“We could solvethat,” she murmured.
He wasn’t too fond of her bloodthirsty undertones, but he’d be happy to take care of Kaci’s ex himself if the jackass was making more trouble.
A sniffle came from inside the room. His heart knocked on his ribs with a pang. He pushed at the door. “Is that Kaci? Why’s she crying? What happened?”
“Tell him to go away,” Kaci called. Her voice was sassless with a watery weight to it.
Lance folded his arms and glared at her friend.
“Oh, yeah, that’s gonna make us both change our minds,” she said. But despite the way she cocked her hip out—just like Kaci would’ve—she also backed away and let the door open wider.
He didn’t wait to ask if that was an invitation.
But when he stepped around her and caught sight of Kaci curled up in the blue-checkered chair beside her couch, her eyes puffy and her chin wobbly while she rocked her ancient cat, part of him wished he’d stayed outside.
“We’re gonna have to reschedule,” Kaci said without looking at him.
A piece of his heart sliced off and flopped to the carpet. “Aw, Kace, I’m sorry.”
“Hush your tongue. She’s not gone yet.”
Her friend sized him up, silently asking if he was man enough to stay or smart enough to leave.
No-brainer. Obviously.
He crossed the room to squat by Kaci’s side.
She squeezed her eyes shut. A tear slipped down her cheek.
That little drop of moisture seared his soul.
She couldn’t sass her way through this. Couldn’t use her bullheaded stubbornness to stop it. Couldn’t even devise a physics theory that would make it make sense.
He brushed a hand over her ponytail and pressed a kiss to her temple.
Her whole body shuddered.
The cat didn’t seem to notice. It lay there in her arms, wrapped in a towel, eyes closed, head lolling like a rag doll with every rock of Kaci’s body.
And Lance didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know how to fix this.
Hewantedto.
Because he didn’t like feeling powerless?
Or because he wanted to fix it for Kaci?
“Please leave,” she whispered.
His chest ached and his throat was thick. “Having a heart doesn’t make you weak, Kace,” he whispered.
Her lips trembled. “I need to be alone.”
Tara tilted her head toward the door. Her eyes were wet too, but the rest of her seemed to dare him to comment on it. “Been here longer than you have, Captain Studmuffin,” she said. “We’ll call if we need you.”
They wouldn’t call.
Kaci didn’t need him.
