one knows the answer to, I’m afraid. Not even Logan. He trained as an engineer, made it pretty high in the ranks, so he’s probably going to have options. I’m trying to convince him to move here.” He had to stop for a jaw-cracking yawn. “I’m sorry.”
“Why don’t you go upstairs and take one of the beds, get a little sleep?” Sarah offered. “No offense, but I don’t think you’re safe to drive home in the condition you’re in. You look like you were run ragged.”
Ordinarily Archer never would have considered imposing, but when she’d said the word “bed,” he almost broke down. “It wasn’t so much the running as it was the waiting and the stress. Plus, I think I lived on coffee and vending-machine food the whole time Logan was in the hospital.”
“When did he go home?” Emma asked as he stood and stretched. When his back popped loudly, she winced with sympathy.
“Three days ago? Four? If he hadn’t been um, special? There’s no way he would have gone home so quickly. But you know how it is. We have faster healing than regular people. That’s honestly the only reason we think he survived the infection.” He had just remembered to not say “shifter” in front of Sydney, who was still too young to understand the importance of keeping secrets. He addressed Sarah. “Are you sure it would be okay if I took a little nap?”
“Archer Gibson, don’t make me take a switch to you. Of course it’s okay. The bed in John’s old room is bigger than the others. Do you want me to go turn the covers down for you?”
He smiled. “No. Just having a soft place to rest for a few minutes is all I need, thank you.”
Sydney looked up at him, using one hand to push her glasses up on her nose. “I could read you a bedtime story.”
“I might go to sleep before you finish it,” he warned her gently, but she just grinned.
“Of course you might, silly. That’s what bedtime stories are for. Mommy, I’ll be upstairs. Come on, Archer.” She got up and went to the door, then looked back over her shoulder at him, hands on hips. “I’ll tuck you in.”
Everyone laughed softly and Sarah sighed. “She is Emma all over again. I think you’re in good hands there, Archer.”
He winked at her. “I know I am.”
Upstairs Sydney made a production of setting up the bed just so before she would let him get in it. Once he was comfortable she settled in the curve of his hips, her back resting against his legs. He tried to keep his eyes open long enough that she’d know he was paying attention but almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out. The last thing he remembered was hearing her sigh and feeling her snuggle up to him. Knowing he was home, and that Logan was safe, he let himself rest.
“He looks exhausted,” Emma remarked. “Am I the only one who thinks his brother was probably on death’s door?”
“No, you aren’t. And I think he’s downplaying how stressful it was, for the most part. He’s used to carrying the load alone. He’ll be out in two minutes, I guarantee it,” Amelia predicted as footsteps sounded overhead. “I don’t know how in the world he made it home.”
“Probably running on fumes,” Owen said. “I’ll be surprised if he wakes up before tomorrow morning.”
“Well, he’s more than welcome to stay here and he knows that. We’ll get some good, home-cooked food into him and he’ll be back to normal in no time.” Sarah was studying Emma. “What’s wrong?”
“I feel guilty. We should have gone to him.”
Her mother reached over and touched her arm. “Sweetie, you didn’t know. Next time, God forbid there is a next time, you will.”
The conversation moved on to more mundane subjects and after a few minutes, Emma realized it had gotten very, very quiet upstairs. Too quiet.
“I think I’ll go check on them.”
She went upstairs as quietly as she could and when she got to the door, she just stood there and looked in. Archer was sound asleep,
“Why don’t you go upstairs and take one of the beds, get a little sleep?” Sarah offered. “No offense, but I don’t think you’re safe to drive home in the condition you’re in. You look like you were run ragged.”
Ordinarily Archer never would have considered imposing, but when she’d said the word “bed,” he almost broke down. “It wasn’t so much the running as it was the waiting and the stress. Plus, I think I lived on coffee and vending-machine food the whole time Logan was in the hospital.”
“When did he go home?” Emma asked as he stood and stretched. When his back popped loudly, she winced with sympathy.
“Three days ago? Four? If he hadn’t been um, special? There’s no way he would have gone home so quickly. But you know how it is. We have faster healing than regular people. That’s honestly the only reason we think he survived the infection.” He had just remembered to not say “shifter” in front of Sydney, who was still too young to understand the importance of keeping secrets. He addressed Sarah. “Are you sure it would be okay if I took a little nap?”
“Archer Gibson, don’t make me take a switch to you. Of course it’s okay. The bed in John’s old room is bigger than the others. Do you want me to go turn the covers down for you?”
He smiled. “No. Just having a soft place to rest for a few minutes is all I need, thank you.”
Sydney looked up at him, using one hand to push her glasses up on her nose. “I could read you a bedtime story.”
“I might go to sleep before you finish it,” he warned her gently, but she just grinned.
“Of course you might, silly. That’s what bedtime stories are for. Mommy, I’ll be upstairs. Come on, Archer.” She got up and went to the door, then looked back over her shoulder at him, hands on hips. “I’ll tuck you in.”
Everyone laughed softly and Sarah sighed. “She is Emma all over again. I think you’re in good hands there, Archer.”
He winked at her. “I know I am.”
Upstairs Sydney made a production of setting up the bed just so before she would let him get in it. Once he was comfortable she settled in the curve of his hips, her back resting against his legs. He tried to keep his eyes open long enough that she’d know he was paying attention but almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, he was out. The last thing he remembered was hearing her sigh and feeling her snuggle up to him. Knowing he was home, and that Logan was safe, he let himself rest.
“He looks exhausted,” Emma remarked. “Am I the only one who thinks his brother was probably on death’s door?”
“No, you aren’t. And I think he’s downplaying how stressful it was, for the most part. He’s used to carrying the load alone. He’ll be out in two minutes, I guarantee it,” Amelia predicted as footsteps sounded overhead. “I don’t know how in the world he made it home.”
“Probably running on fumes,” Owen said. “I’ll be surprised if he wakes up before tomorrow morning.”
“Well, he’s more than welcome to stay here and he knows that. We’ll get some good, home-cooked food into him and he’ll be back to normal in no time.” Sarah was studying Emma. “What’s wrong?”
“I feel guilty. We should have gone to him.”
Her mother reached over and touched her arm. “Sweetie, you didn’t know. Next time, God forbid there is a next time, you will.”
The conversation moved on to more mundane subjects and after a few minutes, Emma realized it had gotten very, very quiet upstairs. Too quiet.
“I think I’ll go check on them.”
She went upstairs as quietly as she could and when she got to the door, she just stood there and looked in. Archer was sound asleep,
Similar Books
