Read Online For Now (Broken Promises #1) by M Dauphin - Free Book Online

want to claw it out. Now’s not the time for tears.
    “What’s all this mean?” Al’s voice is merely a pained whisper, breaking my heart.  I reach over and take her hand, trying to convey that I’m not scared shitless about this. Braydon shrugs and shakes his head. I know my best friend, and I know he puts up walls the minute things start to get tough. He cares, he’s just not good at showing it.
    “It means we take this thing day by day. He’s going to have to learn to eat differently and healthier… no more late night burger trips,” he chuckles. “If it’s chemo and radiation that it takes to beat this, then that’s what we do.”
    “I can’t do radiation and chemo and shit, Bray. I have a job that requires certain physical attributes to be present. Like hair. And muscles. Those treatments kill all of that.”
    “Yea, bro… and it also kills the cancer inside of you that’s trying to kill you! This late in the game pancreatic cancer can be deadly if not attacked hard and fast.”
    A sob escapes Alexis with Braydon’s brash terms.
    “Jesus, man,” I huff.
    “You have to do it, Lane,” she whispers, her teary eyes finding mine. “We’ll figure out job and money shit. That doesn’t even matter… we need you. I… I need you.” A tear slips down her cheek.
    “God, you two suck.” It’s one thing for me to be on my own and not have to worry about feelings and shit. It’s another to see the woman I love and my best friend giving me the look that their entire world will be crushed if I don’t try to save myself.
    If I don’t try to beat this.
    “We love you, man. I don’t wanna see you die before it’s your time, and it most definitely isn’t your time right now.”
    Braydon stands up and grabs the food from the table, placing our meals in front of us.
    “I knew your body isn’t going to like the spicy stuff, so I grabbed the mellowest meal I could find for you,” he says, sliding over my dinner
    Braydon’s not a bad guy at all. He’s looking out for his best friend. He may be brash, but he’s the whole reason I’m going to beat this. Him and Alexis are my backbone.
    Together we can do this.
    By the time we’ve eaten everything he brought back I’m ready for bed, but it’s still pouring rain outside.
    “Bray, can you take me home? I left my car at the hospital earlier and  don’t feel like taking a cab to go get it.” Al yawns, stretching her arms over her head. Her shirt rides up just enough to show the gentle curve of her stomach and I have to adjust myself before I start getting incredibly uncomfortable in my own pants. I might have cancer, but I’m still a red-blooded man.
    “I don’t want to go out in this shit, Al. Can’t you just crash here?” He nods at the couch as they clean up from dinner. A job they wouldn’t let me do.
    “Stay, Alexis. We’ll get you to your car in the morning. Or something,” I mumble, getting up. After sitting for that long my entire body hurts, and I feel like I’m going to hurl from that meal. It tasted great, but I’m coming to find out that the better it tastes the worse it makes me feel.
    “You sure?”
    “Absolutely,” I smile, wanting to kiss her so fucking badly. And I would… I will… but now’s not the time. Not when I feel like hurling.
    “Great. I’m heading up. Night, assholes.” Braydon lets himself out. I hear Alexis close the door behind him, leaving us staring at each other across the room.
    “Thanks,” she says, a slight smile on her beautiful lips.
    “I love having you here,” I say, slowly making my way to her, trying not to let the pain in my back with every step show.
    “I’m glad,” she whispers when I make it to her. “I love hearing you use that word.”
    “What, here?” I grin.
    “No, jerk… Love.”
    “Oh… get used to it, Al. I love you. You’ll love me back one day, I’m not worried about it.”
    I am. I’m worried I won’t live to see the day, but I can’t let her know