His low chuckle made her smile. “Something else happened today, I should say.” He withdrew from her, shifted onto his back and then reached for her, snuggling her into his embrace. “Noah heard from my dad. Apparently, he has leukemia and needs a bone marrow transplant. He’s asked if we’d be willing to be tested.”

“Oh. Wow. What do you think about that?”

“Truthfully? I think he can go fuck himself.”

“I can certainly understand why you feel that way. What did Noah say?”

“Not much, but he never has much to say about anything.”

“So you won’t get tested?”

“Hell no. I couldn’t care less if he lives or dies.”

Emma thought about that, trying to see it from his point of view. So much had fallen to him after his father left the family, and he was rightfully bitter about that.

“What’re you thinking?” he asked after a long silence.

“I don’t want to presume to know you better than you know yourself…”

“It’s okay to say what’s on your mind. I want your opinion. That’s why I told you.”

“I understand completely why you feel the way you do about him. You have every good reason to despise him.”

“But?”

“You’re a good and decent man, Grayson. Would you be able to live with yourself if you ignore his request and he dies?”

His deep sigh answered for him.

“There’s no judgment from me if you say you could live with that outcome. I’m just playing devil’s advocate here.”

“I hate that I feel obligated to do this, whether I want to or not, for that very reason.”

“It’s a simple test, right? Have the test and go on with your life, knowing you were the better man. You and he would both know it was more than he deserved from you.”

“You’re right,” he said with a sigh, “and I guess that’s what I’ll do. None of his siblings were a match, so chances are none of us will be either.”

“Your younger siblings will be looking to you for direction on this.”

“I know. If I do it, they will, too. And if I don’t…”

“You have to do it, Grayson. His life is on the line. You don’t have to see him or talk to him to be tested.”

“That’s true.” He gave her arm a squeeze. “Thanks for listening.”

“Any time.”

“Even when you’re in New York and I’m way up here?”

“Even then.”

“I’m going to miss you like crazy.”

“I’ll miss you, too.”

“Could I come visit you and Simone?”

“I wish you would.”

“I will. As soon as possible.”

“I should go back to the Abbotts’.”

“Not yet,” he said, tightening his hold on her. “I’m not ready to let you go.”

“We can’t fall asleep here.”

“We won’t.”