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“Do you want me to remain an invalid forever?”
“I…” She looked regretful when she shook her head. “No. But I don’t want you to do anything you’re not ready for, either.”
He nodded. “I’m ready. Now carry my t
ray for me, if you could.”
“Of course.”
She nodded eagerly, but I stepped forward, murmuring, “I’ll get the tray.”
Gabby whirled toward me, her glare icy and unforgiving. “I told you to fucking leave.”
“And it was simply adorable when you said it, too.” Brushing her aside, I picked up the tray. “Now help your papá walk to the kitchen, will you? He’s only got one leg.”
She called me an impressively vile name as I swept from the room, carrying her father’s dinner tray with me.
Miguel was just finishing his meal when I entered. He looked up, saw the plate still piled with spaghetti, and popped to his feet, his face full of concern.
“What’s wrong? Why didn’t Papá eat? Is he okay?”
“He’s fine,” I said, setting out his meal on the table across from the kid. “He’s just going to eat in here with you tonight?”
“He is?” Watching me curiously, Miguel shook his head. “Why?”
I shrugged. “Why not?”
Oscar and Gabby entered before Miguel could question me further, so the boy skipped toward them, clearly excited to see his father. “Hi, Papá. You’re eating in here tonight? You must be feeling better. You’re walking really good. And look, Gabby made spaghetti!”
While Oscar nodded at him distractedly, concentrating on each step he took, Gabby hushed and waved her brother to the side so they could have a clear path to the table. Once they reached Oscar’s seat, he patted her arm before letting go of it and easing down.
Tears glistened from her lashes as she smiled and watched him pick up his fork. Miguel bounded back to his seat, talking a million miles per minute as if he had a year of news to catch his father up with and only a few minutes to tell him everything.
“…And then Dawson puked all over Hailey’s shoes.” Pausing, he glanced toward his sister and frowned as if irritated by her presence. “I thought you were going out.”
“Oh!” She jumped as if remembering, only to pause and narrow her eyes when she saw me in the entrance of the kitchen, still here. “I need to change,” she muttered, rudely brushing past me and storming from the room.
As she left, I glanced at her father and brother.
“Have fun.” Miguel waved happily, clearly oblivious to his sister’s feelings toward me at the moment.
I smiled vaguely at him and turned my attention to his father. Oscar glanced up and sent me a hard look, his eyes glittering with resentment, but then he offered me a reluctant yet respectful nod.
I sent him one back.
For trying.
Then I left the kitchen to wait for Gabby in the front room. My fingers wandered over her pillow as I walked toward the window to look out onto a side street. As I shifted the curtain aside, a familiar figure passed directly by the window on the sidewalk.
“Hmm,” I murmured, watching Ezra Nash’s back as he walked away, his head down and posture defeated.
Kaitlynn was the only feasible reason he’d be loitering outside this building. They must be moving along quickly if he was already aware of where she lived.
I’m not sure if I liked that. A relationship between those two was a bit too dangerous for my taste. And what was worse, he didn’t look pleased.
Did that mean my stepsister was similarly upset?
It would seriously suck if I had to break my own boss’s legs for hurting Kaitlynn.
