Who are these people, and how is this my life?
Caleb was offering her food, but she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to eat. It would be just her luck to puke all over his floors if she tried.
“I’ll make a snack.” There he went, deciding for her again. It had to be at least three or four in the morning, and he was going to cook for her. Was he insane? She covered a yawn and hovered, unsure if she should sit or stay standing as she watched him decide what they should do. She was used to feeling awkward, but she didn’t think he was.
“You’re tired.” Of course, he’d noticed her yawning. “Come on, I’ll show you to the bedroom and grab you something to sleep in.” He didn’t give her time to answer but walked away.
She hesitated a second but figured he expected her to follow him. “I’d love a shower.”
“Bathroom is the door to your right,” he called over his shoulder. “Towels are under the sink.”
She checked the back of the door and breathed out a sigh of relief when she found a key in the lock. “Are you sure you don’t mind? You must have had a long day, too…”
“I don’t mind at all?—”
She yelped and jumped when he spoke right behind her.
“Sorry. I’m used to moving quietly.” He handed her a stack of clothes. “It’s only a T-shirt and sweats, but they’re clean.” He eased past her into the bathroom and rummaged under the sink. “Towels.”
Her body must be on strike or something because she could only stand there and watch as he turned on the shower and stuck his hand under the flow of water to test the temperature.
“Are you a hell-level hot girl, or do you prefer human temperatures?”
“Umm.” She shook herself out of her stupor. “Fires of hell aren’t hot enough.” She was never going to find water hot enough to erase the cold in her bones.
He laughed and turned the dial, then jerked his hand back. “Use whatever shampoo and stuff you want. It’s not girlie stuff, but it’s better than nothing. I’ll ask the guys’ wives to bring you girlie stuff tomorrow.”
“Thank you.” She appreciated everything he was doing. She was just kind of numb; it had been a long day, and she needed to process that she had to run again. Maybe, being here with him, she’d have a slight reprieve to make a plan.
His phone rang from somewhere on his body, and he pulled it out. “That’s Nem. I have to take this. You okay here?” He barely waited for her to nod in response before he left her by herself. “Hey, Boss….”
His voice cut off when she shut the door and turned the key. Only then did she allow her guard down. She slumped against the door and covered her face with her hands. Janek would never stop coming for her. Why couldn’t he just leave her alone? She didn’t want to run for the rest of her life.
Taking deep breaths so she wouldn’t lose her mind completely, she strove for the resilience she hadn’t known she had until she’d had to run for her life. She couldn’t lose that now and slowly stripped off her clothes. If she could resist the tears that burned her eyes until she was under the shower, maybe Caleb wouldn’t hear her cry. She didn’t think she’d be able to cope with any more sympathy tonight.
Rose stepped into the shower and stuck the tips of her fingers under the water until she could bear the heat. Then, she stood fully under it, her head tipped back. The water running down her face washed away the tears.
She almost felt human by the time she’d finished with the shower. Caleb’s t-shirt came down to her knees, and she had to roll the waistband of the sweatpants three times to keep away from her armpits—short girl problems—but she finally felt ready to face reality again.
“Here goes nothing.” She took a breath, unlocked the bathroom, and hesitated, unsure of where she should go. “Caleb?”
“Here.” He appeared from the direction she’d been in before. “I—uh—made some grilled cheese and soup.”
He was still looking after her. Her emotions see-sawed from being grateful and not wanting him to totally take over. “I?—”
“Even if you don’t eat,” he looked a little sheepish as if he knew he was threading a fine line, “will you sit with me while I do?”
How was she supposed to say no to that? “Sure.” She followed him into a small but cozy kitchen.
“I’ve got coffee, tea, soda, or water.” He paused. “Unless you want something stronger.”
“There isn’t a drink on the planet strong enough to deal with life right now.” She sat at the counter next to the stool he’d clearly been using. Sometime while she was in the shower, he’d changed out of his tux and into jeans and a tee. “I’ll have water, please.” If she had coffee, whatever minuscule chance she might be able to sleep would disappear.
“Fresh or sparkling?”
He slid a plate with a grilled sandwich in front of her. Clearly, he had an issue with listening. She wrinkled her nose, unsure if that made him like Janek or not. “Fresh, please.”
“Why the frown?” He twisted the top on a bottle of water and placed it next to her plate. “Talking about it might help you feel better.”
