Page 106 of Until August

I shook my head.

“He was born with a congenital heart defect. Not the same as Sage. But he didn’t make it.”

Fuck. My worst nightmare. “I’m sorry about your nephew.” And I meant it. I might not be Travis’ biggest fan, but nobody should have to go through something like that.

“Yeah.” He rolled out his shoulders as if trying to shake off the memory. But unfortunately, it didn’t work that way. “I saw firsthand what something like that can do to families. And I wanted to do something to help other parents in a similar situation. So I set up a charity to help kids like Sage and their parents. When I ran into Sasha at a surf expo, she told me about Sage. So I put her in contact with my charity organization.” He gave me a pointed look to make sure I was following.

He wanted to make it clear that he hadn’t paid off the debts. His charity organization had.

“A few months later, she called to thank me,” he continued. “She wasn’t ready for a relationship yet, and I wasn’t looking for one either. But ever since I ran into her, I couldn’t stop thinking about Sage and wondering how he was doing. So Sasha invited me to Sage’s fourth birthday party, and I gave him his first surfboard. My buddy Shane made it especially for him, and as soon as he saw it….” Travis smiled and shook his head. “You should have seen his face. He was fucking over the moon.”

“I can only imagine,” I said drily. Because once again, that was all I could do—imagine it. “Are you trying to rub salt in the wound? I get it. You were there when I wasn’t.”

He let out a weary sigh like I was testing his limited patience. “I’m trying to tell you that Sasha and I started out as just friends. We got together because of Sage. I just thought you should know that. Although now I’m questioning why the hell I bothered explaining anything to you.”

I ran my hand over my jaw, considering his words. He was being decent. Giving me more of an explanation than I probably deserved.

But I still hated that he—or his charity organization—had to bail out Sasha. Guess that was my ‘stupid male pride,’ but it should have been my job, and it was another reminder of how much I’d failed.

“Whyareyou telling me this?” I thought to ask.

“I was pissed that you upset Sasha the other day, and I was planning to hunt you down and kick your ass,” he admitted. “But Shane talked me out of it. He thought you had a right to know the deal.”

I’d have to thank Shane. He didn’t know me, yet he was in my corner again, fighting for me.

I sized up Travis. He was built like a surfer. Lean and toned, and a few inches shorter than me. With a face that looked as if it had been carved from granite. But he didn’t look like a fighter. “Pretty sure you wouldn’t be able to kick my ass.”

His eyes narrowed. “Mess with my wife again, and we’ll see about that.”

I had no interest in messing withhiswife. So I let that go and focused on the more pressing issue. “Why Hawaii? Your friends are here. Your life is here too.”

“My brother moved to Hawaii with his wife and daughter last year. I’d like to be closer to them.”

Fuck. Double fuck. Not the answer I was hoping for. Travis had family there, so moving to Hawaii was more than a whim. He had a good reason to be there.

“I can’t move to Hawaii even if I wanted to. I have to stay in the state.” I didn’t spell it out, but I’m sure he understood what I was saying. Yet another reminder that I was an ex-con. The consequences kept piling up, making a difficult situation even more impossible.

I lowered my head and rubbed the back of my neck. “Don’t take him away from me.” My eyes met his glacial blues. “Please,” I added.

Short of dropping to my knees and folding my hands in prayer, I was all but begging him. In the past, I’d never begged or pleaded with anyone. But ever since I’d gotten out of prison, it felt like I was begging for every scrap of luck thrown my way.

So now here I was, asking my son’s stepdad to have mercy on me and stay in California.

Travis sighed and shook his head. “I can’t promise you that.”

With those words, he turned and walked away, leaving me with a heart-sized hole in my chest. I rubbed it, trying to ease the ache as my gaze drifted to the water.

Sage was floating on a wave, hands tucked under his head like he was lounging on the sofa. Weightless. Unencumbered by life’s heavy burdens.

My chilled-out little boy was at home in the water, and he had everything I’d ever wanted for him—health, happiness, love, and a carefree childhood.

What more could a father want for his son? Not a damn thing.

Even so, I had no intention of letting him go without a fight. But I’d cross that bridge when we came to it.

For now, I’d just have to hope that Travis found more reasons to stay than to leave.

With a heavy heart, I retraced my steps to the restaurant, thinking about how funny life was. Travis and Sasha’s paths had crossed again years later, and so had mine and Nicola’s. Our stories ran in weird parallels.