Hoping to avoid more sobs, he got her back on topic. “Leon, huh?”
After a hiccup and a loud sniffle, she nodded. “That’s what he said, but he hesitated at first, so I think he made it up.” She twisted the napkins in her hands. “I’m not quite as gullible as he figured.”
No, but she’d still gone along with him, until things were completely out of hand. It took two tries to pop the tension from his neck. The day that had started out so well had gone to hell in a heartbeat. “Did he connect with anyone from the shelter?”
“I don’t know.”
It was probably how he’d found Kirby. “Anything else to share?”
Her pale throat worked as she swallowed nervously. “He... He said if I didn’t get you away from Glory, I’d be sorry.” Her gaze came up to meet his. “Kam, I believe him.”
Glory stared at the blank phone screen. Why wasn’t he texting her back? A million awful scenarios winged through her thoughts, escalating her worry until she couldn’t take it a moment more.
She called her cousin.
Callie answered on the second ring. “Hey there, what’s up? Everything okay?”
“I don’t know.”
“Glory?” she said, now with sharpened concern.
“No, don’t—that is, I’m fine. Just sitting here on the couch with PB.”
“Is the dog giving you problems? I knew it was too soon to leave her with you.”
“She’s an angel.” A furry angel, ready for a long nap after the visit with Glenda. “The thing is... Kam has been gone all day. He texted a while ago, saying he’d be here in an hour, but it’s been at least two, and now he’s not replying, and I’m starting to worry—and, Callie, if he’s right there by you, don’t you dare say anything.”
“He’s in the yard. He was talking to Tanner, and it looked serious. He had a boy with him.”
She knew he’d taken a group of kids for an outing. Had something gone wrong? Now she felt selfish. “I hope everything’s okay. Don’t bother him. I just had a bad feeling, that’s all.”
“No reason to worry,” Callie said. “He’s definitely into you. You know that, right?”
Fighting a smile did her no good. “He seems to be.” But soon, she’d have to hit him with a lot of heavy stuff that he might rather avoid. Things like love, parental responsibility—long-term commitment.
Callie’s rude snort came through the phone loud and clear.“Let me peek outside to see if Kam is still out there. Oh, wait. Here’s Tanner.”
“Don’t say anything to—”
“Where’s your brother? He’s not returning Glory’s text.”
In the background, Glory could hear Tanner’s deep voice, but she couldn’t make out the exact words.
“What do you mean, he’s with Shara?” And then, “Well, why was she crying?”
Closing her eyes, Glory vowed to have a serious talk with Callie about sharingeverythingwith her husband.
“No way. Seriously?”
“Seriously what?” Glory demanded.
“Hang on. Addie’s here now, too.”
Frozen with mortification, Glory groaned. She did not want Kam’s family to know she was checking up on him. “When I get you alone, Callie, you’re in trouble.”
“You’re on speaker,” Tanner said with amusement. “No threatening my wife.”
Fresh embarrassment heated her face. “She was my cousin before she was your wife.”