It had happened too quickly for Shiloh to process. Cary had said that he loved her—and she still hadn’t quite swallowed it.
She still wasn’t over the initial shock of seeing him again. Having him here. Touching him in small ways. If she thought about being engaged or being in love, Shiloh would start shaking her head.
She shook her head. She rubbed his thigh. “Is this polyester? I feel like the men and women of the military deserve better.”
Cary caught her hand and squeezed it.
When they got out of the car, Cary produced a very impressive hat. White, with a black brim and a big gold anchor.
“You look like a cruise ship captain!”
“No, they look like me.”
“Like Captain Stubing,” she said.
“No.”
The nurses and elderly people did in fact love Cary. If he ever felt bad about himself, he could just suit up and cruise a retirement home. He stood tall, with his hat in his hand. It took forever to get to his mom’s room.
As soon as Cary knocked, Shiloh realized they hadn’t gotten their stories straight. She’d been too dazzled by all that white polyester. What did his mom know... about Shiloh?
Cary’s mom answered the door, standing behind a walker—and immediately let go of it to clap her hands. “Cary! You brought my guardian angel!”
Shiloh smiled. “Hi, Lois.”
Cary leaned over to kiss his mom’s cheek.
“You too, Shiloh,” Lois said. “Come on.”
Shiloh gave her a loose and gentle hug, careful of her oxygen tube and the walker. Lois looked much better than she had in the hospital. She was up and around. Her hair looked freshly colored. But she seemed frail compared to the day they all ran errands together. She’d lost more weight.
Lois patted Shiloh’s back. “You are still so tall... Come on in and see my fancy apartment. I’ve got everything I need here.”
Shiloh looked around. They were standing in a small living room with demure, neutral-colored furniture. Some of Lois’s angel collection had made its way to the shelves and tables. There was a TV against one wall—Lois was watching a courtroom show. One side of the room was a kitchenette, with a half-sized fridge, a microwave and a freestanding counter.
“Sit down, Shiloh. I made some iced tea. And I have those cookies you brought me, Cary. Get Shiloh some iced tea and cookies.”
Cary went to do what he was told. He set his hat on the couch. Shiloh sat down next to it.
“I have my own kitchen,” Lois said, carefully easing herself down into a chair. “I make myself eggs sometimes, with the hot plate, but there’s a dining room downstairs, so I’ve been getting lazy.”
“That’s not lazy,” Shiloh said. “That’s smart. This is a such a pretty room. I’m glad you brought your angels.”
Lois looked at the coffee table. “Ha! This isn’t even half of them. Angel—my Angel—says it’s too much for the ladies to dust them all, so I had to pick my favorites. Did you know someone cleans for me? It’s like I’m on vacation. I’m going to miss all this when I go home.”
“I’m so glad you found this place,” Shiloh said. “It seems like a really great fit.”
“Oh, you know, Cary found it.”
Cary was coming back into the living room with two glasses of iced tea.
“There he is,” Lois said. “Isn’t he handsome? That’s my baby boy. Get Shiloh some cookies, Cary.”
“I can’t find them.” He picked up the remote and turned down the TV.
“They’re in the fridge. So the chocolate doesn’t melt.”
He went for the cookies.
