Suddenly Last Summer (O'Neil Brothers 3)

She kept her back to him. “I can’t. Not yet. Maybe one day.”

“You really should look at them.”

“Sean—”

“You weren’t sure if your mother knew you loved her and I can tell you for sure that she did.”

“How do you know that?”

“Because I’m looking at the evidence, sweetheart. You should come take a look, too.”

She turned and saw him leafing through photographs.

“Where was this taken?” He showed her a photo and she smiled, remembering.

“The top of the Arc De Triomphe. I was eight. I climbed to the top and was very proud of myself.” Despite her reluctance, she sat down next to him.

“And this?” He went through the photos, asking when, why, how until she felt crowded by memories.

“Put them away, Sean.”

He slid the photos back into the box and closed the lid. “I messed up with my grandfather but he forgave me because that’s what families do. And even when I was angry with him, there wasn’t a moment when I didn’t love him. And he knew that.”

“I know. The moment you heard he was in the hospital you dropped everything and came. But your family is different.”

“Your mother knew you loved her. It’s all here.” He lowered the box gently onto her lap. “She knew you loved her and she loved you right back, which is why she wanted the best for you. It’s what we always want for people we love. You can’t switch that on and off. Cross words don’t change that.” He stood up. “I have to fly back tomorrow. Come with me.”

She felt the tug of longing and ignored it. “I can’t do that.”

“Snow Crystal is your home. Everyone misses you. You should be there.” He hesitated and for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her but then he walked to the door. “If you change your mind or if you need anything, call me.”

“I won’t. I’ve never called you.”

His eyes gleamed. “I’ve never said ‘I love you’ before last week, which just proves anything can happen. My number is in your phone.”

CHAPTER TWENTY

“SO FINALLY THE whole family is together. It’s like living in a fairy story, isn’t it, Jess? We even have napkins. Civilization comes to Snow Crystal.” Grinning, Tyler stood up and took the large casserole dish from his mother. “So that’s my portion. Where is everyone else’s?” He put it in the center of the table and glanced around. “I’ve never seen so many gloomy faces around a table. It’s family night. You’re all supposed to be laughing and enjoying one another’s company. What the hell is wrong with everyone?”

Walter stirred. “Don’t swear. It upsets your grandmother.”

“That’s not the reason I’m upset.” Alice shook her head as Elizabeth tried to serve her some food. “I don’t want much. I’m not hungry.”

“I’m starving, I’ll eat yours.” Tyler reached forward and his napkin slid to the floor. “As I said, I’ve never seen the point of napkins.”

Jess grinned. “It stops you getting food stains on your clothes.”

“Stains add character. There’s a story behind every mark on my jeans.”

“We really don’t want to know.” Ignoring his brother, Jackson pushed the potatoes toward Alice. “You should eat, Grams.”

Alice stared miserably at her plate. “I can’t because it’s pot roast. Pot roast is Élise’s recipe. She’s the one who taught Elizabeth how to cook it and I can’t see it without thinking of her. It makes me feel sad that she’s not here. Why wouldn’t she come back with Sean when he flew all that way to see her? What did you say to her?”

Walter grunted. “It’s probably more a question of what he didn’t say to her.”

Sean met Jackson’s gaze across the table and reached for his wine. He was fairly sure there wasn’t enough alcohol in the house to get him through the pressure of family night. Why had he agreed to come? “I said what I wanted to say.”

“But did you tell her you loved her?” His grandmother’s food lay untouched on the plate. “Women like to hear that and men don’t say it often enough.”