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The air in the room thinned as his heart ached. He squeezed her hand. “How long?”
“Weeks. Four at most, two is more likely.”
Time seemed to warp around him. The only living person to have seen beneath his harsh exterior was Rachel, and she was stripping him bare once more.
Zep's gaze shifted, not out of evasion. He needed an anchor to steady himself. For someone who thrived on resilience and detachment, he felt himself unravelling.
“There must be something…” His voice was hoarse, barely recognisable.
“There isn’t. I’ve been through this with Abby and the doctor. Let’s not waste time pretending there’s hope when the truth is, there’s none.”
This reversal in roles sent him reeling again. In the short time they’d spent together, Zep had always been the one in control. Always been the one to make the hard decisions. Now Rachel was drawing the line in the sand. It was an unexpected reckoning—Rachel’s impending death, and her clarity.
A subtle tremor in his hands betrayed his internal turmoil. The calloused fingers interlaced with Rachel’s seemed momentarily fragile. He ran a hand over his face, as if trying to wipe away the reality that had just been presented to him.
“I can’t leave, Zep. I’m only out of hospital because I insisted.” Rachel placed her hand on his cheek, and gently turned him to face her. “I want to die at home, here in Lennox Head.”
He looked into her clear blue eyes, the same eyes that had lured him in all those years ago. He’d fallen in love with her then, and he loved her still. No one else had ever found a place in his heart. He’d let her go because he’d wanted her to live the life she deserved. Surely, that included dying on her own terms. Could he keep her safe, here in Lennox Head?
“I see you leaving me again.”
Zep frowned. “What?”
“The look on your face, I recognise it. The man is leaving me for the biker.”
He couldn't deny it. His world was all he knew.
She moved closer, her breath warm against his face. “Stay with me tonight,” Rachel whispered. “Give me just one night, with you.”
She moved closer, her breath warm against his face. He looked into her eyes and saw her vulnerability and her longing. Rachel was baring her soul before him, laying her trust at his feet. The weight of her whispered plea resonated deep within him, stirring what had remained dormant for too long.
He reached out and traced the outline of her jawline. Leaning closer, he planted a soft kiss on her forehead, his lips lingering against her skin. "Let me make a phone call."
Zep stood before the windows overlooking the ocean. The sun was almost set, the sky dark with hints of red and orange. He didn’t trust himself to speak, sending a text to Brodie instead.
Change of plans. Tell everyone to stay put.
He was the president, he didn’t need to explain himself.
Okay.
He turned back to Rachel. She smiled, and thirty years fell away.
Chapter 18
Abby was torn. She understood why her mum needed some time to herself, but she didn’t want to leave her alone. But she was desperately in need of a good night’s sleep herself, and it was with a decent degree of reluctance that she let Scott take her hand and lead her back to the car, after making sure Rachel had everything she needed. They held hands on the short car ride home, but didn’t speak.
Her phone rang as soon as she got in the door. Scott nodded that she should take it, and headed for the kitchen.
“Hey, Demi.”
“Hey, you don’t sound too good.” Her friend’s voice was full of concern.
Abby sighed. “I don’t even know how to say this.”
“Is it Rachel? Her results?”
Abby dumped her handbag on the dining table and gratefully accepted the glass of wine that Scott handed to her. He signalled he was going to make a call of his own and stepped out onto the back deck.
