“Responsible. That means we can trust you with big things.”
“You can trust me!”
Em smiled, the gesture genuine and real. It always made me feel like a million bucks when directed at me. The fact Miles seemed to stand taller from her attention made me laugh. “Let’s see how things go with Sassy and then we can talk about a dog, buddy.”
“Okay. I’m hungry. Do we have muffins? Or bacon?” Miles ran down the hallway, Sassy hot on his tail, and I could only laugh.
Em’s eyes warmed as she stared after them. “They are cute together.”
“That they are.” I took in the sleep lines around her eyes, the slight pout of her lips, the messy hair, and I wanted to yank her against me. “Did you sleep well, Em?”
She pushed her hair behind her ears, flicking her gaze to me almost shyly. “I did, yeah, thanks. Did you?”
“No, but I never do anymore.” I shrugged and gestured down the hall. “I can make you some breakfast if you’d like.”
“I mean, do you have muffins? Or bacon?”
I laughed. “I sure do.”
The kitchen was filled with laughter, music, and barking for the first time since Miles and I moved into the place together. Instead of the prepackaged muffins, Miles insisted on baking them to show off his skills for Em. Flour was everywhere. Sassy kept jumping onto her back legs to see what was on the counter, and Miles had laughed more in the last hour than the last week.
While the muffins baked, I started a small batch of bacon and put together a bowl of berries. Em moved easily around the space, checking the timer, rinsing bowls, and wiping counters when Miles overshot with the sugar. Every now and then, she looked at me with a question on her face.
Her phone pinged on the island. She checked the screen and winced. “Building management,” she said, voice low. “I’ll take this in the other room.”
“Put it on speaker,” I demanded, the need to help her increasingly strong. “Miles, be quiet. Okay, buddy?”
He nodded, his face serious.
A measured voice came through. “Ms. Sanders, we have emergency mitigation scheduled between twelve and two today. ServPro will extract water and set fans. Dry-out is typically three to five days. We’ll demo affected drywall after the area is dry andcomplete a mold assessment. You won’t be able to reenter today except with a tech present.”
“Okay,” Em said, fingers tight on the edge of the counter. “What about my things?”
“Please gather photos for a contents list. Anything stored on the floor is likely a loss. Electronics should not be powered on. If you have renter’s insurance, file a claim today. We’ll email a letter confirming the unit is not habitable for eight to ten weeks pending test results. We’ll also note pet accommodation for temporary housing.”
She swallowed. “Can I meet the crew?”
“Yes. We’ll text when they’re en route.”
He hung up. Em stared at the island. I let the silence sit for a few beats and then slid the bowl of berries toward her.
“Eat,” I said. “Then we’ll head there. We’ll get what can be saved, okay?”
She nodded and took a raspberry, popping it into her mouth as all the joy from earlier washed off her face. Her shoulders stiffened as she stood straighter. “You guys don’t need to do that, really. I can…call someone else. I should probably tell my siblings. I’ve been avoiding it. You two have plans.”
“Em,” I said, annoyance creeping into my tone. “We don’t have plans. Also, you really should let your family know too.”
She shrugged. “They have other things to worry about. I can’t be another nuisance to them. They all want to protect me and think I can’t handle myself.”
“Uncle Noah said the nanny canceled on us again. So we can help you, Em. I wanna help! I wanna be a helper!”
Em’s frown deepened, her gaze moving from Noah to me. “They canceled?”
“It’s nothing.” I waved a hand in the air. “Please, don’t worry about that at all. Let’s game plan how we can save your stuff, and you can move in here while you wait.”
“Noah. I’m not moving inhere.”
“Why not?” Miles asked, taking the words right out of my mouth.
