Chapter 53
I drewmy lips away and made eye contact with Ethan. His vulnerability was clear on his face. Pain and fear were part of his life. I’d do what I could to erase it. I caressed his cheek. “I know we don’t have forever. But I don’t want to waste what we do have.”
“Me either,” he said.
I needed to love Ethan as much as I could for the next two months. And because I never said I wasn’t selfish, I needed to soak up as much of his love as I could to get me through the rest of my life. I wanted him to stay, but I wasn’t going to stand in the way of his dreams.
“Ethan,” Rose yelled. “Come and watch Timmy.”
And I guess I’d have to share him.
We walked down the stairs hand in hand. Poor Timmy hadn’t come out all day after Max had been taken away. When the kids had arrived home, he’d gone to each of them to make sure they were OK, then never strayed far from them. When Ethan had come home, Timmy had sat with him for hours on end.
Bailey and Rose were waist-deep in the water, holding the board Timmy was standing on. They walked alongside him as they moved the board through the water. He balanced himself perfectly over the little waves. When they turned the board around and gave it a push, he surfed all the way in. When it hit the sand, the little ball of orange wearing a makeshift life jacket jumped into the water and ran to us.
Rose clapped. “That’s the furthest he’s gone by himself.”
Ethan bent down to pick him up and winced. Regardless of the pain, he grabbed Timmy and lifted him, giving him ear rubs. Timmy nuzzled into him. Ethan breathed deeply and winced again. Damn. The doctor said it would take six weeks for his ribs to heal. By then his stay would be coming to an end. We would be coming to an end. My chest tightened.
* * *
Ethanand I were standing in the kitchen, making bacon and eggs for breakfast.
“I don’t know why you get the queen bed. I’m the one who needs to share a bed with Timmy,” Rose said from Bailey’s room. He’d moved back in there a week ago, and this was a constant argument. The house next door was finally finished but it didn’t matter. Ethan wouldn’t be moving there.
“Like he takes up so much space.”
The toast popped up and I buttered it.
“He does. He likes to stretch out.” She glared at Bailey.
“He shares the bed with me too and we don’t have any issues.”
“Because you have a queen bed,” Rose said. Her tone implied that Bailey was an idiot.
Ethan served out the bacon and eggs. “We could just move the other queen bed in from next door for Rose.”
“You indulge her too much.” I failed at hiding my smile.
It was a good idea, though. Especially if it meant we didn’t need to hear about fairness and equality and favouritism for another four weeks, or ever.
“I’ll call Jack after breakfast to see if he can help,” I said.
“I’m sure we can manage.”
It had been six weeks, but moving furniture still seemed excessive for someone recovering from fractured ribs.
“Why don’t we see how you feel after our swim today?”
He nodded. Swimming with sea lions could be intense with sudden and jerky movements if they wanted to play. He might not feel up to it after that.
“Breakfast,” I yelled out as I set the plates on the table.
Rose sat down at the table first. “I?—”
“I don’t want to hear it,” I said, holding up my hand.
She sank back into her chair and pouted.
“Ethan suggested we bring over the other queen bed from next door for you,” I said.
She sat up straight and looked at Ethan. “Can we, Ethan?”
Not can we Mum. Oh no, I didn’t count anymore.
Bailey rolled his eyes. “Now who’s the favourite?”
“Shut up. You were the favourite first.”
Ethan looked between them with tight lips. He’d mastered the stern dad look, alright. “If you’re not careful, both of you will have single beds.”
Bailey screwed his face up at his sister. She poked her tongue out. Ethan held in his laughter. I would miss this simple family time together. I’d miss Ethan more than I was willing to think about. We finished the meal in peace and then headed out to the boat. Ethan had tried swimming with the sea lions two weeks ago, but it had been too much for him. He was sure today was the day.
We anchored in our usual spot. Most of the older sea lions paid us no attention, but a few juveniles perked their heads up. Rose and Bailey jumped in and turned back to the boat.
“Come on, Ethan,” Rose said.
Bailey looked at him with expectation.
He tore off his shirt, sat on the stairs, and pushed off from the boat. No sea lions had come in yet. Ethan swam after Rose and caught her leg. She squealed. It was Bailey’s turn next. He was faster than Rose, who cheered Ethan on. I hopped in the water and swam in the other direction. They had too much energy for this time of the morning.
Ethan left them and swam over to me. He took me by the waist and pulled me towards him, a tentative smile lifting his lips. “Jasmine Taylor, I love you with every fibre of my being.” He kissed me while we tread water. His tongue exploring like he was probing the depths of me. The parts of me no one else ever saw, the parts no one was interested in seeing.
Water whooshed past us. We broke apart. A sea lion was circling us. I looked closer at the scarred fin. It was Angelo. He nudged Ethan, swam away and came back again.
Ethan laughed. “Finally, the seal of approval.”
Angelo nudged him again and Ethan swam after him in a game of chasey. I’d always prided myself on not needing a man, but I needed Ethan. Every part of me needed him. But I wouldn’t tell him that. We’d always known our time was limited. It wouldn’t be fair to put that pressure on him.