by Taylor Hart
Walker turned and looked at the ocean. He let out a long breath. “You gonna give me some advice, bro? You gonna tell me some eternal wisdom you think I need to hear from you?” Sure, he was being a jerk, but he didn’t care.
Grant shook his head. “Nope.”
“Good,” Walker said quickly, hating all this anger he felt. Hating how hurt he felt. Hating that he’d had that stupid dream last night.
“I talked to her last night,” Grant said quietly, staring out at the ocean.
Walker didn’t want to ask. He didn’t want to know. But he had to know. It was a need. “So what?”
Grant scoffed and took another sip. “O-kay.”
Both of them stood there for a few more moments, not speaking.
Finally, Walker finished the water and plunked the ball onto the counter hard. “You better start talking before I slam that pretty face into the wall and you can’t act anymore.”
A small smile played at the edges of Grant’s lips.
Walker shoved him in the shoulder. “Speak!” It was what they’d always done to each other since they were little and had a dog and laughed at how the dog would bark when they said it.
Grant still smiled. “You really want to know?”
The one quality he hated about Grant was his smugness. “If you don’t tell me what the heck she said, your butt will be on the ground in T minus zero seconds.”
Grant laughed. “Touchy, bro. Hmm, it seems you might care more about Scarlett than you’re letting on.”
Walker could feel his blood boiling, and he thought how good it would feel to introduce his fist to his brother’s face.
“Fine.” Grant threw his hands up. He cleared his throat and looked both ways before leaning in. “She was a wreck last night. When I went to her room, she spilled her guts about everything between you guys—the carnival and soap carving.” Another smile played at his lips.
Walker wasn’t in the mood for the teasing. He glared at him.
“She said she fell for you. She fell hard. But the cancer’s back, and she needs another surgery.”
Stumbling back, Walker braced himself on the bar. He’d heard them say she had cancer, but he hadn’t processed she would need another surgery.
Grant stepped to him, putting a hand of support on his shoulder. “Shh, bro, don’t freak out. She’s okay. She’s fine. The doctor just expected all the cells to be gone, but they’re not. So …”
It was like all the air had whooshed out of Walker. He couldn’t breathe for a second. He couldn’t speak. He—
“Breathe!” his brother commanded him.
He sucked in a breath and knew he was spiraling. “Get me out of here,” he whispered.
Grant took him by the arm, swiftly moving out of the opening by the dock, and rushed him toward his cabin. “What the hell is happening, bro? Do we need to go to the doctor?”
“No!” Walker’s brain was fuzzy, and it felt like bricks were stacking on the center of his chest. “Just get me to my cabin.”
Chapter 25
Scarlett waited with the rest of the wedding party at the platform the resort had set up. There was a red carpet that spread down through rows of guests. Everyone was there except Walker.
It’d been hard that morning to do pictures and poses and smile. It hadn’t just been hard. It’d been smothering.
After the blowout last night, Liz had announced she was leaving her father. Distastefully, she’d pinched her lips as she’d walked out and said, “It turns out it’s not that glamorous to be married to a movie producer.”
Surprisingly, her father had come to her later. He asked for her forgiveness and told her he wanted to be part of her life. They had a long talk until late into the night.
Kurt had come to her door too, but she’d told them they were done.
Now, she thought about how Walker hadn’t come. He hadn’t even tried to text. Nope. During pictures, he hadn’t even looked at her. Of course, she hadn’t tried to talk to him either. There were fifty walls back up between them, and she didn’t know where to start.
Reeling from the news the night before felt hard enough. She would have another surgery next week. The worst part of the day had been the look on his face when she’d shouted to everyone that it was all fake.
Truthfully, she hadn’t known if he would show this morning or not. He was the type of guy who didn’t put on shows. His natural state wasn’t acting for the crowd.
That’s what she liked about him the most. That it was hard for him to pretend. She lived in a world of pretenders, and sometimes, it felt like she didn’t know if she was pretending or not.
Scarlett felt his presence nearby before she saw him. Nervously, she shot him a glance. He was looking straight ahead. He had his “soldier” face on. She wanted to tease him about it, but she couldn’t.
The music changed to the wedding march, and everyone in the party straightened and began heading down the red carpet. Tami and Victor linked arms, as did Kurt and Marissa. Scarlett slipped her arm through Walker’s, and he let her.
As they walked down the aisle, she saw tons of Hollywood people. Of course, all of her father’s precious people would be here. But she saw Charlene’s family too. She put on the perfect smile and nodded at people. She could do this, get through this. She was an actress.
But when she thought of never seeing Walker after today, a dagger of pain stabbed at her heart. How was it that he knew more about her in roughly five days than Kurt had ever known? Than she’d even known? It was like he’d always been able to see the real her.
They were nearing the end, and she didn’t know if this was the last time she’d be next to him. The last time she’d smell his Irish scent, the last time …
She turned to him. “Walker.”
The soldier face stayed in place.
“I need to talk to you after.”
Glancing at her, he gave her a little shake of the head. “I’ll finish this and then we’re done.”
Those two words sank into the pit of her stomach, and she felt like she would faint.
