What scared her more was hogging his time, stealing him away from his obligations, interrupting his plans. Kam was a good man with a busy life—a life he’d put on hold for her. “I like having you here,” she offered, as a way to ease into things.
“I’ve moved in on you.” With the food on their plates, he took a seat across from her. “I didn’t really give you much of a choice, though.”
Moved in when he still had an apartment? “It’s not a problem for me.”
“You’ll get a break tomorrow, though.”
His set expression kept her uneasy. “Oh?”
“I know it’s Saturday, but I have to head in to work for a few hours to finish up a custom order, then I’m taking a bunch of kids to play Putt-Putt golf. Liam and Nell are going along.”
How ridiculous was it that she felt left out? She didn’t begrudge the kids having some fun, and she respected Kam so much for the time he spent with them. “Liam is still involved?”
He nodded. “Nell, too. It helps, because the teens know them and trust them, at least to a point.”
Liam was nineteen and Nell was seventeen, but they were remarkably mature for their ages. They were also a couple, though not everyone knew that. Until Nell had turned seventeen, Liam had viewed her as hands-off.
“Nell still spends some nights at the halfway house.” Kam’s mouth firmed. “I worry about her, but it’s better now that she and Liam are together. At least when she needs a place to go in the middle of the night, she’s comfortable with him.”
“I think they’re in love.” Using only her right hand, she forked a few peas on her plate. “She had to grow up fast, didn’t she?”
“Afraid so. Her grandma tries, but...” He shook his head and changed the topic. “How did your visit with Callie go?”
There remained a cautious distance between them, but Glory wasn’t sure what to do about it. “PB was with her. Nell gave her a clean bill of health, by the way.”
“She took her to the clinic where she works?”
“Yes. PB is now up-to-date on her shots and Tanner got her a very pretty collar.” For the next few seconds, they both stayed busy eating. “Mmm. Addie has outdone herself.”
“When I first came to live with her, I couldn’t believe the food.” A genuine smile showed not only on his mouth, but in his eyes. “There was always something cooking or something sweet on the counter. Addie would ask me what I’d like to eat, and I never knew what to tell her. Everything she made was great.”
“I’m not much of a cook.” Once she said it, she glanced at him, feeling a little defensive. “I mean... Addie definitely has a talent.”
“She does, and even better, she enjoys it.”
“I can read a recipe.”
Unlike her, Kam didn’t seem to think anything of it. “Same. I don’t do too badly, but food always tastes better when someone else cooks it.”
Glad that she wouldn’t be compared to Addie, Glory tried to relax. “Putt-Putt golf sounds fun. I wish I were able to join you.”
Lifting his gaze from his food, he took in her left arm, carefully held to her side, then the bruising on her face. “I wish you could, too, but you have a lot of healing to do before you’ll be up for something like that.”
The look in his eyes conveyed more than his casual response. “I’m okay on my own, you know. If there are things you need to do, don’t feel like you have to arrange for someone else to be here with me.”
“Ha! It’s all I can do to keep them away.”
Given the enthusiasm from everyone when they visited, that might be true. “I’m not used to so much attention. It’s overwhelming.” And exhausting. Being the center of attention didn’t suit her. She wanted to groan without anyone hearing it, wanted to get off the couch without others seeing her struggle. She wanted to be herself, not someone who endlessly garnered pity.
Kam set aside his fork. “So you want some time alone?”
Not from him, but she could see that he’d taken it that way. Damn, she was butchering this. “I’m going to be blunt.”
“Sure, let’s try that.”
Her frown snapped into place and with the stitches still in her forehead and cheek, she imagined it looked as angry as it felt. “You say that like I’ve kept things from you.”
“You’re hedging around about something. Just spit it out.”
