If I were lucky enough to have Palmer like Kirk has Charlotte, I’d feel blessed and honored to be with her through the last days of her life. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I wouldn’t care that it ended up with a miserable last month or that I had to see her sick or that I had to take care of her. It would be the only way I’d have it. Which makes me remember my dad’s sage words . . . ones I didn’t believe at the time.

“I’ll tell you what, Cole. I couldn’t live without your mother. And I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she would rather walk through fire beside me than live on a beach without me. That’s love. And if you figure out that you love Palmer Clark, you’ll come home. You won’t have a choice.”

Something inside me stirs.

Holy shit.

I turn away from the window and walk to my computer. I close the lid.

My insides twist and turn, my mind racing through a series of unlikely events that just might be possible if I play my cards right.

“Ethan, can you do me a favor?” I ask him. “I know you don’t owe me any favors, but I’d really, really like you to do this one for me.”

“I guess. I’m still pissed at you, though.”

“Whoa. Language. But, you know, thank you. Just don’t let your mom hear you say that.”

“What do you want?” he asks point-blank.

I run a hand down my face. My skin is hot and damp to the touch.

“I need you to trust me,” I say.

“Why should I? My mom is upset because of you.”

This kid and his fucking good points. The next thing I impart in him is going to be holding your tongue sometimes.

“What did I tell you about your baseball swing?” I ask him. “Do you remember?”

“Keep it level?”

I grin. “Yes. But also that it’s a new skill for you, so you have to—”

“Practice.” He sighs. “I don’t care about baseball right now, Cole.”

I can’t help but laugh. “I know. But I’m heading somewhere with this analogy, so a little patience, please?”

“Well, hurry up because I gotta pee.”

I shake my head and try not to laugh again. “You have to practice swinging because it’s new to you. You’ll make mistakes until you get it right, and then it’ll become second nature.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

“Well, this thing with you and your mom—it’s new to me. I’ve never, you know, done this before. And I’m gonna make mistakes.”

“My mistakes don’t involve someone crying their eyes out, so I’m not really feeling this analogy.”