside was a paper with a short note.
To the love of my life,
Happy Birthday, beautiful. I’m sorry I had to leave before you woke up, but I made plans for your special day. Tiffany is there to help you pick whatever dress you like best, and then we have reservations to sit at the chef’s table tonight at 7:30. I’ll be home to pick you up at 7:00.
Your loving boyfriend
The handwriting was entirely too loopy to belong to Quinn, or any man for that matter. Larissa suspected Tiffany wrote the letter for Quinn. He might have forgotten about her birthday to begin with, but he was making up for it in a big way, it seemed. A new dress and a fancy dinner.
Somehow, she had to figure out how to go to her appointment with Dr. Peterson and then get in the frame of mind to celebrate. Quinn was making an effort.
She wouldn’t let anything spoil this night.
Chapter Twenty-Two
It took special powers for Quinn to refrain from throwing his computer across the office. He clenched his hands into tight fists. What in the hell had happened? His figures weren’t adding up. Something had to have been added wrong in one of the columns, but he’d gone through line by line, trying to figure out where the error was. He couldn’t very well give his dad a budget if nothing added up.
He slammed his head against the desk, rubbing his knuckles into the corners of his eyes. He was too tired. That was the problem. Once he hurt his leg and missed those days of work, he should have been honest with his dad right there. It was nearly impossible for Quinn to finish this in time.
Now he would miss more work to take Larissa to dinner. He was awfully tempted to call her and cancel. After all, she’d have a birthday next year when he wasn’t facing such a tight deadline.
“Are you sleeping?”
Quinn startled at his sister’s amused question and lifted his head to glare at her. “What are you doing here? I’m busy.”
She walked into the room, sitting in the spare chair and flipping light brown hair over her shoulder. “I just saw Dad. He says you have a problem.”
“He knows I’m having trouble getting the budget to add up?”
Sydney’s mouth fell open in a ‘o’ of surprise. “Budgets aren’t adding up and you forgot your girlfriend’s birthday? Quinn, what am I going to do with you?”
Great. Was Dad going to tell everyone in the family that he’d nearly screwed up with Larissa big time? “What are you here for?”
“Don’t sound so ungrateful.” She crossed her legs and leaned closer to the desk. “I’m here to make your troubles go away.”
He grimaced. “You got some magic pixy dust in your purse? What I need is more time.”
“Or help from someone really good at balancing a budget,” she replied. “Lucky for you, I don’t go back to New York until Monday. I’ll keep working while you spend the evening with Larissa, so tell me what to do. I’m all yours.”
Relief flooded through him. Perhaps he could do both things after all. “Thanks, Syd. You’re a life saver.”
***
Larissa sat in the examination room, waiting for the doctor to show up. Betty had already taken her vital signs and handed Larissa an oh-so-stylish hospital robe, instructing her to strip down to the waist. Now, Larissa sat in the air conditioned room, freezing while she waited for yet another person to walk in and determine whether or not her world was about to fall apart.
She didn’t have to wait long.
Dr. Peterson came in, rolling a machine in front of him with Betty trailing behind. “You doing okay?” he asked.
Larissa shrugged. “It’s been a rough day, worrying about this. Just tell me everything is fine so I can go to dinner with Quinn and have a good night. Then I’ll be happy.”
“Let’s hope I can do that.” He offered a professional, everything’s good here, doctor smile—which did nothing to reassure her. “Lie back on the table, Larissa. We’ll do an exam first. If I feel there’s anything to be cautious about, we’ll do an ultrasound to make sure it’s all fine. I know the first step is normally a mammogram, but we can’t do that on the island.”
Betty
leaned toward Larissa, offering a sympathetic smile that seemed more genuine than her husband’s. “As young as you are, they’d probably send you for an ultrasound after the mammogram anyway. We’re saving a step and can get this figured out faster.”
Larissa tried to smile back, but her heart wasn’t in it. She followed Dr. Peterson’s instructions on moving her gown and stared at the ceiling while he did the examination. She wanted to pretend she was anywhere but here, having a virtual stranger grope her breasts. However, considering the last time she went through this process the diagnosis was cancer, she had a hard time thinking of anything but that—and how scared she felt.
Dr. Peterson pressed against the area Larissa found earlier, spending enough time in that spot that Larissa knew she hadn’t imagined the lump. There was something there.
“I think we should do the ultrasound,” he said. “Are you okay with that?”
It was happening all over again. She had cancer.
Larissa nodded her head numbly in agreement, wishing she had told Quinn about the appointment. It was easier to get bad news with someone holding her hand besides a nurse she didn’t even know well. The last time her mother had been by her side. It felt weird doing it alone.
Then again, work kept Quinn busy. He must have rearranged his schedule already to take her to dinner tonight. If she had to be alone at one of her appointments, she’d rather it be here on the island. If Dr. Peterson decided she needed to go for more testing, she wanted Quinn with her for that.
While Betty plugged in the machine they brought with them, Dr. Peterson squirted goop on the end of the wand and brought it to her chest. Familiar with the process and knowing she wouldn’t have a clue what the black and gray patches meant on the monitor’s screen, Larissa closed her eyes and tried to ignore the discomfort when the doctor dug the wand in at various places.
He murmured things softly to Betty about when to take pictures, but none of it meant anything to Larissa. She already knew the verdict. It would be cancer, and there was nothing she could do about it.
After what felt like an eternity, Dr. Peterson stopped pressing against her. “Good job, Larissa. We have what we need.” He handed her a towel.
Happy Endings Page 16