The Family You Make (Sunrise Cove #1)

“Jane—”

“What is that amazing scent?”

Charlotte looked around. There was no one waiting to be seen. “Let’s take lunch.”

They went into the back, heated the container, then sat at the small staff table and shared the food.

“Mateo cooked this?” Jane asked after shoving in a few big bites. “You’re going to have to marry him, you do realize that, right?”

“It’s his mom’s cooking.”

“But he shared it with you.”

“Yes,” Charlotte said, unable to keep the small smile off her face.

Jane took in her expression and nodded with satisfaction, though the good humor didn’t make it all the way to her eyes. “He’s the One.”

Charlotte set her fork down. “You ready to talk?”

“No.”

“But you will anyway?”

Jane pushed the food back. “My grandpa has cancer.”

Charlotte felt the breath stutter in her throat. “Oh, Jane. I’m—”

“—Sorry?” Jane shook her head. “I am too.” She looked away. “I’m . . .” She stood up and paced the room. “I’m feeling a lot of things.”

“You’re angry,” Charlotte said softly.

“Damn right I am.”

“It’s one of the first emotions to hit with a cancer diagnosis.”

Jane stopped pacing, “I’m not one of your patient’s family members.”

Charlotte nodded. “Of course not. I’m sorry.”

Jane closed her eyes for a beat, then sighed. “No. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. He didn’t tell me about it. I wasn’t important enough to him. I had to find out on my own.”

Charlotte’s first thought was pain and fury for Jane, who’d started to trust her grandpa after a life filled with hard-earned mistrust of her family. If the man had been standing here, Charlotte could have killed him with her bare hands. Her second thought gave her an icy shiver. “Jane. Tell me you didn’t defy HIPAA—”

Jane’s face closed off and Charlotte’s heart took another hard kick. “Jane . . .” She broke off when her phone beeped. Work. She was needed in the OR stat.

“Go,” Jane said. “I’m fine.”

No, she wasn’t, but Charlotte had no choice. “I’ll call you soon as I can.”

Jane turned away and nodded, and Charlotte had to walk away. One of the hardest things she’d ever done.

JANE MOVED ROBOTICALLY through the rest of her shift. The second it was over, she went straight to her car and started driving. Charlotte had been right. She needed to talk this out with her grandpa. Without jumping to conclusions. It made perfect sense. It was the logical thing to do.

But here was the thing. She didn’t feel logical. Which undoubtedly was the reason that when she parked, she found herself at Levi’s house.

Probably because her heart knew what her brain had accepted: that in that moment, she needed Levi. She could feel the vibration of panic and anxiety just beneath her skin. She was scared and angry, and on the verge of losing it as she got out of her car.

Levi opened the door before she got to it. “You’re off early—” he started, but then his smile faded as he came down the steps to meet her. “What’s wrong?”

She bit down hard on her lip, but the tears came anyway, silently spilling down her cheeks.

“Are you hurt? Where?” He reached for her, reeling her in, eyes sharp as they ran over every inch of her.

“Not hurt,” she managed. “Just . . . I got some hard news, but I can’t say it yet.” Not without completely losing it. “I need a minute.”

His eyes were filled with a deep concern, and there was a grim set to his mouth as he gathered her into his arms and held her close, resting his cheek against the top of her head. “Whatever it is, Jane, I’m right here. We’ll deal with it.”

She had no idea how or why, but he never failed to strip her defenses away—a double-edged sword because oh, how she hated being vulnerable or seeming weak. But she fisted her hands in his shirt and held on tight.

They stood like that right in the middle of the front yard for a long moment, her a complete hot mess soaking up the comfort and peace she always found in his arms, him a solid, steady rock. And then suddenly she felt a gentle patting on her back from hands that weren’t Levi’s—which she knew because he had one hand cupping the back of her head, the other low on her spine.

And then yet a third person’s arms hugged her from behind.

“Jane?” It was Shirl. “Baby, what’s the matter?”

“Whatever it is, we got you,” Tess said.

“I’ve got an extra taco. Do you want it?” This was from Peyton, and Jane lifted her head to find that the entire Cutler family had come out of the woodwork to check on her.

The front door was still wide open, and from inside the house came the most delicious scent of Mexican food. She’d interrupted their dinner. She looked up and saw Hank waiting on the porch, clearly not wanting to crowd her. Peyton had a makeshift bib of a paper towel tucked into the neck of her sweater and a taco in one hand. Jasper was at her side, very gently and stealthily licking the taco shell.

“I’m sorry.” Jane swiped at her eyes. “I didn’t mean to interrupt a family dinner.”

“Honey, don’t you give it a second thought,” Shirl said. “Come inside, I’ve got food. And hot tea.”

“Yes,” Tess said. “And I’ve got something to lace the tea with.”

“For me too, Mommy?” Peyton asked.

“No, but you can have a lollipop.”

Levi looked at his mom and sister. There was a silent exchange, and then everyone nodded and went back inside except Levi. “We don’t have to go,” he said. “We can go somewhere else, anywhere you want, name it.”

She sniffed. “The food smells good.”

He smiled. “Here it is then. Talk, or food first?”

She’d never be able to eat until she got this out. “Talk.”

He offered her a hand, and together they walked inside. He pulled her through the crowd of his well-meaning family and up the stairs.