Can't Let Go by Jessica Lemmon Read Free Book Online Page A

hand we’ve been dealt,” he said. “We have three months to make the best of things. To share a lifetime of memories in a short span of time.” His voice cracked and a hot trail of tears ran down Aiden’s cheeks. He ground his molars together to keep from losing it.
    To keep from reeling from the unfairness of it all.
    Even Landon, his stoic older brother, had tears balanced on his eyelashes. Aiden could see them magnified through his black-framed glasses. His fiancée, Lissa, pressed her palms together and smiled serenely. “Kathy, I think it’s beautiful you and your family are embracing the life you have left.”
    Every head in the room snapped to the supermodel, who apparently was the only one who didn’t get just how inappropriate her comment was.
    Harmony rose from the arm of the chair. “Lissa, let’s check on Lyon,” she said, referring to Evan’s four-year-old son, who was playing in the other room. She cast a knowing look back at Aiden. She had her flaws—namely in her skewed morals—but Harmony knew when to make herself useful. Lissa followed her upstairs.
    With only family in the room, Landon launched into his practiced pragmatism. “When are you starting chemo treatments?”
    Angel wiped her face and looked at her mother with hope.
    Mike and Kathy exchanged glances.
    Evan frowned, taking the silence for an answer they hadn’t needed to give. “You’re not getting chemo, are you, Mom?”
    She shook her head.
    “Dad.” Landon sat forward, resting an elbow on his suit pants. He’d left Chicago this morning, had flown in straight from work.
    Mike held out a palm to halt any argument. “This is what she wants.”
    “Mom, you have to fight,” Aiden said, feeling his insides crumble into dust.
    She gave him a sweet smile. “I knew you two would be the hardest to convince,” she told Aiden as she palmed Landon’s knee. “That’s why I waited for the follow-up appointment, Aiden. I wanted you to be there. To hear for yourself from the doctor.”
    “Follow-up appointment?” he muttered. So she’d lied to him. She and his dad weren’t there to learn the results; they were there for a follow-up appointment? “You knew?”
    “We’ve known for a week,” she said, smiling tightly.
    Angel put her head in her hands and cried. Evan continued shushing her. Landon’s mouth went tight. And Aiden…Aiden stared at his mother, at a complete loss, his heart aching from betrayal.
    Kathy stood, and Mike stood next to her, like he always had. Her supporter through it all. “I made my spinach lasagna,” his mother announced. “Homemade sauce. And my chocolate cream pie. We’re going to sit and have a family dinner and share stories. And we’re not”—she wiped a stray tear from her face—“going to mourn. Not today. We’ll put off the sad part as long as we can.” She bent and gave Angel’s shoulder a gentle shake. Angel lifted her red face and swallowed down her tears as she mopped her cheeks with both hands. Kathy kissed Evan, who, other than their father, was the only one in the room who’d managed to keep from crying. She kissed Landon on the cheek and he reached for her hand. “Go help your father set the table,” she urged. Landon obeyed. “And Angel, can you get the bread in the oven?”
    Everyone dutifully filed out of the living room, moving woodenly. Soon the sound of plates and glassware and low chatter, though forced, was coming from the kitchen.
    Kathy sat on the chair next to Aiden and cupped his shoulder. He hadn’t been able to move from this spot yet. He wondered if he could. “I’m sorry we kept it from you,” she said. “I had to get my head around it, figure out what to do.”
    Aiden met his mother’s blue eyes, put his hands in hers, and bit the inside of his lip so hard he feared he’d draw blood. His lids fluttered as tears welled in his eyes. He was going to absolutely lose it, just drop to his knees and sob in her lap.
    She squeezed his fingers and gave