He sighed and shook it. “Rylan said the lei wouldn’t work, but I tried.”

“Tell me about your trip.”

He expounded on the virtues of scuba diving with a trained guide, told her about swimming with his uncle and messing up Adam’s chances with a lifeguard, and showed her a handful of shells he’d bought at a gift store.

They talked for quite a while, the young boy and nearly thirty-year-old woman with little in common, and laughed and enjoyed themselves before Sam had to turn in.

Justine stared at the night sky, not so sad anymore, and hoped that Xavier soon came to his senses. Or she might just be tempted to wait until Sam turned twenty-five and take him out for real.

CHAPTER 39

Wednesday evening, Xavier stared in shock at Adam’s youngest nephew. Cute Sam with his crush on Justine didn’t hold a candle to the angry kid reading him the riot act for making Justine cry.

“Yeah, and now she’s moving away.”

“Wait. Seriously?” How had his not-breakup turned breakup become a real thing? “She can’t leave.”

“Well, she is. Rosie’s coming back, and Justine has no job and no boyfriend.” Sam shot daggers at him. “What’s wrong with you?”

Xavier groaned. “I don’t know, Sam.”

Sam watched him then sighed. “I’m glad I’m not an adult. You people are stupid.” He then regaled Xavier with tales about dolphins he’d seen before leaving.

Xavier waited for the boy to depart the fountain area before admitting to himself he’d made a huge mistake. A lot of introspection, a short discussion with Rosie last night on the phone, and time spent talking to Ava at the office and getting a gentle, therapeutic rebuke had put him on the path to owning up to his mistakes.

That was if it wasn’t too late.

He hurried upstairs and saw his sister rushing into Benji’s place and slamming the door behind her. That he’d discuss with her later.

He banged on Justine’s door and jumped back when it was yanked open.

“What?” Justine growled, looking haphazard in shorts and a ragged Tee. “Oh, Xavier. Hi.”

He freaked out at thoughts of her leaving. “Oh fuck. I love you. Now we need to talk.”

She stared at him wide-eyed, and he had to move her back to enter, shutting the door behind him. “I’m sorry. I heard you cried over me.”

Her eyes narrowed. “That little punk. I did not. Well, maybe. It was everything hitting me at once.” She poked him in the chest. “And I know I said you didn’t have to say it back, but it hurt when you didn’t.”

“I know.” He groaned and reached for her, and like the giving, loving woman she was, she hugged him back just as tightly. “I’m sorry, Justine. I realized I have a huge issue involving relationships and love and trust. It’s past trauma from my dad dying and leaving my mom and us kids a mess.” He groaned and sniffed her hair, relaxing into her arms. “What’s even worse is Auggie understood me more than I understood myself. I’m never going to live that down.”