Page 213 of Show Me

She quirks an eyebrow while adjusting the sack against her chest. “You sleeping?”

“Some.”

“Eating?”

I glare at her.

“That bad, huh?”

She has the audacity to look at me with pity. I hate pity. Especially since it’s self-induced. “I’m fine.”

“She’s okay, Xavier.”

My hand tightens around the bucket. “Then where is she?”

Her face hardens as she marches toward me. “We’re not doing this again.”

“She’s been gone almost two weeks, and I don’t need feed, I already bought it.”

“And she asked for space.” Emily ignores my words, dropping the sack next to my feet with a thump.

“I know.”

Knowing hasn’t stopped me from driving half the county after work. Past the gym. Brent’s place. Roads I know won’t lead to her.

Emily studies me like she knows that too. “She’s getting better. Most of the concussion symptoms are gone.”

Relief loosens something in my chest. “She got hurt because I wasn’t here to protect her.”

“No. She got hurt because someone attacked her.”

Doesn’t feel different.

Emily checks her phone. “I have to go.” She starts toward her SUV, then stops. “She misses the pigs.”

My head comes up. But she’s already climbing inside. I stare after her. Then at Ruby’s empty house. I can’t stay here anymore.

*****

Fifteen Minutes Later

Dad takes one look at me when I walk into the office. “You eat?”

“No.” Great. Another 20 questions.

He slides his glasses down to the tip of his nose. “Sleep?”

“Some.” I toss my keys onto the counter while rotating my head to ease the tension between my shoulders. It feels like someone shoved a butcher knife in the middle of my back.

“So no.”

The office feels wrong without Ruby behind the desk. The temp looks up when I pass, then quickly finds something interesting on her computer.

Dad follows me into the supply room. “You planning to scare this receptionist off too?”

“I’m working.”

“You’re miserable.”