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“You’re impossible.”
“You’ll do it anyway?” He flashed a smile, one he knew she couldn’t say no to.
Instead of complying, however, she ignored him and sipped her latte. “How was the last day of your shoot at the hospital?”
“You’re changing the subject.”
“Your lunch is getting cold. And your dimples don’t work on me, so lose the smile. Besides, I have to be back at the office in forty-five minutes, so it doesn’t give us much time.”
Daniel put his camera away, sighing.
“So how did your last day go?”
He thought for a minute. “Bittersweet. I’m glad the shoot’s over and I can focus on developing the prints. But, shit.” Emotion clawed at his gut. “It was hard to say good-bye to some of the kids.”
“You’ll go back and visit them, won’t you?”
“Yeah, of course. I’m just not sure which of them will be there next time I go.”
Amy nodded empathically. “This project’s been hard on you.”
“Very.” She understood why. After so many years of friendship, there were no secrets between them. Well, almost no secrets. Apart from the one tiny fact that he was wildly in love with her, Amy knew everything about him.
“It’s been rewarding, too. I learned an amazing amount from the kids. Stuff that changed my way of thinking.” The last three months had brought back his past, and in doing so, reshaped his future. He was a different person from the man he’d been twelve weeks ago.
“Tell me about it.”
Daniel thought about the shoot and how much to tell her. He’d spent the last three months in the pediatric oncology and hematology ward—POWS, as the staff called it—at Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs Hospital, capturing the children, their families, and the staff members on film. His photos would be displayed in an exhibition that his sister Lexi, a social worker on the ward, had organized. The funds raised from the exhibition would be used to upgrade and refurbish the ward.
It was no coincidence that Daniel and Lexi had chosen this particular project. The siblings had a special interest in children with cancer. When they were kids themselves, their sister, Sarah, had been diagnosed with leukemia. It had been a year of hell, but Sarah had beaten the odds and been cancer-free ever since.
It wasn’t the assignment Daniel was reluctant to discuss. It was the consequences of the time he’d spent there. The lessons he’d learned and the terrifying moments of clarity that were so hard to share.
How could he describe his reaction to watching a family spend their last precious hours with their son and brother? How could he share everything he’d discovered about himself while sitting beside the desperately ill young Vicky?
He reached for his bag and removed an envelope of photos he’d printed that morning. Flipping through them, he found one he was looking for and handed it to his friend.
The black-and-white print was appropriate for the subject—a young, bald girl with dark eyes. The lack of color in the picture could not detract from the pasty shade of her skin.
“Her name’s Vicky Campen. She’s ten and has leukemia. She tried to smile for my camera, but a bout of nausea knocked her flat.” His hand had been shaking when he took the shot. “She reminded me so much of Sarah. I…we got pretty close. I spent a lot of time with her, hanging out, talking, reading books. Then one day, we had a chat about her illness and the possibility she might die.” The child had stared at him through adult eyes. “She wants a little more time to appreciate her family and the other people she loves. She’s fighting her cancer so she can spend time with them. She’s learned she can’t take anyone for granted.” He took a deep breath. “It got me thinking…I do that a lot. Take my life and the people in it for granted.”
Amy’s expression was gentle. “I can’t begin to imagine how difficult it must have been. How many memories it must have brought back. But what you’re saying isn’t true. I’ve never seen you take your friends or family for granted. And I think I speak from experience.”
“See, that’s the thing. I also never used to think that about myself. But Vicky forced me to look at my life and my behavior. The truth is, I’m not happy with where I am right now.”
Concern radiated from her. “What aren’t you happy with? Where would you rather be?”
He smiled. “You okay with me saying I’m not ready to speak about it?” Not yet. Not until he’d put his plan into action.
Amy pushed her sunglasses up to rest above her forehead. Brilliant green eyes appraised him. “I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”
She was beautiful and empathetic enough to vanquish his worries and gloom with one caring look. That expression reinforced every reason he had for loving her.
He grinned, suddenly feeling horny as hell. Christ, he wanted to get her into bed, wanted to see those green eyes glazed with passion. “You’d be a pretty useless counselor if you weren’t.”
“Forget my job, we’re talking about yours. Or about your life, anyway. So come on. Where would you rather be?”
She should only know where he wanted to be right now. Buried deep inside her slick, hot folds. Riding high on the wave of yet another orgasm. Locked away in a place where he could ravish her body at will.