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She gasped. “Wow. What are the chances of that?”
“I managed to fall in love with my donor’s fiancée. Just my luck. She’s still not over his death, and I knew I would be a constant reminder of her deepest loss. And that’s exactly how she feels. I told her what I’d realized at the wedding reception, and it was too much for her. So we broke up.” He dabbed his nose with a paper napkin. “And now I’m gutted. I’ve lost everything.”
“Carter, I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah, me too.” He looked down at his mug and then up at her sympathetic expression. His mind replayed his conversation with their father, and a muscle in his jaw jumped. “And I didn’t appreciate that when I came home from the wedding, I had to deal with our dad too. I told you I didn’t want him here.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you he was coming,” she said, “but I knew how angry you’ve been with him. I thought he would try to fix his relationship with you.”
Carter frowned. “You had no right to do that, Shauna.” He tapped the tabletop. “You treat me like a little kid.”
“That’s not true.”
“Yes, it is true. You don’t respect me. You knew I didn’t want to see him, but you forced me to interact with him by allowing him into our home. That only proves that I don’t belong here. This isn’t my home.”
Shauna sniffed and wiped her eyes with another napkin. “Don’t say that. It is your home.”
“No, it’s your home and Gage’s home, and it will be your children’s home. But I’m rootless, Shauna. I don’t belong anywhere.” He took a tremulous breath.
Her brown eyes glittered with tears, and she touched his arm. “You belong here.” She rubbed his shoulder. “I never meant to hurt you. I’m sorry you don’t feel like this is your home. I’m sorry I didn’t respect your wishes about Dad, and I’m sorry about Darcy. I’m sorry about everything, Carter. I really am.” She sniffed and took a sip from her water glass. “There’s got to be a way for you and Darcy to work this out. You love each other, and that’s what matters most.”
“It’s not that simple, Shauna.” He moved his fingers over his warm mug as his biggest fear came into clear view in his mind. “I don’t deserve happiness. Every time it’s within reach, it slips away. I’ve been rejected again. There has to be something wrong with me. I’m... Maybe I’m just broken. Or worthless.”
“Carter, you’re not worthless.” Shauna sat up straight and glowered. “You think you are because of Dad.”
Carter’s eyes snapped to her. “What do you mean?”
She swiped her fingers over her eyes. “Carter, don’t let Dad’s mistakes dictate your future.”
“I don’t understand.” His brow crinkled as he tried to comprehend his sister’s words.
“You think you’re worthless because he abandoned us. You think you’re worthless because of his mistakes, but I’m begging you to wipe those horrible feelings out of your head. It’s wrong, Carter. You’re not a burden. Me, Gage, and his parents took care of you because that’s what families are supposed to do.”
He sniffed.
“Listen to me, Carter. You are worthy of love and a happy life.” She cleared her throat. “You’ve gone through a lot of hard times, but it won’t always be this way.”
“It has been so far.”
“Then change it. If you love Darcy, tell her. You’ve been given a second chance at life, so you need to grab it and go for it. Find what makes you happy and hold on to it.”
Confusion whirled through him. His sister’s words crept under his skin and into his heart, his soul. He stared at her, speechless.
He used the napkin to wipe his eyes and nose as his sister’s words continued to soak through him. He stared down at his lap and tried to clear his fuzzy thoughts. Could Shauna be right? Could he and Darcy overcome what seemed like an unsurmountable obstacle? Can I actually find happiness... and keep it?
“Talk to me,” she said. “What are you thinking?”
He looked over at her. “You’ve helped me realize something.”
“What?”
“I don’t want to be like our dad, and I’m not going to make the same mistakes he did. I don’t want to let happiness slip through my fingers.” He rested his hands on the table. “I love Darcy, and I’m going to fight for her.”
Shauna smiled. “Good. I’m glad to hear it. Fight for her, Carter. Fight for love.”
“I will,” he said with resolve.
He just had to figure out how.