Walker put his arm around her and pulled her closer. “Are you okay?”
Sucking in air, she told herself she wouldn’t cause a scene or make problems today. This was her brother’s day. Charlene’s day. She nodded, and he let go of her, giving her a look that betrayed how much he cared.
Once they reached the priest, the men and women filed off to separate sides. Scarlett sucked in another breath, feeling hope. He definitely still cared.
After the beautiful ceremony and Brent dipped Charlene and the crowd clapped, Scarlett met Walker’s eyes. He stood there clapping, his eyes on her. So many thoughts lurked behind those eyes.
The crowd dispersed as the happy couple moved back down the red carpet toward the large tent set up for dinner and dancing. In the hubbub, Scarlett was startled when her father spoke up next to her, holding out his arm. “Come on, dear. Let’s go sit.”
Tentatively, she took his arm. It was weird that her father was acting so nice.
He reached in his pocket and pulled out a small roll. “I took this from the food tent. Can you eat a bit? I bet it would make you feel better.”
Taking the roll and feeling like she was in an upside-down version of life, she turned and saw Walker moving away from the people, heading to where Grant was waiting for him.
Wait, was he leaving? No. No. No. This couldn’t be it. This couldn’t be over. “I’ll be right back.”
Rushing off, she moved toward Walker and Grant, who were moving down the beach quickly. She had to kick off her heels and run to catch up to them. “Hey!”
Grant saw her coming. His eyes locked with hers. Perceptively, he shook his head. After being his co-star for nine months, she knew what he was saying. Not now, don’t do this. But she had to do it. There was no time left.
“Walker!” she called out, already feeling emotion bubbling into her chest.
He stopped, but he didn’t turn back.
&n
bsp; “Walker!” she said loudly, catching up to him. They were far enough away from the guests that no one heard them.
Slowly, almost like it was painful, his blue eyes met hers.
She felt like she’d felt the first time she’d met him—angry! “So that’s it! You just walk away, and that’s all?” She was shouting, but she couldn’t stop herself. Tears were already running down her cheeks.
Weariness crept over his face. “That was the deal.” His voice was quiet. “It was all fake, so why should it matter, right?”
Sucking in a breath, she wanted … what did she want? She blinked, and more tears fell. She knew she’d hurt him last night. “I’m sorry for what I said.”
For a millisecond, she saw the real him. Then he let out a snort and raked a hand down his face. “No,” he said. “You were right. I am the fake fiancé. It was four days. The end.”
She crossed the distance between them and held his forearm. “No, no, no. It wasn’t an act. I wasn’t fake. This was the most real thing I’ve ever experienced.” Her voice was a whisper.
Time stood still as they gazed into each other’s eyes, and she thought he might cave. He might go back to being the real him. But he shook his head and retreated a step. “Is the cancer back?”
This wasn’t what she expected him to ask. “I … that’s what the results show.”
“Are you having surgery?” There was desperation in his voice.
She blinked. “Yes.”
He stared into her eyes, then he turned away.
“You didn’t dance with me,” she said, tears streaming down her face. Traitorous, stupid tears. This couldn’t be it. “You didn’t dance with me.”
Squeezing his eyes shut, he shook his head and started to walk away. “’Cause I don’t want the house.”
“What?” she asked, running next to him.
He stopped. “I don’t want the stupid lake house.”
“Then what do you want?” she blurted.
Anguish filled his face and she saw tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry … I can’t.”
Scarlett wouldn’t let him go that easily. “No. No, you can. You can. We can do this. I want you in my life. I need you in my life.” She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “Walker, stay. Stay with me. Be with me.”
Just as Walker started to pull away, Grant spoke up. “Dude, stop.”
Scarlett trembled. She hated this, hated that everything had changed. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I said that. Please, just stay.”
Cringing, he squeezed his eyes shut. “I can’t. I’m sorry. I can’t watch another woman I love die.”
She stared at him, horrified.
“What the hell, dude?” Grant scowled at him.
“I’m leaving!” Walker shouted, stalking past him. “Don’t follow me!”
She couldn’t believe this. This scene was from a movie, and it wasn’t supposed to happen to her character. She laughed, the sound weird and strange and angry. Gripping the roll in her hand, she chased him. “Walker! Walker, are you serving me breakfast?”
He stopped and swung back to face her, anger in his eyes.
Feeling wild, she threw the roll at him. “No … I’m serving you breakfast!”
The roll didn’t reach him. It fell lamely into the beach.
The look that swept over his face wasn’t one she recognized, but she didn’t wait to talk to him. Instead, she rushed back to the wedding, and her heart broke as she decided she never wanted to see Walker Kent again.
Chapter 26
1 week later
Walker jolted awake, hearing a loud banging on his grandfather’s cabin door.
“Idiot! Open up!” It was Grant.
Walker wanted to pull the covers back over his head and forget the killer hangover he had. After getting on a plane and coming to his grandfather’s place, getting drunk hadn’t seemed like a bad idea. Too bad he’d felt like doing it all week. He hadn’t even been to the lake to row. “Go away!” he yelled.
