He glances at the clock again. “Plenty of time.” He drops a kiss to my forehead, snags a piece of my toast off the counter, and heads for the door.
“Hey!” I protest.
“Later, Kates. Love you.”
I sigh as the door shuts behind him. If only he meant it the same way I still do.
My phone buzzes just as I finish icing my ankle, Noah’s name on the screen.
“Hey, stranger,” I answer.
“Hey, baby sister,” he says. “How are you feeling?”
“Tired. Stir crazy. Tired.”
There’s a pause, soft static on the line. “You’re really doing it, huh? You’re gonna stick around and help with Aubrey.”
“Trying to,” I say. “Still a little nervous about being back. It’ll help when I’m not trapped in this house.”
He chuckles. “You always did hate sitting still. Mom says you were out of your crib before you could walk.”
“That explains a lot.”
Another pause, heavier this time. “And Silas?”
I twist the ice pack on my ankle. “He’s…impossible. And patient. And somehow knows when to push and when to back off.”
“So, basically perfect for you.”
“Don’t start,” I warn, but I’m smiling.
“I’m just glad you’ve got someone who understands you. Try not to injure anything else for a while, Oak.”
“I’ll do my best,” I say quietly. “But I’m okay now.”
“You sure?”
“For the first time in a while, yeah. I think I am.”
He exhales, long and relieved. “Good. Now do me a favor and don’t try to race Aubrey around the kitchen yet, okay?”
“No promises.” I laugh.
Chapter 28
Silas
“You’re late.”
I cut my eyes at Rooks as I toss my gear onto the bench. “I’m one minute early, thank you very much.”
His shit-eating grin earns him a shove before I check my phone. I know there won’t be a text or a call from Oakley—I left her half an hour ago—but the compulsion to check on both my girls is strong. Even if one of them isn’t mine.
The love you that slipped out earlier did so without a single thought. Like the last several years apart never happened. Like it was all just a bad dream.
If only.
“Guess who’s coming off IR soon?” Changing the subject, Rooks lifts a brow.
