“You’d totally freak out if I cried.”
“I’d push you in the water.”
She gave a snort. “Is that what you’re going to do with your upset patients when you’re a doctor?”
“Drown them? It’s one solution, although probably not one the medical board would approve of.”
She sniffed. “Normally I pretend I’m fine. People don’t want to see you upset. They want you to be okay.”
“I’m not ‘people.’ I want you to be you.”
“I think what hurts most,” she confessed, “is that Molly loves her so much, and that sounds crazy I know because nothing would be worse t
han Dad dating someone we both hate. And that’s what I mean—the way I feel makes no sense. I should be pleased, shouldn’t I?”
“Why?” He took another swallow of his drink. “Apart from all the other obvious issues, you lost someone you loved. And now it feels like you’re losing someone else, too.”
“That’s it exactly.”
“But you’re not losing her, Izz. You do know that, right? You’re not losing Molly. She adores you.”
“Does she? I used to be the one she clung to. I was her life belt until Flora showed up.” Izzy stared at the water. “The hardest, scariest thing is that I don’t feel needed anymore. And if I’m not needed, then—”
“Then what are you? You’re loved, Izzy, that’s what you are.” His arm was heavy and protective around her shoulders. “You don’t have to earn your place in a family. You’re born into it. Your dad doesn’t love you because you help out with Molly, although I’m sure he’s grateful for that—he loves you because you’re you. Unless—” He paused, suddenly cautious. “Is this about—”
“No!” But it was, of course, at least partly. She felt her eyes fill and stood up quickly. This was the point where the conversation had to end. “I’m just being stupid.”
“Does Flora know about that?”
“I don’t think so.” The thought that her dad might have talked about intimate things with Flora made her feel even more insecure.
Aiden stood up, too. “Then what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t do that.” He gripped her shoulders. “We share how we feel. We don’t dress sad in a smile, ever. We tell it how it is. We’ve always told each other everything.”
Not quite everything.
She managed a smile. “It’s fine. Honestly. Talking was good, but I think I’m done with it now. My head is exploding. Best to just shove me off this dock and plunge my head in cold water.”
He laughed. “I couldn’t do that to a guest.”
“No? Then I’ll go first.” She shoved him hard and he flew, his plunge into the water covering her in droplets of water.
She gasped and swept her soaked hair away from her face. She was laughing, and fortunately so was he.
“You—” He spluttered, coughed. “I can’t believe you just did that.”
“Me neither.”
“So you have a choice, Isabella.” His tone was deceptively pleasant. “Either you jump, or I’m coming up there to get you.”
“I can move faster than you.”
With his hair slicked back and water clinging to his eyelashes he looked like the lead from a teen movie. “I may not be a track champion, but I can run fast when there’s something worth running for.”
Was she that something?