“Sleep, Michelle. I’ll be listening.” After covering the windows so it would be dark enough for her to sleep, I shut the door.
The scent of her contentment drifted out with me, telling me just how much she liked having someone take care of her. And, I really did like doing it.
Stopping at the island, I studied the paper. I’d half expected travel plans or other notes about leaving. Instead, there was a bunch of random stuff about businesses. Why would she research stock information for Sam?
I thought back to the last few times she’d talked to Winifred about it. Michelle’s reactions had been odd, but frankly, all of her behavior had been a little off since arriving. Running scared from an unheard-of species would do that. But, she wasn’t running scared anymore, so I couldn’t place blame for her odd interest with stocks on that. Unless maybe she was still trying to deal with who and what we were? Sighing, I looked back at her room. There wasn’t anything I could do until she woke up.
I left the apartment door ajar and went down to stake claim on my portion of breakfast. Jim had the boys at the kitchen island, and they were just divvying up the bacon under Winifred’s supervision. She handed me my plate with a wink.
After the cubs finished eating, I helped them sneak upstairs to change while Jim and Winifred cleaned up. Both boys were eerily quiet as they went into the room to find their clothes for the day. I wondered how often in their lives they’d needed to dress silently like that.
We went outside and played for a while. When they grew bored with the swing set, Winifred sat on the porch while Jim and I stood side by side and tossed balls to the boys.
“I want to run to town to get some furniture for the new apartment,” I said in a normal tone. Jim and Winifred heard me, but the boys were busy heckling each other.
“Jim should go with you. Although his taste is deplorable, it will look more realistic with two men loading furniture rather than one.”
“Good,” Jim said with a grin. “We can hit a buffet for lunch.”
It wasn’t long after that I heard noise from the third floor. A shower. I frowned. She hadn’t slept more than a few hours.
A couple of minutes after the water shut off, a wad of paper came sailing out the balcony doors. Jim and the boys laughed. I picked up the paper and saw her business notes. She’d stayed up all night for these then threw them out the window?
“I’ll be right back,” I said to Winifred.
Taking the steps two at a time, I found Michelle at the island. She was bent over the tablet and mumbling incoherent fragments under her breath as she made notes on a piece of paper. I moved closer and looked over her shoulder. It was the same stuff. Well, a little different. The business she was researching was new.
Suddenly she stopped and stared at the paper.
“What are you doing?” I asked.
She yelped and spun on the stool to stare at me with wide eyes.
“Obviously, four hours of sleep isn’t enough. Why are you doing this?” I asked, looking at the paper. “And why did this one fly?” I held up the wrinkled sheet on which she’d obviously worked so hard.
Her shoulders slumped. “I know investments and stocks. Richard invested. It’s the only way I can pay you back.”
I glanced at the crumpled paper again.
“Another thought woke me. That one wasn’t right.” She nodded at the wadded paper I held.
This was about repaying me?
“Back to bed.”
“I’m not five. I don’t need to be told to go to bed,” she said with a stubborn tilt of her head.
“Of course you’re not five. A five-year-old would listen.”
Her hurt expression had me stepping close to hug her. She leaned into it, melting some of my concern.
“I’m just worried,” I said. “Last night you seemed fine with everything that happened yesterday, but then you didn’t sleep.” I recalled Jim’s words about not looking too desperate and knew I was walking a fine line. “Are you planning on leaving?”
She raised a hand and set it on my side. The heat of her palm branded me through my shirt.
“No, Emmitt. I’m not leaving.”
I cleared my throat and stepped away before I gave into my impulse to pick her up and carry