Island Affair (Keys to Love #1)(23)

“Thank you for making the effort to come,” he whispered in her ear. “This is important to me. To her.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.”

Her dad squeezed her tighter, something he’d been doing more of the last few times she’d visited. “You’ve been feeling okay? No, you know, urges or triggers?”

Sliding out of his embrace, she gave a brisk shake of her head. “I’m good. You don’t have to worry.”

And she wanted to keep it that way. Her strong, dependable dad had been devastated by her mom’s breast cancer diagnosis. Battling the disease as patient and caregiver rather than physicians had changed them both. In ways Sara was still getting used to herself.

“Charles, meet Sara’s partner, Luis.” Her mom grasped Luis’s elbow, ushering him closer.

“Hel—excuse me? I thought it was ‘Ric’?” Her dad stared at the three of them, one graying brow quirked, hands deep in the pockets of his khaki slacks. His infamous penetrating gaze had intimidated many an intern and resident over the years.

“Ric Luis,” Sara clarified.

She plastered on her camera-ready smile, hiding her inward cringe. Por favor, Mamá Alicia, she prayed, let her parents buy this first of many threads to the story she and Luis had concocted.

“Luis to close friends and family. Hello, Dr. Vance.” Calm and collected as always . . . well, as he’d been the entire afternoon . . . Luis dipped his head in greeting. “I’ve heard quite a bit about you, sir.”

“That makes one of us. Though rest assured, I intend to learn quite a bit about you during our stay here.”

Hands clasped, the two men eyed one another. Her father blatantly sizing Luis up. Luis doing his Vin Diesel impression, all measured calm and tough guy–ish and, God help her, sexy as hell. If she wasn’t so freaking nervous, she would have laughed at the male posturing.

“Charles, don’t intimidate our guest,” Sara’s mother admonished. “Let me show them to their room; then we can all meet around the pool to get acquainted.”

Sara’s stomach bottomed out at her mom’s words. Crap! How had she not thought about sleeping arrangements? About the fact that Luis didn’t have a— “Did you leave a suitcase in your car?” her dad asked. “Isn’t this one yours, Sar-bear?”

She met Luis’s gaze, her mind spinning with possible responses. If the same oh crap thoughts clamoring in her head also clamored in his, it didn’t show. His composure remained unruffled.

“I thought you might appreciate some privacy all together,” he said, and Sara found herself bobbing her head in agreement. “It’s not a problem for me to stay with family this week.”

“Nonsense. We’re looking forward to getting to know you.” Sara’s mom linked her arm through Luis’s. Another friendly gesture atypical for the woman who used to work harder than she played and rarely loosened up unless it involved charming hospital benefactors.

Until she’d faced, and beaten, cancer.

“Obviously, we don’t want to take you away from visiting with your loved ones. I understand how important that is,” Sara’s mom went on. “But it would mean a lot for you to join us as often as you can. Right, Charles?”

The speculative frown on her father’s lined face eased into a caring smile for her mom. “Whatever makes you happy, dear.”

Whether he intended the subtext or not, Sara understood her dad’s meaning. She and her siblings had been given their directives: ensure their mother relaxed, rested, and enjoyed their time together.

While her parents made goo-goo eyes at each other—another unexpected, if endearing behavior—Sara mentally telegraphed a message to Luis. Please, go along with me here.

Luis’s jaw muscles flexed. His nostrils flared on a deep breath that Sara didn’t think was as soul cleansing as her mother had implied earlier. Finally, blessedly, he gave Sara the tiniest of nods.

She sagged with relief.

Without a doubt, she owed him for this. Big-time.

“I appreciate your hospitality,” Luis said, his amiable tone hiding the misgivings she felt certain he was uncomfortable with. “If you’re sure, I’ll see about bringing my bag with me in the morning to join you.”

“We’re sure. Anyone who’s special to our Sara is special to us. I am delighted you’re here.” Her mom patted Luis’s forearm affectionately. “Perhaps you’d like to invite your family to join us one—”

“No!”

Sara’s outburst startled her parents and had her dad, once again, giving her and Luis his formidable stare-down.

Trepidation marched like a row of army ants across her shoulders. She and Luis hadn’t even made it through the front door and her father already suspected something. This did not bode well.

“I mean, the last thing we want is for Mom to feel like she needs to entertain,” Sara hedged. She swallowed nervously. “Let’s just play that part by ear, okay?”

God help her, if her parents insisted on meeting Luis’s, this plan was doomed. With a capital D! Luis had already made it clear that he refused to lie to them. He’d been adamant about that point.

While she, on the other hand, fully anticipated lightning to strike her down in retaliation for all the bad energy she was putting out in the world thanks to the whopping lies she planned to feed her loved ones.