You're the Only One Read online

  Once they were gone, the house grew quiet, and I walked through it to make sure all the lights were off. As I made my way back to one of the guest rooms, I pulled my wet T-shirt over my head and opened the door. I sucked in a breath when I realized Dillon was sitting on the side of the bed with his head bowed. He heard me and lifted his eyes to meet mine. The pain I saw in them was devastating. I was standing there in nothing but my jeans and a bra. Normally, I would have covered myself and left the room, but I couldn’t. He looked too hurt to be alone.

  “Dillon? Are you okay?” I asked, closing the door behind me.

  He gave a slight nod, but I wasn’t convinced.

  Coming closer, I dropped my shirt on the floor and stood beside him. I put my hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “It’s okay. It’s gonna be okay,” I told him although I wasn’t sure I was right.

  Dillon lifted his face toward the ceiling, and tears leaked from his eyes and ran down his cheeks. I instantly started to cry with him. When he hurt, I hurt.

  “I don’t know what I’m going to do without her,” he said, closing his eyes as more tears fell.

  “You’ll always have me.”

  Dillon’s dark eyes met mine, and we stared at each other, the pain too heavy for us to hold alone. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in front of him. Leaning forward, he pressed the side of his face against my chest and hugged me. I squeezed my eyes shut while he cried against my skin, his shoulders shaking with his racking sobs.

  I ran my fingers through his hair and told him the only thing I knew to be true, “I love you, Dillon.”

  He squeezed me tighter, the tips of his fingers digging into my sides. “I love you, too.”

  But, sometimes, love wasn’t enough to erase the pain.

  DILLON

  I woke up the next morning with Sky lying beside me. Her dark hair was sprawled out around her on the pillow, her eyes swollen from crying and her lips slightly parted as she slept. We’d lain down beside each other the night before, both of us too emotionally spent to do much else, and we must have fallen asleep.

  I was grateful to have Sky here with me. We understood each other on a level that no one else did. We didn’t need words to express how we felt. With Sky, I could be myself with no expectation and no pretense. She was more important to me than she’d ever know.

  I stared at her as the morning sun cast beams across the room, lighting up the side of her face. She was stunning. I wasn’t sure I’d really noticed before. Sure, I knew she was beautiful, but I’d never taken the time to appreciate the details. Like the little brown mole just below her left eye or the perfect curve of her top lip.

  Sky’s eyebrows creased, and she moaned as she moved onto her back and stretched, the blanket falling off her chest and exposing her bra. Caught off guard, I blinked and moved to sit up. I rubbed my hands over my face, trying to hide what I’d been feeling.

  “Morning,” she croaked.

  “Good morning.” I pulled myself to the edge of the bed and put my feet on the floor. Leaning forward, I dropped my elbows onto my knees and raked my fingers through my hair.

  This isn’t right. She’s my best friend.

  “You okay? Do you have a headache?”

  “Yeah,” I lied, hoping she’d offer to get me some medicine. I could use a minute alone.

  “I’ll get you something.” Sky got out of bed and pulled on her shirt before walking out of the room.

  Our friendship was too important to risk losing what we had, and besides, Sky didn’t see me that way. We knew too much about each other.

  Isn’t that what she always tells people?

  We wanted different things from life. And we were each in a relationship and kind of in love. Whatever that meant.

  I need to call Natasha.

  Maybe, if I talked to her and heard her voice, I’d be able to put all of this into perspective. I hadn’t heard from her since I left New York. I knew she was due to arrive in Florida late last night, so maybe she’d been too tired to call.

  My mom and Cathy’s voices traveled from the kitchen and down the hallway along with the smell of bacon. Standing up, I looked at my clothes and decided to take a shower and change as Sky walked in with a glass of water and two Advil.

  “Thanks.”

  “No problem.”

  She started making the bed, and my eyes drifted to her ass as she bent over to straighten the pillows.

  I dropped my head. “Thanks for last night. I’m sorry I broke down like that.”

