Read Caught in the Undertow (Hawaiian Crush #6) for Free Online
Authors: E. L. Todd
enjoyed life and appreciated its gift, but they also felt the bitter despair of reality. Sydney wished she could do something to make everything better, to take the pain onto herself. This was the one time she couldn’t do that.
When they left the house, Coen held his mom for a long time. After a second, Vivian started to cry. She held onto Coen while she sobbed. Sydney stepped away and gave them their privacy. Coen was so much bigger than his mother, a head taller and almost a hundred pounds heavier. He held onto her while she gave into her despair.
“It’s okay, Mom,” he said.
“I just miss her.”
“I miss her too.”
“She would be so proud of you,” she whispered.
“I know.”
Vivian pulled away. “Let me know if you need anything, baby.”
“I got Sydney. She’ll take care of me, Mom.”
“I’m so happy you found her.” She hugged Sydney and held her tightly. “Thank you for loving my son. We’re so grateful to have you.”
Sydney felt her heart tug. Coen’s family always made her feel loved. Everything that had been missing her whole life was fulfilled with Coen and his family. She had everything she would ever need. “Thank you being the mom I never had.”
“I love you, honey.”
“I love you too,” Sydney said.
Vivian pulled away. “Please drive safely.”
Coen nodded and pulled Sydney out the door.
They left the house and returned to the shack. When they walked inside, they went into the bedroom. Sydney had work to do but she abandoned it, knowing Coen needed her. They took off their clothes and got into bed. It wasn’t that late, but neither one of them wanted to do anything.
Coen lay on his back and faced the ceiling. Sydney curled up next to him and trailed her fingers down his chest. She knew this would be one of the rare nights when they wouldn’t make love. There was too much despair and pain to feel any pleasure. Sydney lied still and listened to him breathe.
“Thank you being so amazing,” he whispered.
She didn’t know what to say. “I love you.”
“And I know you do.” He ran his fingers through her hair.
“I’ll always be here for you.”
“And I’m grateful.”
“Are you going to school tomorrow?” she asked.
“Yeah. Life goes on.”
She rubbed his shoulders and his arms. “When my father died, I blamed myself until someone made me realize it was the last thing my father would want, for his daughter to suffer for the rest of her life. I know Theresa would feel the same way.”
He looked at her. “How did you know?”
“I can tell when you feel guilty and responsible, Coen.”
Coen sighed. “If I wasn’t a wimp, I could have saved her.”
“It was out of your hands,” she said. “There was nothing you could have done. There is only one person to blame.”
He nodded.
“Whatever happened to him?”
“The fucker is still in jail.”
“I’m glad.”
He sighed then turned on his side, pulling her to his chest. “I’m glad I never have to suffer alone again. It’s such a relief.”
“I’ll always be beside you.”
“I know,” he whispered. “It makes everything so much easier. I hate remembering what my life was like before you came into it, like a shooting star that set my world on fire. I never thought my wedding day would be the greatest day of my life. When you walked down the aisle, I wasn’t even sure if the moment was real. I never felt so much pain and so much happiness at one time.”
Her eyes softened. “We’re mates for life. And that’s what they do for each other. Always put each other first.”
“I’m just grateful that my wife is perfect. I definitely upgraded.”
She smiled. “You’re so sweet.”
“Because I’m your husband,” he said. “And I’ll always be sweet to you.”
“Except when you’re an asshole,” she teased.
“Well, I do have my moments.”
She chuckled. “They are pretty common.”
“Just remember that every time I’m an asshole, it’s for a good
When they left the house, Coen held his mom for a long time. After a second, Vivian started to cry. She held onto Coen while she sobbed. Sydney stepped away and gave them their privacy. Coen was so much bigger than his mother, a head taller and almost a hundred pounds heavier. He held onto her while she gave into her despair.
“It’s okay, Mom,” he said.
“I just miss her.”
“I miss her too.”
“She would be so proud of you,” she whispered.
“I know.”
Vivian pulled away. “Let me know if you need anything, baby.”
“I got Sydney. She’ll take care of me, Mom.”
“I’m so happy you found her.” She hugged Sydney and held her tightly. “Thank you for loving my son. We’re so grateful to have you.”
Sydney felt her heart tug. Coen’s family always made her feel loved. Everything that had been missing her whole life was fulfilled with Coen and his family. She had everything she would ever need. “Thank you being the mom I never had.”
“I love you, honey.”
“I love you too,” Sydney said.
Vivian pulled away. “Please drive safely.”
Coen nodded and pulled Sydney out the door.
They left the house and returned to the shack. When they walked inside, they went into the bedroom. Sydney had work to do but she abandoned it, knowing Coen needed her. They took off their clothes and got into bed. It wasn’t that late, but neither one of them wanted to do anything.
Coen lay on his back and faced the ceiling. Sydney curled up next to him and trailed her fingers down his chest. She knew this would be one of the rare nights when they wouldn’t make love. There was too much despair and pain to feel any pleasure. Sydney lied still and listened to him breathe.
“Thank you being so amazing,” he whispered.
She didn’t know what to say. “I love you.”
“And I know you do.” He ran his fingers through her hair.
“I’ll always be here for you.”
“And I’m grateful.”
“Are you going to school tomorrow?” she asked.
“Yeah. Life goes on.”
She rubbed his shoulders and his arms. “When my father died, I blamed myself until someone made me realize it was the last thing my father would want, for his daughter to suffer for the rest of her life. I know Theresa would feel the same way.”
He looked at her. “How did you know?”
“I can tell when you feel guilty and responsible, Coen.”
Coen sighed. “If I wasn’t a wimp, I could have saved her.”
“It was out of your hands,” she said. “There was nothing you could have done. There is only one person to blame.”
He nodded.
“Whatever happened to him?”
“The fucker is still in jail.”
“I’m glad.”
He sighed then turned on his side, pulling her to his chest. “I’m glad I never have to suffer alone again. It’s such a relief.”
“I’ll always be beside you.”
“I know,” he whispered. “It makes everything so much easier. I hate remembering what my life was like before you came into it, like a shooting star that set my world on fire. I never thought my wedding day would be the greatest day of my life. When you walked down the aisle, I wasn’t even sure if the moment was real. I never felt so much pain and so much happiness at one time.”
Her eyes softened. “We’re mates for life. And that’s what they do for each other. Always put each other first.”
“I’m just grateful that my wife is perfect. I definitely upgraded.”
She smiled. “You’re so sweet.”
“Because I’m your husband,” he said. “And I’ll always be sweet to you.”
“Except when you’re an asshole,” she teased.
“Well, I do have my moments.”
She chuckled. “They are pretty common.”
“Just remember that every time I’m an asshole, it’s for a good