I lift her foot and slide it into the sandal, then fasten the strap around her ankle and repeat the process with the other foot. I look up at her when I’m done and find her staring down at me with an intensity I’m not used to seeing from her.
“Why are you so good to me, Kruger?”
“Because you deserve it.”
She rests her casted arm on my shoulder while using the other to run her fingers through my hair. She’s due to get the cast off next week, and I can’t say I’ll be sad to see the back of it, either.
“If this is all a trick—” her voice drifts off as she shakes her head. She drops her hand and forces a smile to her face. “Come on then, you promised me ice cream.”
One step forward, two steps back. It’s a dance I’m intimately familiar with. But every day, I wake up and she’s right there beside me. I count it as a win.
I get to my feet, grab the keys for the truck, and spot Delphi’s new cell phone on the counter. “You want me to put this in my pocket, or do you want to take a bag?”
She waves me off. “You can take it. Nobody but Legs would call me anyway, and she’s still mad at me.”
“What’s she mad about this time?”
“She dreamed I stole the last chocolate chip cookie. It doesn’t matter that real-life me doesn’t even like chocolate chip cookies. She’s still mad.”
“I’m more upset that you don’t like chocolate chip cookies. It’s un-American is what it is. Next thing you know, you’ll be telling me you don’t like PB and J.”
She grimaces, making me pause.
“I’ve seen you eat PB and J before, I swear it.”
“No, you have. Just not since someone stuck their fingers in my head and poked around in my brain a bit.”
“Are you saying your tastes have changed?”
“A little, maybe? I’ve not tried many different foods since waking up. It has not exactly been a priority. It was the other day that I started noticing the oddities. Like how I hadn’t had cream cheese bagels since I woke up, but then the thought of them made me gag. Same thought with the PB and J. And then later on, I had that craving for a BLT, remember?”
“Yeah, with mustard.”
“With mustard,” she agrees. “Fun fact. I don’t like mustard. Never have, apparently, until now.”
“Wow, that’s…wow.”
“I know, right?” She blows a strand of hair off her face. She sighs. “Every time I think I have something figured out, something else comes along and throws me off-balance.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I have an idea, though. You said you wanted ice cream, right? Well, what better way to start figuring out what you like than to try a scoop of everything?” I waggle my brows at her playfully.
Her eyes light up with excitement. “I approve of this plan. We could call Legs and see if she wants to meet us there later. The ice cream might buy me some forgiveness for eating her cookie.”
I chuckle when she groans. “You just realized how dirty that sounded, huh?”
“Behave. Now, let’s go. Ice cream awaits.”
She stares up at the building as I buzz us in. “It looks so normal.”
“What were you expecting?”
“I don’t know, maybe security outside and a topless assistant waiting to serve you.”
I laugh. “It’s a security firm, not a strip club.”
“Oh, I’m always open to new ideas. This is why we need a suggestions box, dammit, Kruger. I’d happily take a topless assistant to boost morale,” says a voice from beside us.
“I’m sure it would boost something.” I laugh as I turn us to face him. “Delphi, meet Nathan. He’s my second in command, and honestly, he runs this place better than I ever could.”
