Be With Me(17)

Cam swiveled in his chair to see Reggie stir.

Hutch stood and pushed his chair back. “I’l go see about making some supper,” he said in a low voice.

“She’s going to be hungry.”

“Chicken,” Sawyer muttered.

Hutch grinned and sauntered toward the kitchen, leaving Cam and Sawyer at the table.

Regina opened her eyes and blinked to try and clear the cobwebs. She felt like someone’s personal punching bag. And then she remembered that for al practical

purposes

she had been someone’s

punching bag.

She tried to sit up, but every muscle in her body protested the movement. With a groan, she sank back against the pil ows. Cam and Sawyer appeared in front of her and looked down, concern in their eyes.

“How are you feeling?” Sawyer asked.

“Like someone beat the hel out of me?” Cam’s lips came together in a thin line.

“Bad choice of words,” she mumbled.

She tried to sit up again, and this time, Sawyer reached down and helped her. Her stomach rol ed, and a hot flash of nausea made her momentarily weak.

“I’m starving,” she said. “I don’t think taking that painkil er on an empty stomach was the smartest idea.”

“Hutch is making supper now,” Cam said.

She stared up at the two men towering over her.

“What am I doing here?” she asked. “What are you doing here? And where is here exactly?” Cam and Sawyer exchanged glances. One of those looks that told her they were ganging up on her. She glared up at them, silently daring one of them to pul that touching stunt. They kept their distance, so maybe the subtle threat worked.

Or not.

Cam sat down on one side while Sawyer took the other. Their body heat reached out and enveloped her, wrapped her in a comforting blanket. Forgotten was the down comforter bunched in her lap.

“This is our house,” Cam said simply. “We just finished construction a few weeks ago.” She shook her head in confusion. “I don’t understand. You live in Houston. Your business is in Houston. We didn’t drive that far from the hospital, did we? I wasn’t that out of it, surely.”

“We bought a hundred acres about twenty minutes out of Cypress,” Sawyer said.

“But why? What about your business?”

“You know why,” Cam said evenly. “You’re here.

This is where we grew up. We’ve always had plans to come back once our business was established.” She raised a shaky hand and ran it through her hair. “I didn’t even know you were building.” Sawyer stared level y at her. “You’d know it if you weren’t so intent on avoiding us.”

She flushed guiltily.

“Dinner’s ready,” Hutch cal ed from across the room.

“Hutch to the rescue,” Cam said in an amused voice. “It’s coming, though, Reggie darling. We’re going to have a long overdue conversation. You can’t avoid it forever.”

She sucked in a deep breath through her nose and locked gazes with him. “I know,” she said quietly.

Surprise flickered in his eyes at her acceptance.

Sawyer lifted one eyebrow but didn’t respond.

Instead, he stood and bent to help her from the couch.

She reached up with her good hand to grab Cam’s as Sawyer grasped her shoulders and lifted.

“Take it slow,” Cam cautioned. “Don’t try to move too fast.”

Though she stil ached from head to toe, she moved with more steadiness than she had before.

Her legs seemed to be cooperating better, and her knees didn’t feel so shaky.

Sawyer guided her toward a table in front of the French doors and settled her into a chair. He took the seat across from her, and Cam pulled out the chair beside her. A few moments later, Hutch walked in carrying two bowls. He set one in front of her and another in front of Cam.

“Figured this would feel good on your throat,” Hutch said as he handed her a spoon.

She looked up at him and went soft. She smiled grateful y and took the spoon, her fingers brushing across his. “Thank you,” she said huskily.

He winked at her and returned to the kitchen. She ladled some of the steaming liquid into the spoon and gently blew on it as she raised it to her lips.

She sipped cautiously and made a sound of contentment when the warm broth slid down her throat.

“Good?” Hutch asked as he returned with bowls for himself and Sawyer.

“Excel ent,” she said. “I was starving.” Hutch took the seat next to her. His knee bumped her leg, and he muttered an apology as he repositioned himself.

She continued to spoon the soup into her mouth, savoring the rich taste. She glanced cautiously up at the others, but they were concentrating on their own food. Sawyer looked up and caught her gaze.

Amusement flickered in his eyes.

“Eat, Reggie. We’re not staging an ambush.” She dropped her gaze to her soup, her cheeks warm. An ambush was exactly what she’d expected.

She frowned unhappily as she stirred the contents of her bowl in slow circles. She hated the loss of their closeness. She missed it. Craved it.

It used to be enough that she could just be around them. Enjoy their company and the friendship between the four of them. Now she viewed their every action with fear and suspicion. Oh, they wouldn’t hurt her, and the awkwardness wasn’t their fault. It was hers. Her weakness was to blame. She’d ruined everything.