She hugged him close. “I think you maybe had reason?”
“Maybe.” He’d been so afraid to trust in anything good. Anything that didn’t hurt or insult. “But Tanner stuck with me. Knocked me around when necessary, too.” Usually when Kam wouldn’t stop attacking him. Remembering that brought out a short laugh. “I used to go after him just because.” Just because he was bigger and better grounded. Older and more comfortable. Just because the idea of having a brother as awesome as Tanner had scared him to death.
Back then, he’d felt unwanted and useless—things he’d always been told.
“Once they got seated at the restaurant, they settled down and enjoyed the meal. Addie told me it was wonderful, and then she explained that I didn’t need to take her out to show her I cared.” She’d had tears in her eyes as she’d spoken, but no sadness. By then, Kam had learned to tell the difference. “She said I showed her love every time I helped out around the house, whenever I gave her a hug or let her hug me, when I enjoyed the food she cooked, or appreciated the clothes she bought.”
“She knew you loved her.”
He nodded. “She knew. She didn’t need me to buy her dinner to prove it. But then Tanner jumped in and took my side. He made it all sound so logical, saying I should be able to treat the people I cared about if I wanted to—as long as I saved one third of each paycheck.”
Glory gave a startled laugh. “A little push and pull, huh? Smart. So did you?”
“Yup. Every paycheck since that first one. But I talked with Tanner a lot, too. He was only three years older, but man, he seemed so grown up. He had all these plans, things we’d talked about before, but since I was making money, too, I felt more a part of it. We’d sit at the kitchen table together and go over things. College and cars, repairs to the house. I can’t remember a time when Tanner wasn’t planning, looking for a way to make things better—for himself, for me and Addie.”
“And now for every kid who needs a helping hand.”
“Yeah.” There was no man he admired more than his brother. “Tanner is forward thinking, you know? He knew Addie couldn’t do it all on her own, so together, we worked on that.”
Emotion glazed her eyes again. “You worked as a family.”
How special was it that Glory really got it? “Family was, and always will be, a priority for us.”
“I love that, Kam. Thank you for sharing with me.”
Never had he known a woman to so freely throw around theloveword. Glory never gave it a thought, he assumed, because she wasn’t looking to tie him down, not like the other women had. Shara, especially, had come after him hot and heavy. She’d seemed so nice at first, though—much like Glory. Polished, pretending to adore his family...
“What?” Glory drew back. “You’re looking at me like I insulted you.”
“No, sorry. I was just thinking.”
Sympathizing, she stroked his shoulder and asked with concern, “About something unpleasant?”
“Doesn’t matter.” He did his best to get the image of Shara out of his head.
“You can tell me. Or not. I mean, I won’t pressure you, but if you want to talk, I don’t mind.”
“So magnanimous.”
Hurt by that, she withdrew—and he hated it.
Hitching her purse strap over her shoulder, she glanced at the door. “We should get going.”
Damn it. They’d been connecting before he’d tripped up. Not that he’d meant to go into his past. Usually, he wouldn’t have. Sometimes with Glory, it just felt right.
Hoping to bring her back around, he moved closer. “I’ve spent some of my savings. College, my car, the remodel Tanner and I did for Addie—but those were big things I’d planned for. Always, no matter what, I make sure I have enough for emergencies.”
“And new plans?”
“Sure.”
As if she, too, felt the loss of harmony, Glory grew hesitant. And quiet.
“What?” he teased, almost desperate to regain the moment. “Don’t hold back now.”
Serious eyes took his measure. “All right. I just wondered what other big plans you might have, if not now, then later.”
Way to hit him with the big stuff. The roll of his shoulder didn’t quite hide his uneasiness over the things he craved.A woman who loves me enough to be my wife through good times and bad, kids I can coddle and protect, a home of my own, and a future to embrace...Not about to spit that out, he removed the significance and spoke in hypotheticals. “The usual stuff, I guess. House, security, and all that.”