Page 16 of Protect Me
And long hair I wanted to play with.
Her subtle-but-there expression dared me to come closer, because she was ready to push me away.
Damn, if I didn’t love a challenge.
Those thoughts swirled around as I slipped out of the office, waved to a nurse that sent me a fluttering smile—never wouldthathappen—and headed back to the front. The receptionist waved me away, said they’d bill my insurance, and I stood in the main area again.
Katelyn sat on one of the stuffed chairs in the lobby, head tilted back. A trivia game played across one of the screens. When one of the players missed the answer to the questionwhat does the letter N stand for in chess?
“Knight, you idiot,” she muttered.
I laughed.
Katelyn startled, caught my gaze, and relaxed. She was jumpier than a baby doe. The startled expression on her face fled and she quirked one of her lips up.
“Sorry, I just—“
“I get it.” I held up a hand. “Everyone should know that answer.”
She lifted both hands in a sign of praise, perfectly mimicking my father. “Preach it, friend.” Her amusement dropped. She stood up. “Everything okay?”
I nodded. “I’m good to go home, thanks.”
The ride home was as quiet as the rest of the night, the morning, and the ride over had been. As if Katelyn had a word limit and had used it up in the 3-4 sentences we’d swapped yesterday. This side of her felt strange. Chattering squirrels held nothing on Vini and Kate growing up.
Then again, Vini wasn’t here.
When Kate pulled into the parking lot outside my house, her hand lingered on her gear shift.
“Need help getting in?”
“No, thanks. I have a little pride left.” I smiled in case she took offense. “I can open my door.”
To my relief, she returned it. “I’ll come by, check on you later?”
“I’m good, thank you for all you’ve done. Doc Blaine says we’re out of the worst. These antibiotics are working, so I just need to rest.”
Katelyn smiled, but it didn’t seem quite as bright. “Great, well, I left my number on the fridge in case you need anything. I work lots of random hours so . . .”
The offer, unstated, trailed into the ether. I let it go and carefully stepped out of her little four-door car. Did I want to go back into that wretched townhouse by myself? No. Being out of the drug-induced funk, and two months sober of alcohol, meant I’d get bored soon.
Boredom meant . . . not pleasant things for my state of mind.
Not being able to drive also put a big damper on dealing with my life. Suddenly, it all felt too overwhelming. I kicked those thoughts aside to tackle on my own.
I wasn’tKatelyn’s problem.
“Thanks again, Kate.”
I shut the door and headed back to my life, leaving Katelyn firmly in the past where she’d stay, if she knew what was good for her.
Because I didn’t.
ChapterFive
KATELYN
“Earth to Katelyn?”
