Tiny Island Summer Read Free Page A

flirty flings are fundamental.”
    “Your fantastic alliteration notwithstanding.” Darcy chuckled. “I don’t see it that way. Why bother if it isn’t serious? Why date someone if you don’t see a future? Why put yourself out there?”
    “I don’t want to start this fight again,” Char sighed. “But I have to say that being vulnerable isn’t a crime. And there is always something worth learning from every relationship.”
    Darcy’s cheeks burned and her eyes widened at the insinuation.
    “I didn’t mean like that. Everything isn’t sexual.” Char giggled, smacking her friend on the arm. “Although . . . you know . . . it’s nice to pick up a few things now and then.”
    Darcy fought to keep her arms at her side, but she longed to cover her ears and hide. Char had been her closest friend since college, but talking about her intimate life—or lack thereof—with anyone made her squeamish.
    “Look,” Char grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to stop. “Don’t be in a rush to discount someone because he doesn’t immediately check everything off your list, okay? You can’t expect perfection, and you wouldn’t want it either. Give people a chance, even if you can’t see it in the long-term. Let someone surprise you.”
    “Fine,” Darcy bit out through clenched teeth. “But can we please stop talking about this?”
    “For now,” Char agreed.

Chapter Two
    “No, that’s not going to work, Mom,” Ben replied, rubbing his temples with one hand as he held the phone to his ear with the other. “You can’t live on your own anymore, that’s the whole point.”
    “Honey, honestly. Go with your brother. Please don’t come here.”
    “I can’t do that. You know what the doctor said. You can’t be on your own.”
    “What if I get one of those live-in nurses?”
    “So now you’re willing to let a stranger into the house?” he asked with mock indignation.
    Ben’s hand tightened into a fist and he clenched his jaw to keep from saying something he’d regret. If you’d listened to me a month ago, when I’d suggested it, my life wouldn’t be upside down. Ben closed his eyes and forced himself to take in a deep breath and calm down.
    “I didn’t realize how limited my options were,” she said.
    “Mom, what do you want in all of this?” he asked, frustration adding exasperation to his voice.
    “I don’t want to be a burden. I’ve worked to be independent my whole life and this is humiliating.”
    “I get it,” Ben replied, getting up from his leather couch to slowly pace the hardwood floors of his living room.
    “No, honey, you don’t. I’m sorry to pull rank on you, but you don’t get it. There’s a lot you don’t get.”
    “Come on, Mom, we want the best for you. We all do.”
    Mom snorted at that. He didn’t blame her. His brothers hadn’t exactly been supportive or helpful. Ignoring what the doctors had to say about her health and what she wanted, they’d focused on silly, unimportant, material things. Ben only hoped they wouldn’t live to regret how they’d been acting, but he couldn’t fix them. He couldn’t fix her either. He could only help her, no matter how painful that might be.
    “They do too, Mom,” he whispered.
    “If they did, then I wouldn’t have to put this all on you.”
    “That’s not fair. If I didn’t want to do this, believe me I wouldn’t.”
    “Probably not. But I don’t want you to come live here. I don’t want you moving in. I already had eighteen years of that,” she joked.
    “That’s fine, but I’m coming to visit once a week.”
    He heard his mom sigh.
    “And that’s something you’re going to have to accept. I’ll be there. ” Ben furrowed his brow.
    He would have preferred having this talk in person. He needed to see her and her reactions and to emphasize his concerns with his body language and undeniable presence. Ben knew all too well how easy ignoring a disembodied voice over a telephone could be. He’d done