Page 99
Nick felt warm and slick, protective. “It’s perfect.” Evie’s fingers flirted with the wet hair at the nape of his neck. She sighed dreamily over his shoulder. In the distance, a few seniors ambled across the sandy shore alongside a loping Labrador Retriever and a father and son brandishing a kite. The sun, now high in the sky, had a few feathery clouds keeping her glow company. Evie’s heart felt full.
She nuzzled into him. “You’ve stopped shivering.”
“Thanks to you. You make everything better.”
And so did Nick. She loved who she’d become in his company: someone interesting and worthy, no longer the sick girl who was often forgotten and left behind.
The timing felt right. Time for Nick to know all her secrets, including the biggest one of all.
“Remember when I mentioned missing Sam’s track meet in Inverness?” she murmured against his neck.
“Uh-huh.” Nick removed a sprig of seaweed from her hair. “That’s when your secret identity was revealed!”
She laughed and lifted her head. “Yeah.” Taking in a deep breath, Evie let her words escape with her exhale. “I missed it ’cause I was in hospital. I have an inflammatory bowel disease called Crohn’s.”
Nick’s mouth fell open. “What?! How long have you had it?”
“Since I was twelve. Do you know what it is?”
“Isn’t it like IBS? A bloke at Eton had it. Spent loads of time in the washroom.”
“IBS shares some symptoms with IBD, but they’re different,” said Evie. “Crohn’s is a chronic disease. Sometimes the pain’s so bad I almost pass out.”
Under the water, Nick’s hand stroked her back. “Oh no. Oh, Evie, that’s awful.”
“Yeah, it sucks. I’ve had bleeding, anemia, skin rashes. Had a feeding tube in my nose for a while ’cause I wasn’t absorbing nutrients. The doctor said I was dangerously close to becoming malnourished.”
Concern darkened Nick’s gape. “Holy fuck.”
“Crohn’s can permanently damage the GI tract, too.”
“But it’s curable, right?” he asked softly, his heart pounding against hers.
Evie slowly shook her head.
He looked shocked. Tears glistened in his eyes. “My god, Evie…”
She figured Nick would be empathetic, but his swell of emotion was a surprise.
“It’s not, you know…fatal?”
Bless him. Evie caressed his cheek. “Don’t worry. That’s, like, super rare.”
“Ohh good,” Nick’s voice shook with relief. Clasping her hand, he kissed her knuckles twice then held their entwined fingers against his chest.
“I take medication sometimes to help manage it, but honestly, it’s not bad all the time. When I’m in remission, I barely notice it. I still have to watch what I eat and drink, but that’s a small ask.”
“Is it flaring now? I saw you rub your tummy in the car.”
“Yeah, ’cause I’m hungry.” Evie’s reassuring grin seemed to relax Nick’s shoulders. “Don’t worry, things have been good lately.” She playfully tapped her head with her fist. “Knock on wood.”
“Thank god.” His gaze strayed to a passing cluster of eider ducks riding the gentle waves. “The thought of you in pain or suffering…”
“Now you know how I feel when you have a panic attack.”
Nick smiled. “Look at us. We are so broken!”
“But we’re cute with it, right?!”
