Then he turned on his heel and walked into his bedroom. There was a slight hitch in his step. Maybe the phantom pains had returned—or were about to. Was that why he’d gone quiet?
There was an uncomfortable silence as everyone stood around the table, staring at the closed door at the end of the hall their host had vanished behind.
“I’m sorry. He’s…” Isa trailed off when she realized she was addressing a group who knew what Eli was like. Complicated. Moody. Reluctant.
“Don’t apologize for him,” Merina said. “He can do that for himself.” She palmed her empty glass and, along with Rachel and Reese, carried the remaining glassware and bottles to the kitchen.
It was Tag who stayed behind. “It’s back?” Tag’s face morphed into a mask of concern as he cast a glance to Eli’s bedroom door again. “The pain?”
So she wasn’t the only one to notice the change in Eli’s stride. She sent Tag a shaky smile, unsure how much she should say. First she’d let the Refurbs cat out of the bag, now this. “Um. Sometimes. Rarely. I massaged his foot the other day and it helped a lot.”
“He doesn’t share stuff like that. Doesn’t confide in us.” Tag’s frown deepened. “Does he tell you things, Cap’n?”
She debated lying, then decided against it. Looking into Tag’s intense blue eyes compelled her to be truthful. “He does.”
Tag gave an approving nod. “Good. I’m glad he has you.”
Rachel appeared at his side a second later. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, Dimples. We’re leaving the Cap’n in charge, and that’s not a bad thing.”
Reese delivered Merina’s, then Rachel’s, coats. “Isabella, good to see you.”
“Thanks for dinner.”
“Anytime.” He stole a glance at the bedroom door as well but kept his questions to himself.
“I’m going to check on him before I go,” Isa said.
Reese dipped his chin in a silent thank-you.
“You let us know if there’s anything we can do,” Tag said, Rachel’s hand in his. “We’re not far.” Tag and Rachel filed into the freight elevator with Reese and Merina. By the time the metal door crashed shut and the elevator chugged to the bottom, Isa was on her way to Eli’s bedroom.
“Eli?” She rapped her knuckles on the wood and called through the closed door, “Are you okay?”
No answer.
“Eli?”
“Stop knocking, Sable. You want to come in, come in.” Well. He didn’t sound like he was in pain. When she twisted the knob and stepped into his bedroom, she didn’t find him doubled over or in a cold sweat. In fact, he appeared…fine. He stood at his dresser, digging through what sounded like loose change in his top drawer.
“You favored your leg on the way in here. I was worried you were having an attack.”
He lifted a decorative pin from the drawer and ran his thumb over it before tossing it back in.
“You became suddenly quiet tonight. Care to tell me why you left me alone with your family?”
“No.” More rummaging. When she got closer, she saw not only pins, but also medals. Several of them.
“Wow. Are these yours?”
“All of them except for this one.” He handed over a heart-shaped medal. “Dad’s. He has more, but that was the one he gave me.”
She ran her fingers over the smooth ribbon. She didn’t know much about military medals, but she knew what a Purple Heart looked like, and this was definitely one of them.
She handed back Alex Crane’s medal and Eli dropped it into the box with the others. “I’m assuming this isn’t a military medal.” She lifted a gold disc engraved with the words FIRST PLACE.
“Marathon.” His lips tipped into a sad smile. He took it from her and rubbed his thumb over the words.