Page 78 of So Now You're Back

‘Habit, I guess. She’s been sick for a long time. And sometimes it’s easier not to bother telling people. They tend to think you’re either a charity case or a martyr. I hate that, because I’m neither.’

She didn’t challenge him. ‘What’s wrong with her?’

‘She has primary progressive MS. She’s had it for ten years.’ He recited the medical details that had been his life for so long, but that he’d never shared with anyone unless he had to. She listened patiently, without interrupting. And, for once, he didn’t feel the need to hide the truth.

‘I used to be able to look after her at home. But she had to move to the hospice four months ago because she needed round-the-clock care. I thought it would be quick once she was there. That’s what the doctors said. But it hasn’t been.’

He could hear the resentment in his tone and wondered if she could hear it, too.

‘Does my mum know about her?’ she asked.

He studied her face, trying to assess her mood. Would she rat on him? He didn’t think so. He’d seen a side of her this past week that was nothing like the spoilt drama queen he’d accused her of being. But could he risk it?

‘No,’ he said at last, deciding he couldn’t lie to her. Not again. ‘I figured there was no way she’d give me the job if she knew I had all this going on,’ he added in his defence. But it still came out sounding dishonest. ‘I really wanted the job. I like Aldo. He’s a nice kid. And …’ He paused. He didn’t want to sound weird, or too needy. ‘And it was nice being part of a normal family for a change. Even if I was only an employee.’

Lizzie smiled, impossibly touched by his honesty. ‘You think we’re a normal family?’

The slow confidential tilt of his lips tugged at her stomach muscles. ‘Normal’s relative.’

‘Well, normal or not, you probably misjudged my mum. She would still have wanted you for the job. You’re brilliant with Aldo.’ For the first time, she didn’t feel remotely bitter about that.

‘It’s funny to hear you stick up for your mum.’ Her sense of achievement faltered. ‘You’re always so down on her.’

‘I know. I feel kind of ashamed of that now.’

How spoilt must she have looked to him over the past few months? When his own mother was dying, and she hadn’t been able to stop having a go at hers?

She stifled the thought.

No more pity parties.

‘Is that why you didn’t kiss me? Because you were worried my mum would find out? And sack you?’ How come she’d dismissed that possibility so easily? Showed how much attention she paid.

Trey was dedicated and conscientious. And mature. And so responsible.

Which was one of the things she found so sexy about him.

‘That was one of the reasons,’ he said.

‘What was the other?’

‘I was worried that if I started kissing you, I’d never be able to stop.’

Holy crap. Lizzie felt her eyes widening to saucer size. Seriously?

The tingle of awareness became a torrent when his gaze dipped to the drooping neckline of her sweatshirt. The long look made her breasts feel heavy, no mean feat when they were barely a B-cup.

His gaze slid back to hers, and she let out a breath. A necessity if she wanted to stay conscious with the large obstruction growing at an alarming rate in her throat.

She had a choice here. She could go for it. Or she could back off. Because she knew however much he might want to kiss her, Trey was not going to take the next step.

‘Restraint’, after all, was his middle name. Right after ‘Responsible’.

‘Do you want to test that theory?’ she asked on a husky murmur.

Good thing ‘restraint’ and ‘responsible’ weren’t even in her vocabulary.

‘Is it that obvious?’ he said, his voice a little choked.