  “Don’t apologize, Dillon. I think we both needed it.”

  Peering up at Sky, I gave her a sad smile. I knew I had to be strong for my mother, and after last night, I felt like it would be easier.

  After finishing the bed, she said, “I’m going to go change and help with breakfast.”

  “Okay. I’ll be out there after I shower.”

  Sky went to leave the room but came back and wrapped her arms around me, and I hugged her. We always felt stronger together.

  After my shower, I went into the dining room to find my mom, Cathy, and Sky having coffee. Walking over to my mom, I kissed her on the cheek.

  “Your breakfast is in the kitchen,” she told me as I pulled away.

  “Thank you.”

  I could feel the three of them watching me as I went to retrieve my plate. I knew they were all worried about me, but there was no need to. I’d gotten all my crying out last night. Now, I’d focus on making the last days, weeks, or months of my mother’s life happy. I knew she didn’t want me to put my life on hold, but I’d find a way to be there for her.

  When I walked into the kitchen, I could see most of the Thanksgiving dinner had already been prepped. I grabbed my plate of eggs and bacon and brought it into the dining room. Setting it down on the table, I sat across from Sky and started to eat.

  “We’re going to give your mom a break and make Thanksgiving dinner,” Cathy told me.

  “Okay. I’ll help.”

  My mom and Cathy grinned at each other.

  “Cathy came over early this morning and surprised me. She’s done most of the work already.”

  I watched Cathy as she lovingly smiled at my mom. She and Sky had the same smile.

  “Well, let me know what else needs to be done,” I said before taking a bite of bacon.

  “Me, too,” Sky added.

  My mom gave Cathy a pointed look and grinned. “I guess I’ll just sit on the couch with Ramon and watch football then.”

  We all laughed because Uncle Ramon rarely stayed awake long enough to catch an entire game. He only woke up to eat.

  A few hours later, Sky and Cathy were each wearing one of my mom’s aprons and arguing over what ingredients should go into the stuffing. Neither one of them was a very good cook, so I was glad I’d offered to help.

  “Sky, go ahead and check on the turkey. We’ve got this, Cathy. Why don’t you go relax with Mom and Brad? You’ve been working all morning.”

  Sky narrowed her eyes at me before going to the oven.

  Cathy grabbed my face and kissed my cheek. “Such a good boy.”

  I chuckled and shook my head.

  Checking inside the pan, I was relieved to see they hadn’t completely ruined the stuffing yet.

  “The turkey looks fine. What else should I do?”

  “Peel those potatoes for me.”

  Sky pursed her lips before going to grab the bag of potatoes. I knew it drove her crazy when I bossed her around, but she kept her mouth shut. We worked silently together in the kitchen for a while until the stuffing was ready for the oven, and Sky had the potatoes on the stove.

  “Well, I guess we can take a break. We have another half hour or so before the turkey is done,” I told her as I checked everything.

  “Cool.”

  Sky went to wash her hands, and I stood beside her, waiting for my turn.

  “So, have you heard from Logan today?”

  She glanced over at me before focusing on her hand
s again. “No, not yet.”

  I nodded.

  “What about you? Have you talked to Natasha about…” She tilted her head toward the living room.

  “No. I think I’ll wait to tell her. No reason to put a damper on her Thanksgiving. I do need to call her though. I haven’t talked to her since I left.”

  Sky nodded in understanding just as her mom burst into a fit of laughter in the living room. We both turned to face the door.

  “I’ll go make sure our moms aren’t getting too wild in there,” she said, grinning at me before she left.

  Something was off with Sky. I knew she was sad about my mom, but that wasn’t it. She wouldn’t tell me anything until she was ready though, so I’d have to wait until she came to me on her own.

  After washing my hands, I took my phone out of my pocket and called Natasha.

  “Hey!” she exclaimed happily.

  “Hey. Happy Thanksgiving.”

  “Happy Thanksgiving, Dillon. I miss you.”

