“Issy, you couldn’t have known there would be a fire. I’ve lived there for years on my own.”
“Yeah, but you weren’t mine then. Christ, I’m not sure how I’m going to let you out of my sight from now on.”
“I’m fine. I’ll be all right.” She licked her lips. “Is that offer to, uhh, to move in with you, is that still, uhh…”
He interrupted her awkward question by putting his hand gently over her mouth. “You’re moving into my cabin on Sanctuary Ranch. No buts. No arguments.”
He removed his hand as tears welled in her eyes. “That’s good. Since I now seem to be homeless.” Her eyes widened. “Not that that is the reason I want to move in with you. I’d already made my mind up that I wanted to come with you to Sanctuary, especially after talking to Archer and—”
“What has my brother got to do with this?”
“Oh, we had a talk, before I left the cabin to say goodbye to Dave, where Dave’s ashes are. That’s where I was when the cabin went on fire…”
“Wait, baby, calm down. Why don’t you start from the beginning, tell me everything?”
He was silent as she went through everything. The new appliances arriving, her talk with Archer, her trip to say goodbye to Dave, the fire, trying to get hold of him and Archer. Then Kent and Archer arriving.
He sighed. Fuck. He owed his brother a big apology. “I need to talk to Archer.”
She nodded. “He’s been taking good care of me. Coaxing me into eating and sleeping.”
His gaze narrowed. “You haven’t been doing either of those?”
She shrugged. “Hard to eat with my hands bandaged. Plus, I haven’t had much appetite. I lost all my stuff, Issy. Everything I had of Dave.”
“I know, baby doll. I know there were things that are irreplaceable and I’m sorry you lost them. But what’s really important is that you’re all right.”
She sniffled, nodding. He drew her close, rocking her back and forth. “Everything is okay, baby doll. I’m here. I’ll take good care of you.”
“You owe Archer an apology. All he’s done is been here for me. He’s a good brother.”
Issy nodded. He agreed. He’d been an ass to think Archer would ever make a play for Caley. He trusted his brother.
He’d make it up to him. He just hoped Archer understood.
* * *
Isaac walked out of her room fifteen minutes later, telling her he was going to go find something for her to eat. He didn’t like how drawn she was.
He was reaching for his phone as soon as the door to her room shut behind him. He found his brother’s name and called him.
“I’m in the waiting room on this floor. It’s empty,” Archer greeted him.
He hung up without a word and headed down to the waiting room. He walked in and looked over at his brother, freezing in shock.
Archer looked…defeated.
He’d never seen him like that. His older brother might be a pain in his ass at times, but he was always a calm in the middle of a storm.
A rock.
“I’m sorry for the way I reacted,” Isaac told him. He felt ashamed of his behavior. Archer had been here taking care of his girl and he’d jumped down his throat. All because of his own insecurities.
Archer let out a humorless bark of laughter. “Don’t. Don’t apologize when it’s me that should say sorry to you.”
“Why? Look, I’m tired, hungry and stressed. I read something into what I saw that I shouldn’t have. I know you didn’t want Evelyn’s attention and I know —”
“I love her, Issy.”