Page 68 of Secrets Hidden In The Glass

“Okay.”

He glanced toward her suitcase. “You know, since you already have some stuff packed up, you could bring this over to my place.”

She held his gaze.

“Walking over here in your pajamas every morning is going to turn into a major suck fest once the thermometer dips a little lower. It’s currently forty-four degrees outside.”

She sighed as she sat up.

“It’s entirely up to you. There’s no pressure,” he added for good measure as he sat up next to her.

She traced her finger along the edge of the royal-blue Samsonite while long seconds ticked by. “All right,” she finally said. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to have a few things at your place.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded. “Let’s zip it up.”

“You’ve got it.”

“It’s heavy. If you’re willing to carry it, I’m willing to take over a drawer and some of your closet space.”

“We’ll consider dragging this sucker through the woods my workout for today.”

“I do like your muscles.” She wiggled her brow as she stood and headed for the hallway. “I’m going to get my jacket.”

He gained his feet, eager to zip her luggage before she changed her mind. He gave the zipper a tug and made it halfway around the track before the image tucked in the back of her closet caught his eye. Abandoning his task, he crouched down, studying the navy-blue border and intricate swirls surrounding an ornate S in the golden glass. “You made the locket,” he called.

“On and off during the last couple of weeks,” Callie said as she came back down the hallway and leaned against the doorframe. “I thought going through my process and seeing it in color might make all of this make sense.”

He glanced from the locket to her again. “Not so much, huh?”

She shook her head. “Let’s go home and have breakfast.”

“Sure.” Standing, he wondered if Callie realized she’d called his house “home.” He smiled as he finished zipping her full suitcase and carried it out of the room. Callie was bringing her clothes to his place—an entirely unexpected yet pleasant surprise. Currently, they were fumbling their way through a bit of a rough patch, but that didn’t mean they weren’t moving right along.

~~~~

Callie sat in exam room three, wearing a pink paper gown while she waited for the doctor. She met Nate’s gaze and smiled, even as a fresh wave of nerves left her stomach a mess and her hands cold and clammy. Dr. Sanderson’s nurse had been incredibly kind when she’d taken Callie’s vitals and asked the standard intake questions, but the nurse wasn’t the one who would be telling Callie if there was something wrong.

“I bet he’ll be in any second,” Nate said from his chair by her side.

Callie nodded. “I’m sure you’re right.”

“So, maybe we can see if Matthew will let us take a couple of those to go.” He gestured to her current outfit. “You know how to wear a johnny.”

She grinned, loving that Nate could make her smile during one of the scariest times of her life. “I thought you’d like my black nighty better.”

His brows winged up. “You have one of those?”

“Mmm. In the suitcase sitting next to your bed.” Even now, she couldn’t believe that she’d agreed to bring her stuff over to his house, but it made sense to have some of her clothes in his drawers since she spent most of her time there anyway.

Nate opened his mouth to say something just as there was a knock on the door.

A handsome salt-and-pepper-haired man wearing khakis and a light-green button-down walked in and shut the door. “Callie Davis.”

She smiled. “Hello.”

He reached out his hand. “I’m Matthew Sanderson.”