“The pup needs to go with Addie. I know, okay? We all get it; she’s your dog. But it’s already going to be near impossible for you to find a comfortable position to sleep in. Trust me on this, okay?”
Stubbornly, feeling desperate even, she insisted, “She’smydog.”
“We’ll bring her back in the morning,” Callie promised.
Tanner said, “Come on, Glory. The last thing you need is to trip over her. She’s young and energetic. Let’s give it a few days.”
Pinched with worry, Addie watched her, and Glory knew the exact moment she settled on a plan. It was there in her shrewd blue eyes. With all the innocence she could muster, Addie sighed. “If you don’t trust me with her, remember that Callie and Tanner are in the house, too.”
It cost her, making her ribs aches, but Glory snorted. “Nice try, Addie, but I see right through that ploy.” Giving upseemed to be her easiest option. “I trust all of you, I just don’t want PB to be confused.”
“She’s no longer wandering the woods, she’s tick-free, and she has a full belly. One step at a time, okay?”
Glory nodded. “All right, as long as I get to see her every day.”
“With someone around to run interference so she doesn’t hurt you.” Kam leaned in and put a soft kiss to her cheek.
With Addie, Tanner, and Callie right there, the affectionate gesture made her blush. Trying to brazen her way through it, she reached up with her right hand to touch her hair. “I don’t know how I’m going to sleep with my hair still so yucky.”
Kam’s mouth twisted. “It’s your ribs and shoulder that concern me, not your hair.”
Callie, who better understood her, quickly said, “One more day for your stitches, and then I can help you shower. Tomorrow, I’ll try sponging it off again. It is better, Glory. No more blood, so it’s mostly clean, just not styled.”
She wasn’t about to snort again. “I’m wrecked from head to toe, so I guess styling doesn’t matter.” She gave them each a firm look. “It’s time for everyone to head home. I’m going to feed myself this amazing mac and cheese, and I want to move without you all gasping, then I need to brush my teeth, figure out how I’m going to sleep, and hopefully tomorrow, I’ll figure out... everything else.” Like her life, her upcoming and overwhelming responsibilities—and the lurking danger.
As carefully as possible, she sat forward. Yes, it hurt, a lot, but the ice pack was starting to drip on her and she had to pee.
Tanner hastily removed the ice, saying to Kam, “Remember, you need to time it. Fifteen minutes on, then off for a while. Always put a thin towel or something between her skin and the ice bag.”
“Got it,” he said, and tried to offer her another bite of food.
She wasn’t about to let Kam feed her. “No.”
Sheepish, he put the fork back in the dish.
“I want to snuggle my dog before she’s taken away.”
Hedging, Callie moved closer. “Tomorrow, I need to tell Mom.”
Which meant Liz would make a well-meaning visit. Not something she’d anticipate with gladness, but she’d deal with that, too. “I understand. Thanks. Just tell her that I’m okay and not to worry. Now, I want to see PB, so she won’t forget me.”
For the most part, Kam controlled the dog. Still, she landed several swipes of her tongue across her chin. Dodging her made both her shoulder and her ribs thrum with pain, but it was worth it. Glory stroked her, kissed her furry little head, and felt the softness of her floppy ears. There’d be no way to keep the others from hearing, but she kept her voice low, anyway. “Thank God I didn’t hurt you, PB.” She kissed her again, already missing her even though she and the dog weren’t well acquainted.
Kam stroked the back of her hair. “Pretty sure she’s some sort of beagle mix.”
Tanner said, “I’ll set up a vet appointment. Until then, Nell could take a look at her. She’s good with animals.”
“Great idea.” Glory really liked Nell and wouldn’t mind having a reason to pay the girl.
Since no one was budging, she gripped the edge of the couch with her right hand, braced herself, and struggled to get to her feet. Hurt. Like. Hell.
Kam hastily handed the dog over to Callie and helped support Glory until she was fully upright. “What are we doing?”
It took her a second to catch her breath, then she said, “I’m going to the bathroom. You can see everyone out.” Deliberately, she didn’t make eye contact on her way out of the room. If she did, she’d get weepy again. Or worse, she’d spillher guts, and she’d already decided that this was one secret she needed to keep for a while. At least until she’d healed and could think rationally, without all the emotion brought on by the pain and the residual fear from the wreck.
In her bathroom, she closed the door, then locked it for good measure. With a few winces, she removed the towel from under her left arm and set it on the sink. One glance in the mirror and she almost laughed. Seriously, her hair was the least of her worries as far as looks went. How any of them could stand to look at her, she didn’t know. The sight certainly turned her stomach.
Her own clothes had been ruined, so at some point, while she’d been prodded, stitched, x-rayed, and examined, Tanner had called Liam. That young man, who was always dependable, had driven to Addie’s and collected the mismatched outfit she now wore. Addie had put it together based on comfort and ease, and while Glory knew she looked ridiculous in one of Callie’s long elastic-waist summer skirts with Tanner’s roomy button-up cotton shirt, she was thankful she wouldn’t have to deal with the slacks and form-fitting shirt she’d worn to work.
