Page 113 of Played By Design

The pressure eases a little more. “Together.”

Kain writes 8:05 — order breakfast together.

I watch the schedule take shape. My schedule. Kain is just writing it down.

“Anything else?” he asks.

“Will you lie back down?”

“If that’s what you need.” He starts to open a pantry before he stops and turns back to me. “Will you please get me some crackers?”

I uncurl and shuffle forward to grab the saltines, pull out a sleeve, and pass it to him.

He accepts the crackers and hands me the pad of paper. “What do we need to change now?”

I stare at the schedule.

Everything.

Breakfast was supposed to be at seven-thirty. It’s already after eight, and we haven’t even ordered it yet. I can’t shift everything until I know when the food will get here.

“We need to order first.”

“Okay.” Kain eats another cracker. “What do you want me to do?”

“Lie down.”

“Couch or bed?”

I smooth my shaky hands down the front of my shirt. “The couch.”

“Got it.” He pads from the kitchen, leaving the eggs to congeal on the counter and the toast to go stale.

The new list makes the next steps clear.

First, my phone from the bedroom. Then Kain’s medication from the office.

When I join him in the living room, he sits cross-legged on the couch, eating a cracker.

The pills go into his waiting hand, along with the glass of water left over from last night. The ice has melted, and there’s no lemon, but he doesn’t complain.

Instead, he pats the cushion next to him. “Can we look at breakfast options?”

My feet stay planted.

I’ve been avoiding being within touching distance of Kain, but we can’t look at the menu together if I sit in the chair, well out of his reach.

An uncertain whine starts up again.

Kain twists to check the time. “It’s almost eight oh-five.”

The vibration cuts off, and I check the new schedule. We’re supposed to be ordering food right now.

Slowly, I join him on the couch, perching on the edge as I pull up the delivery app.

Kain leans closer, one hand on the back of the couch behind me, not touching, but the warmth of his body envelops me.

“Here.” Kain’s finger taps the screen, not taking the phone, just pointing at the breakfast order I placed yesterday. “This one. I enjoyed it, so let’s order it again.”