Jack (The Family Simon 2)

She attempted a smile, but it never really reached her eyes. “The masses in his lungs are making it hard for him to breathe. It’s just progressed so fast and aggressively.” Her voice broke, and he squeezed her shoulder, trying to offer some sort of comfort.

“It’s spread, and they’ve put a call into his oncologist but the doctor here thinks he might have a week left. Maybe less.”

“Sabrina, I’m so sorry.” There really wasn’t anything else to say.

Sabrina took a sip of coffee and stared at the floor. “I know. Doesn’t mean we won’t keep fighting. Brett doesn’t know any other way. He just…he won’t give up until there’s no fight left.” She paused and exhaled. “You two are a lot alike, you know that right?”

Jack wanted to think so, but he couldn’t imagine facing the kind of battle his buddy was fighting.

“Promise me you’ll never stop fighting for what you want, Jack. Life is a gift, and too many people waste their gift. They don’t learn that love and forgiveness go hand in hand.”

He had a feeling they weren’t talking about life in general anymore. He thought of Donovan. But if he was being honest with himself, he’d have to admit that he was seriously concerned that whatever the hell she was hiding from him, was going to be so big he wouldn’t be able to deal.

His cellphone vibrated. “Do you mind?” he asked Sabrina.

She shook her head and got to her feet. “No, take it. I’ve got a phone call of my own to make. Brett’s parents will want to be here.”

He glanced down and saw that it was a text from one of his aides, Jonathan Grimes, an up and comer with a good head on his shoulders. The message was short and to the point.

Derek is MIA. Office inundated. How do you want this handled?

There was a link included, and after a few moments Jack clicked it. Once he was done reading all that was there, he fucking wished he’d never done it.

Chapter Twenty-eight

* * *

It was nearly four in the morning when Donovan heard a vehicle in the driveway. Jack’s parents had returned much earlier, subdued with the news of Brett’s trip to the hospital. They’d bundled up the twins and taken them back to the Campbell home so that Harry and Morgan could sleep in their own beds.

Neck sore from sleeping on the sofa, Donovan got to her feet and padded across the floor so that she could peek out the back window.

It was Jack’s truck. He hugged Sabrina and then waited a bit before heading up to the house. By the time he reached the back door, Donovan had turned on a few lamps and was waiting for him.

Her entire body was a jumble of nerves, and she knew her time was up. There was nothing between her and the truth anymore.

The door squeaked open, and Jack stilled when he caught sight of her. For a moment their eyes held, and then his slid away as he came inside and closed the door behind him.

“How’s Brett?” she asked softly.

Jack shrugged and didn’t answer right away. He crossed over to the fridge and grabbed himself a beer. He was about to open it when he shoved it onto the counter and proceeded over to the liquor cabinet. Scotch in hand, he took a swig directly from the bottle, and then another before he bothered to look at her.

“Not good.”

Unsure, Donovan’s hands ran along the top of the counter.

“Is he—“

“He’s not c

oming home,” Jack said harshly. “Not coming home,” he said again, so low she barely heard him.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“Yeah,” Jack replied, taking another swig of scotch. “So am I.”

He crossed the room and stood in front of the closed blinds, staring at nothing. Pain radiated off of him, but Donovan was frozen, her feet felt as if they were encased in concrete.

“Did you catch the news tonight?” he asked abruptly, though he never turned to her.