Page 47 of Act Like You Don't Care
“Just picking up milk and fruit, some clothes for him.”
“Mom’s going to send some stuff up with Rick tomorrow, once they’ve had a chance to wash the gas out of everything.”
I nodded and headed into the store.
No more than fifteen minutes later, I was back. Jim got out of the car and hung around while I loaded the groceries in the rear compartment and woke Tam to see how he was doing.
“We there already?” Tam asked groggily, rubbing his eyes as he pushed himself up to sitting.
“Soon. We’re about forty-five minutes away if you want to come sit up front. I got you some ginger ale and a bag of potato chips in case your stomach is upset.”
He yawned and shook his head. “I’m fine. Thanks for the food.” He rubbed his stomach. “Not feeling really hungry, but my mouth is dry.”
“Adrenaline will do that to you. Come on.” I gave him a hand to get out of the car and walked him around to the passenger side while Jim guarded my side of the vehicle. It was probably paranoia or overkill, but this job wasn’t going the way it should have and I was glad to note that none of us were taking any chances.
I got Tam settled, then walked back around the car to trade places with my brother.
Jim put a hand on my arm to stop me before I could close the door. “You didn’t do anything wrong here, you know. No one could have predicted this. Mom ran this all by Andrew this afternoon and even he was surprised. He’ll call you later, once you’re settled in. And he and Mom have their heads together. Between what was in that last letter and the access to the anesthetic, they’re really narrowing the scope. The only issue is LAPD is all up our asses right now, but they’ll be useful overall, Mom says. Don’t beat yourself up over it.”
“Thanks,” I told him, but I didn’t feel any better. Maybe I would have done a better job if I hadn’t been spending all my time mooning over my protectee.
Fuck, if everyone else could be professional around him, why couldn’t I?
We each got into our respective vehicles and I drove out into the California night. Within ten minutes, I was regretting waking Tam up. Having him in the passenger seat was distracting because now he was constantly in the corner of my eye. And, without his usual cologne and without the blanket to contain his scent, he smelled like Tam, only more. Like someone had condensed him and then opened the bottle, filling the car with a scent not unlike warm vanilla and musk. The smell filled my mind with memories of last night in the hotel. I cracked open the window to let the outside air dilute his effect on me.
By the time we arrived, I was so grateful to get out of the SUV and let the fresh air off the ocean to blow away that distracting scent. I pulled the car into the carport behind the house and climbed tiredly out.
Tam wandered around the front of the SUV and over to the side of the house, taking in what sights could be seen under the security lights that ran all night around the yard. "It smells better than the city."
"No pollution. Not much noise either." I unlocked the door and went back to gather up the overnight bag Mom had packed for me, as well as the groceries I’d bought in town.
Tam followed me inside, glancing around the large kitchen and dining area. "Can you call and check on Badness?"
"Sure." I dropped everything on the floor in front of the sink and closed the curtains on the little window there. “I’m going to check in on Jim too.”
“Where’s he?” Tam asked, coming over to peer into the shopping bags.
“There’s a little cabin further down the property. Closer to the road. He and a couple of other guys will take turns covering the house here.”
Tam stopped unloading the groceries onto the counter and glanced up at me. “They’re going to be staying here with us.”
“Not in the house here. Why?”
He frowned and went back to the groceries. “I don’t know. I just want some quiet, I think.” He heaved a sigh and began putting things away. “I’ll get over it. I know it’s all for me.”
“It is. But there’s plenty of bedrooms and you can have a whole section of the house to yourself.” Tentatively, I put a hand on his shoulder. After last night, I really shouldn’t have been touching him. Once I could write off as temporary madness, but the warmth that spread up my arm when I touched him was a warning that once might not be enough.
“I don’t need to get away from you,” Tam said softly. “Just everyone else. For a bit.”
I nodded, uncertain what exactly my family was going to say to that. “We’ll figure something out. I’ll go talk to Jim, ask him not to go wandering through the house without letting us know.”
“And Badness,” he reminded me, sounding much more like his old self. “Find out what the vet says?”
“I will.” I grabbed my phone, threw on a jacket from the closet, and made my escape out to the car.
* * *
When I came back in,Tam was busy at the stove and the kitchen smelled like some of the best cooking I’d ever eaten. “Wow,” I said as I kicked off my shoes and padded into the kitchen. “You said you could cook. I didn’t realize you meant you could cook.”