More banging. “I can do this all day, bro, and from the pile of beer cans in the trash bags out front, I can tell you probably love this.”
He cursed and got up, throwing the blankets back and moving to the front door in his boxer shorts. He unlocked the door and threw it back. “No one’s asking for your opinion!”
Grant stood there, his peroxide blond hair dreads and overly tanned body making him look like some surfer caveman.
Walker flipped him the bird. “Go away.”
Grant shoved his way through the door, pushing Walker hard in the chest. “Do you know what an idiot you are? Do you know how embarrassed I was to be your brother and have you treat her that way?”
Walker didn’t want to deal with this. He needed a drink. Turning, he moved to the refrigerator, yanked back the door handle, and reached in. “Want one, bro?”
Grant must have developed super speed or something, because before Walker could grab a beer, Grant slammed the fridge door shut.
Walker yanked back his arm. “Oww!” he thundered, but the sound hurt his head, and all of his anger was focused on the pain in his forearm.
Grant pushed him up against the kitchen wall, holding him back with both hands, staring into his eyes. “What the hell is wrong with you? I haven’t been able to get ahold of you. I had to fly back for one more scene, but you haven’t answered any calls or texts.”
Walker was past fighting. He let out a sigh. “Don’t know where the phone is, bro, but if you don’t get your hands off me, you’ll regret it.” Truthfully, he wasn’t in any shape for a fight with his brother. He’d hardly eaten all week, living off beer. It had finally caught up to him, and he felt awful.
Grant’s lip tugged up into a sneer. “She’s getting surgery tomorrow.”
Suddenly, Walker was alert. Her face flashed into his mind, and pain ripped through his chest.
“Bro!”
Walker couldn’t take it anymore. He crumpled into his brother’s arms.
Grant stumbled, then supported him. “It’s okay.”
It felt like all of the other deaths were mixing with this one.
For a few moments, Grant held him. “It’s okay. It has to be okay. She’s going to be okay.”
Walker pushed back past him then. “You don’t know that! You don’t know that!” He rushed out of the front door and down the little cabin steps out to the dock.
“Walker!”
He grabbed the canoe and picked it up, heaving it into the water.
Grant was running to catch up with him. “Idiot! You’re still in your boxers!”
Walker grabbed the paddles and threw them into the canoe. “I don’t care!” All he could think about was Scarlett standing next to him on the shore of her lake house in his dream, of the way her belly had been extended. He cursed. Why had he had that dream?
His mind went back to Laura. She’d been so young, too young to die. And Tams. And his mother!
“You’re pathetic!” Grant stood at the edge of the dock, staring down at him. “You’re a coward.”
Walker thought about Scarlett, thought about making a sand castle with her at the beach that day. He squeezed his eyes shut. “Just go away!”
Grant didn’t let up, getting in his face. “You’re so afraid of facing the fact that you let someone in again. You’re so afraid of being close to someone that you run away!” he shouted, his breath so close Walker could feel it on his face.
“She is dying!” he yelled back at Grant.
There was a moment of ugly silence between them, the kind that might precede a nuclear explosion. Then Grant leaned back and rubbed a hand over his face. “We’re all freaking dying, man! We are all dying.”
Walker clenched a hand into a fist and wanted to just hit Grant to get him away. Wanted to feel his knuckles against Grant’s face. Wanted to end death.
Grant let out a long breath. “I know you lost Laura, Mom—”
“Tams.” Walker’s voice was quiet.
“Tams.” Grant nodd
ed. “We lost Dad, too.”
Walker flinched, thinking about his father. About all the times his father had come home from an assignment and went right to the ground, playing with him and all his brothers. Tears pricked at his eyes.
Grant put a hand on his shoulder. “We could lose anybody, at any time. We don’t … We don’t get to control everything. We just don’t get that.”
Walker blinked and barked out a laugh. “Dude, your pep talk pretty much sucks right now.”
Grant squeezed his shoulder.
Walker shrugged. “Then what do we get? Then what is it all for?”
Hesitating, Grant considered the question. Then he pulled back his hand. “We get right now. We get this moment. We get all the moments granted to us by God’s grace. That’s all we get, bro.”
Walker met Grant’s eyes.
“I remember when Laura died and we were worried about you. Do you know what Mama said?”
Walker thought of his mama and he shook his head.
Grant swallowed and hugged him. “She said you might be the biggest of the Kent brothers, but you had the most tender heart. That when you had loved Laura so much, when she died, it almost took you with her because your heart was intertwined with hers. That’s what’s happened now, bro.”
Walker couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. Grant was right … and, of course, his mama was right. “I have to go to her.”
Grant pounded his back and then pulled away. “Now that’s the Walker Kent I know.”
Walker took off to the cabin, thinking of how he could get there the fastest. “Call Zane!” he yelled over his shoulder. “I need a ride!”
Chapter 27
Scarlett lay in bed at the hospital in New York. Her father sat next to her, holding her hand. Her brother and Charlene stood on the other side.
It’d been the kind of week that left Scarlett speechless. She’d fallen in love, had the cancer return, had the guy leave her, and she and her father were reconciled. How did that happen?