She giggled. “What if you sneeze so much you can’t breathe out of your nose?”
Now it was my turn to laugh. “Still worth it. You’re my family, and family takes care of each other.”
Hailey stilled, blinking up at me.
“But Palmer’s our family too. Maybe she wouldn’t mind getting sick either.”
My chest twisted. There was something both crushing and hopeful about the way she said it. I wasn’t sure how I felt about Hailey growing so attached to Palmer in such a short time.
“Hailey,” I said gently. “Palmer loves taking care of you, but she’s only here for a little while—to help us until Grandma is back.”
She stared at me blankly for a moment. Then her face crumpled. “No.” She shook her head. “She can’t leave!”
She tried to sit up, but I pressed her back down.
“Grandma needs to meet her!” she cried. “And Palmer doesn’t have a family of her own. I told her we’d be her family.”
I stayed very still, my hand resting lightly on Hailey’s shoulder as she sniffed and wiped at her eyes with the back of her sleeve. I didn’t trust myself to speak right away. Something ugly and tight had wrapped around my chest, squeezing hard enough to steal my breath.
I’d assumed Palmer was alone. People don’t take jobs like this—drop into a stranger’s house, move in with barely a suitcase—if they’ve got somewhere else to land. But knowing somethingin theory was different from hearing it spoken so plainly by my daughter.
My jaw clenched.
I thought about the way Palmer moved through the house like she was careful not to take up too much space. She always asked before doing anything, even things she didn’t need permission for. She smiled easily but never talked about herself unless Hailey asked—and even then, it was vague.
I swallowed and brushed my thumb over Hailey’s cheek. “Sweetheart,” I chose my words with care, “I don’t know what’s going to happen when everyone gets back. I’m not sure Palmer would even want to stay with us.”
“She will.” She nodded, absolutely certain. “She loves to take care of people.”
I didn’t want Hailey promising things I couldn’t guarantee. I didn’t want Palmer hearing words that might root her here deeper than was safe, and I sure as hell didn’t want to acknowledge how much the idea of her leaving already felt wrong.
I bent down and pressed my forehead to Hailey’s, keeping my voice steady. “Right now, Palmer’s here to help us. And we’re lucky to have her.”
Hailey searched my face for reassurance. “She won’t leave too soon…right?”
I hesitated. “I’m not planning on that. Not right now.”
As I tucked the blankets back around Hailey and stood, my thoughts followed Palmer. For the first time since she’d walked into my life, I wasn’t just worried about Hailey getting attached.
I was worried about Palmer, and the fact that she didn’t have anyone looking out for her.
16
Palmer
I’dspentthelasttwo days up in Hailey’s bed with her as she recovered from whatever virus had been making its way through her school.
I’d done my best to make things cozy with extra blankets, her favorite movies queued up, and a small mountain of stuffed animals. But the fever had been stubborn. She hadn’t been ableto eat much of anything except Popsicles and a few small bowls of chicken noodle soup.
Roman had offered to take off work, but I didn’t mind staying with her.
I was here to do a job, and taking care of Hailey was my priority. I wasn’t going to sit around doing nothing while Roman stayed home from work when I was here.
More reluctantly than I’d expected, he went in like normal, leaving Hailey in my care. The worst of it finally seemed to be over.
“I’m so glad you’re feeling better.” I sat cross-legged on Hailey’s bed as we made friendship bracelets with brightly colored string.
Hailey nodded. “Oh my gosh, me too. That was not fun.”