  “I miss you, too. How are things going?”

  “Great! We’re going to start eating soon. I’m glad you called. I meant to call you last night, but I got distracted with everything going on here.”

  “It’s no problem.”

  “So, how are things there?”

  I turned around to face the kitchen window, and I looked outside as the sound of my mother’s laughter came from the other room.

  I grinned. “Good. Things are good.”

  “Yeah? Have you eaten yet?”

  I chuckled. Natasha was always trying to feed me.

  “Don’t worry. I had a big breakfast this morning, and we’re having our dinner soon.”

  “You know I always worry about you. I have to make sure my man is eating.”

  “I know, and I appreciate it, but I think I’m getting a gut from all your food.”

  Natasha laughed. “No way. Your body is perfect. I miss it. I wish you were here with me right now.”

  I licked my lips and moved to rest my elbows on the counter. I knew I should flirt back, but I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. My mother had cancer.

  “Dillon?” my mom called my name from the kitchen door, scaring me half to death.

  I straightened up so fast, my head hit the cabinet above me, and I cursed, “Shit!”

  “Watch your mouth, mijo!”

  Natasha started laughing on the phone. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, my mom just scared the sh—crap out of me.”

  “What are you doing in here?” my mom asked, ignoring the fact that I was on the phone. She started opening pots and pans, inspecting my work.

  “Ma, I got it. Everything’s fine. Go relax.”

  She pursed her lips and gave me a suspicious look before walking back out.

  “Sorry. I’ve been in the kitchen, cooking dinner, and I guess my mom wanted to make sure I wasn’t fucking anything up.”

  “You’re cooking?”

  “Yeah. Well, Sky and her mom helped, but they can’t cook, so…”

  “Aw, that’s so sweet. I don’t think I’ve even seen my dad boil water before. My mom always does all the cooking.”

  Her parents were old-fashioned; that explained a lot.

  “My mom usually does, too, but we wanted to give her a break this year.”

  Because she’s dying.

  I closed my eyes as that thought came to mind.

  “Well, I think that’s great. She’s lucky to have such a thoughtful son.”

  I was the lucky one.

  “Oh, Dillon, I have to go. My mom needs me to run to the store. Talk to you later?”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  “Happy Thanksgiving! I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  After Thanksgiving dinner, Brad, Cathy, and Sky insisted on cleaning up since I’d done most of the cooking. Uncle Ramon was back in his favorite spot on the couch as the Lions game played on the television, and my mom was sitting in her favorite recliner with a blanket over her legs.

  “You need anything?” I asked her as I went to sit on the couch with my uncle.

  “No, I’m fine.”

  I could feel her watching me as I settled into my seat and started watching the game. I peered over at her. “What?”

  “How is your music?”

  “Okay, I guess. I’ve had a few gigs.”

  “I heard you had a big show last month. At The Crow or something.”

  I grinned. “The Phoenix.”

  “That’s right, The Phoenix. Sky said it was a big deal.”

  I shrugged. I had thought it was, but it hadn’t amounted to much.

  “I’m always checking your YouTube channel since I don’t have you here to sing to me anymore.”

  I chuckled. “What do you know about YouTube, Ma?”

  “Oh, I do all that YouTubing. Have you heard of Pinterest?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Oh, I love that one!”

  I grinned and shook my head in disbelief.

  “Why don’t you sing for me?” she asked.

  “You want me to?”

  “It would make my day.”

  That was all she needed to say. I got up and went back to the guest room to get my guitar. When I came back, my mom muted the television. Uncle Ramon didn’t care since he’d already fallen back to sleep.

  “Any requests?” I asked, settling back down on the edge of the couch. I rested the guitar on my leg and strummed a few chords.

  “No, just sing me something.”

  I grinned to myself when I thought of a song. I started playing my guitar, smacking my hand on the wood between notes to make a drumbeat. She raised an eyebrow, trying to figure out what I was about to play, when I started singing 2Pac’s “Dear Mama.” She smiled and started bobbing her head to the beat. I used to sing it to her every Mother’s Day when I was a teen. It was the only 2Pac song she liked.

