Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Cam hopped up the steps to Kinley's house and gave a quick triple knock. Muffled movement came from inside, and he watched a shadow slide across the wall as Kinley strode toward the door. It swung inward a moment later, and she greeted him with a smile.

"Hey."

"Hey, yourself." He stepped inside and closed the door behind him, his gaze already sweeping the living room. "This looks great."

"I know, right?"

He turned his focus back to her. "How are you feeling?" he asked, his gaze sweeping over her.

She looked tired, the shadows under her eyes more pronounced, and her hand automatically moved to the stitches on her forehead, a habit she'd developed since the accident.

"I'm okay," she replied, though the shadows in her eyes told a different story. "Still getting headaches, but they're not as bad as they were."

She dropped into the corner of the couch and pulled a blanket over her lap. Cam moved next to her and draped an arm over the back of the couch. "Long day?"

She heaved a sigh. "Kind of. Just… There's so much to do, you know?"

He definitely did. This place needed a lot more TLC before it would be market ready, and they were getting there, slowly but surely.

"So." He propped his feet on the coffee table and nudged her with his elbow. "Tell me what's going on."

"With what?" She tipped her chin up to him and searched his face.

He dropped his head back against the couch. "I don't know. Just talk to me."

"Well…" She fingered the hem of her shorts between her fingers before abruptly turning to face him. "Can I tell you something?"

"Of course."

"I'm not really that upset about Ted."

Considering the way she showed up on his doorstep a complete mess last night, he wasn't sure he believed her. "Why's that?"

She shrugged. "I feel like the idea of him was better than the reality. I know he didn't really love me, and I don't think I ever loved him. I just…" She drew in a deep breath. "I just wanted to be loved."

He turned toward her, his eyes holding hers for a second before speaking so she understood the sincerity of his words. "Kinley, sweetheart, You are loved. Your family loves you. Your friends love you." He paused for a moment, debating the wisdom of his next words. "I love you."

"Thanks." She smiled, but her eyes were clouded with worry.

He studied her for a long moment. His fingers dangled just inches from her shoulder, and he gently touched her arm. "It's not just Ted. Something else is bothering you, isn't it?"

She hesitated, her gaze dropping to the floor. After a moment, she let out a deep sigh. "There's something I haven't told you," she began slowly. "It's been happening since that whole ordeal with Joel. I didn't think much of it at first, but now..."

She trailed off, her fingers unconsciously tracing the stitches on her forehead. Cam reached out, gently taking her hand to stop the anxious movement. "What is it?"

"I know it's going to sound crazy, so just bear with me." Her teeth dug into her lower lip, and she took a moment to gather herself before continuing. "A few mornings ago, I woke up and went downstairs, like I always do. Before I even got all the way down the stairs, I knew something was wrong."

Dread swirled in his stomach and he bit back the myriad questions that jammed on his tongue as she gestured toward the living room. "I can't really explain it—it was just a feeling I had. Nothing appeared to be out of place, exactly, but I felt this cool draft, and it immediately put me on edge."

"What happened?" he asked quietly.

"When I walked into the kitchen… the back door was wide open."

His brows lifted. "But nothing was moved? Nothing missing?"

"Not that I can tell."

He tipped his head to the side. "Why didn't you call me?"

"I don't know. I guess I didn't want you to worry. After everything that's happened…"

She trailed off with a shrug, and he turned slightly to see her better. "Of course I worry about you. But you know you can always come to me. Even if you think it's no big deal, I want to know about it."

"Well… That's not all." She licked her lips nervously before continuing. "It happened again this morning."

The hairs on the back of Cam's neck lifted in warning. "And you're sure nothing is missing?"

"I don't think so." She shook her head. "At first, I thought maybe I had forgotten to lock it. But then it happened again. I double-checked it last night—I'm sure of it."

Cam squeezed her hand, trying to offer some comfort. "I'm sure there's a logical explanation. Have you checked the lock?"

"The lock, the door, the frame…" She swallowed hard and gave a little shake of her head. "Everything looks fine, but I'm going to replace all the locks tomorrow—just in case."

"Good idea. Better safe than sorry." Dare's words from the other day crept back to him. Kinley had just been released from the hospital a week ago. Though the tests showed that everything was fine, head wounds were tricky. Maybe Dare was right; maybe she was still recovering.

"I was going to do it today, but I lost track of time after the installers left." Kinley's fingers once again brushed against her stitches. "I just… I can't help think… What if it's me? What if my injury is worse than we thought and I'm... losing my mind?"

The worry in her voice cut through him like a knife, and he curled his arm around her, pulling her close and holding her tight. "Hey. You're not losing your mind," he reassured her. "You experienced a traumatic event, and you're doing incredibly well. The doctors said your scans were clear. Physically, you're healthy."

She leaned into him, a shudder racking her small frame. "I want to believe that. But it's happened twice now. What if I'm forgetting things or doing things without realizing it?"

He pulled back slightly and met her worried eyes. "Listen to me. You've been through a lot, and it's natural to feel unsettled. But I believe you. Something's going on here, and we're going to figure it out."

She nodded slowly, her gaze searching his for reassurance. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me," he said softly, brushing a stray hair from her face. "You know I'm here for you, no matter what. We'll figure out what's going on."

She offered a small smile, her muscles relaxing a fraction at his words. "In fact," he said, "I'm going to stay here tonight, keep an eye on things. We'll see if anything happens."

"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice tinged with both relief and worry.

"Absolutely," he replied. "I'm not letting anything else happen to you."

Cam shifted her slightly away as he scooted toward the edge of the cushion. "Why don't you grab me a pillow? I'm gonna check the back door."

Cam slid off Kinley's couch and wound his way through the kitchen to the back door. The soft sound of Kinley's footsteps on the stairs drifted toward him, and determination swept through his veins. He wasn't sure what was going on, but he would do whatever it took to make sure she felt safe.

He reached for the knob and found it locked. So far, so good. Unlocking the door, he pulled it open and inspected the lock and striker plate. Everything appeared to be in working order.

He crouched down, his fingers tracing the edges of the lock. No signs of forced entry, no visible tampering. It was almost as if the door had been left open deliberately. But why? According to her, nothing had been taken. Nothing was out of place.

Rising to his feet, Cam's mind raced with possibilities. He turned his gaze back to the living room, where Kinley stood next to the couch, a fluffy pillow clutched in her arms. He tossed a reassuring smile her way. She'd been through so much already; the last thing she needed was another source of stress.

"Well?" She dropped the pillow in the corner of the couch and stared up at him expectantly. "What do you think?"

Cam hesitated for a moment, choosing his words carefully. "It doesn't look like the lock has been tampered with, and everything is working properly from what I can tell. Looks like someone might have left it open on purpose."

Her face paled, and she wrapped her arms around herself as if to ward off a sudden chill. "I swear I checked?—"

"Not you." He shook his head, cutting her off. "Have you seen or heard anything from that handyman you hired?"

Her eyes went wide. "You think it was him?"

"It's a place to start," Cam replied, trying to sound reassuring. "I just want to rule out any possibilities. Did he have access to the house when you weren't here?"

"No." She shook her head. "He was only here the one time, when I paid him. He did a little bit of work, then I never saw him again."

"We'll figure this out," he promised. "I won't let anything happen to you."

He hadn't had time over the past couple of days to look into Hayes, but the man had just moved to the top of his list.