Lucas turned toward the ocean. He remembered being out there with Kate the week before, remembered the feel of her in his arms when she’d been sick. There’d been nothing fake about that.

“I’m telling Mom and Dad the truth.” Jamie turned to go.

Lucas grabbed her wrist. “Don’t, Jamie.” If their mom knew the marriage wasn’t real, there would be no holding back the resentment. She’d scare Kate away for good.

His sister whirled around. “Why shouldn’t I? You should’ve been honest to begin with instead of making us think your marriage was real.”

“It is real.”

“I’m not a baby, Lucas. I know your marriage is real on paper, but it’s not real in here.” She tapped her heart. “And that’s the only thing that counts.”

All those romance novels had gone to his sister’s head. Sometimes reality couldn’t live up to the happily-ever-afters in her books.

“Can you keep a secret?” Lucas asked.

Jamie stared at him, her green eyes squinting against the glare of the sun. She crossed her arms. “You know I don’t like secrets.”

She was growing up. He remembered a time when she’d collected secrets like seashells.

“This is personal. Like your feelings for Aaron. I’d never tell anyone about that.”

He could see her acquiescence in the way she tucked in the corners of her mouth. “What is it?”

Lucas glanced over his shoulder toward the house. Kate had gone inside. “Kate loved Bryan.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “She probably still loves him, for all I know. She married me because she was backed into a corner and I was her only way out.”

Jamie’s eyes softened, and her squared shoulders relaxed.

Lucas turned his face into the wind and let the salty breeze push his hair off his face. “But I had different reasons.” Lucas met Jamie’s gaze, then took his hand from his pocket and touched his heart. His eyes clung to Jamie’s, and he saw hers glaze over.

“It’s not a fake marriage.” His voice deepened with emotion. “I love her. I’d lay down my life for her if necessary. Do you know how rare that kind of love is?”

Jamie blinked rapidly. “But she doesn’t love you?”

Lucas gave her a half-smile. “I chose to love her. Whatever she does with that is her decision.”

Jamie sniffed. “That’s so sad.”

Great, now she pities me. “Hey, she’s got to come around eventually, right?” He tapped her nose and struck a ridiculous pose. “I mean, what’s not to like about this?”

Jamie pushed him, but she smiled around her tears.

“We okay now?” Lucas asked. He couldn’t stand to have Jamie mad at him.

Jamie nodded.

“I can count on you to keep my secret?”

Jamie kicked his ankle with her flip-flop. “You know you can.”