  I started singing the chorus and looked at her as I told her how much I appreciated her. When I saw the tears in her eyes, I had to drop my gaze. I focused on keeping the rhythm of the song as 2Pac’s words spoke of a father who wasn’t there and a mother’s struggle to raise two kids on her own. As I continued, Sky, Cathy, and Brad came into the room to listen. I lifted my eyes back to my mother’s and finished singing the lyrics that so closely resembled our past. She kept smiling at me, even as she swiped tears from her cheeks.

  My heart ached as the realization that I was losing her sank into my chest, and I had to fight back my own tears. When I finished, I smiled back at her, and everyone began to clap. Sky and Cathy were both sniffling and wiping their eyes.

  “Sorry. I didn’t mean to make everyone cry.”

  Cathy laughed as I picked up a box of tissues and held it out for them.

  Sky smacked my shoulder and took a tissue. “Why did it have to be that song?”

  “I love that song,” my mom declared, wiping her nose.

  I got up and gave her a hug. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too. Now, sing some more.”

  SKY

  I stared out my window as Dillon navigated the rental car through the busy Brooklyn streets that Sunday afternoon. It had been a great weekend, despite the sad news of Camilla’s health. It had felt like old times with all of us together, eating and laughing, Dillon singing and playing his guitar. I was sad that it was over. I would miss Dillon the most. I hated that we’d been drifting apart.

  I was about to bring up the subject of his music again when I noticed someone familiar walking on the sidewalk. It was Sasha, one of Logan’s other girlfriends. Her straight brown hair was shining in the sunlight as she smiled. It wasn’t until she reached out for the person beside her that I realized she was with Logan. My breath caught in my throat.

  He leaned down to kiss her. They were each wearing aviator sunglasses and peacoats, like they’d just walked out of an L.L. Bean catalog. I was going to be sick.

  I thought he’d spent the holiday with Whitney. Maybe
he’d already come back and moved on to girlfriend number two.

  “You all right over there?” Dillon asked, glancing away from the road to look at me.

  “Yeah,” I lied, “I’m fine.”

  Why does it hurt so much? I knew Logan was with other women, but knowing and seeing were two very different things.

  I watched as Sasha slipped her arm through his before Dillon drove past them. I finally sucked in a breath and closed my eyes.

  Fuck, that sucked.

  After we dropped off the rental car, Dillon and I caught a cab.

  My stop was first, and I leaned over to give Dillon a hug. “I love you. Call me if you need to talk, okay?”

  “I will. I love you, too.”

  I got out of the backseat, and Dillon called my name.

  I turned back around as I pulled my bag over my shoulder. “Yeah?”

  He hesitated for a minute, and I felt my heart beat quicken as I waited.

  “Take care of yourself.”

  Disappointment washed over me, and I nodded. “I’ll try.”

  I closed the door, and the taxi drove away. I wasn’t exactly sure what I had hoped he’d say, but that wasn’t it.

  When I walked into my apartment, TJ was already on the couch, wearing her PJs and eating ice cream.

  “Don’t move. I’ll be right there,” I told her as I lugged my bag back toward my room.

  I changed into my comfy sweatpants and an old T-shirt. If Frederico saw me dressed like this, he’d probably fire me. I pulled my hair back into a messy bun and put on my favorite wool socks. Going to the freezer, I took out the entire tub of ice cream and grabbed a spoon.

  “Scoot over.”

  TJ moved over and gave me some room on the couch.

  “Good vacation?” she asked.

  I shoveled a big glob of rocky road ice cream into my mouth. I moaned and shook my head as I sucked everything off the spoon. “I don’t even know where to begin.”

  She muted the TV and turned to face me. “Start at the beginning.”

  “Well, Camilla has stage four cancer.”

  Her jaw dropped, and her brown eyes widened. “What?”