At least focusing on Kam kept me too busy to obsess about the steady stream of texts I’d been receiving from Stewart since the day I saw him in front of Spin Cycle. They wavered between coaxing and angry, which pretty much summed up our relationship. But this time I wasn’t giving in.

What the hell is your problem? Call me back.

As I parked my car in front of my apartment, I bristled hearing my phone buzz again. I ignored it, grabbing the collie’s leash from the back seat and walking her inside.

“Who is this?” West asked as I came through the door. It was one of the rare times we were home together. He stood at the kitchen counter, heating up leftover pizza from his restaurant. One of the cool things about having him as a roommate was that he brought home food to share.

“Ginger. She was a therapy dog in a different life, but I’m just watching her a couple nights a week for a grooming client who travels for work,” I replied, pulling her bowl out of my backpack and filling it with water. When Silvia approached me about boarding Ginger, I was flattered. She said she trusted me and it would make her feel less guilty than leaving the sweet-natured collie at a kennel. Not only was offering boarding a steady side income for me, but I’d grown to love Ginger at Doggie Styles, so it was a win-win. “I also thought she’d be good for…you know…”

“For what?” West asked, his eyebrow arched.

“For Kam,” I replied with a sigh. “And his mood. It’s rough being laid up and in pain.”

“You’ve been there every day?” he asked, considering we were like ships passing in the night lately. I was usually gone by the time he got in, depending on what shift he was working. West hadn’t been able to visit since that time right after Kam came home from the hospital, when he and Tristan brought flowers.

“Yeah, he needs help, and his mom runs Thai Kitchen full-time.”

West nodded in sympathy. “You’re a good friend.”

Kam had been pretty out of it the first few days, which could’ve also explained his grumpy mood, so I wasn’t sure how much he remembered of my visits anyway.

“I’m trying to be,” I responded, pouring Ginger’s food in her other dish. “He seems pretty down, and I thought bringing Ginger would be a good idea.”

“His condo allows dogs, right?” he asked, motioning for me to take a slice of pizza, but I begged off. I planned to eat with Kam. His appetite was finally returning, and he texted me that his mom had dropped off food. Apparently, he was ready for something besides soup or cereal.

“Yep,” I replied. “I made sure; otherwise, this boarding gig would be way harder.”

Brin thought I should also adopt a dog of my own like he did Tally this past year, but this way I could do what I loved and have my freedom too. Maybe someday when I owned a house with a substantial backyard I’d consider it.

As I drove over to Kam’s, my pulse thrummed in my veins. I was eager for him to see the dog but maybe also just to make sure he was okay—I worried about him. Plus, it felt good to be useful. Outside of work, I had been anything but useful the past few weeks, feeling sorry for myself where Stewart was concerned.

I let myself inside Kam’s condo with the key Samantha had made, and through the open doorway of his bedroom, I saw Kam crack a smile. “I see you brought a friend.”

“Her name is Ginger.” I left off the part about her being a therapy dog. I just hoped she provided him some needed comfort. By this time, I knew that Kam was crawling out of his skin. “She’s a sweet girl.”

After sniffing around the floor, Ginger bounded to his room and jumped up on the bed. When she nosed at his palm, he smiled and stroked her head.

“In Bangkok there were tons of alley dogs. The streets are so crowded that the homeless animals almost become part of the neighborhood,” he said, staring off into space as if remembering his childhood there. “Anyway, there was this one dog I got attached to that we named Kla because he was a survivor.”

“You never told me this story,” I remarked, hunkering down at the end of the mattress.

“It’s amazing what memories you recall when you’re strapped to your bed all day,” he said with a humorless laugh.

“Well, keep talking while I heat up the pad thai you said your mom dropped off,” I replied, jumping up and heading toward the kitchen.

“You must love getting fed practically every night.”

I chuckled to myself as I reached for two plates in the cupboard. “Can’t lie, between your mom and my roommate, I’m living the high life. Eating better than I ever have before.”

Kam finished telling me about the malnourished dog from his childhood he slipped leftovers to every night, while I heated the food in the microwave and then separated it onto the two plates.

After watching him try to eat with his left hand, I fished the fork from his fingers and spoon-fed him the noodles.

“Choo-choo,” I said, pretending he was a toddler, which was the exact opposite of what he needed right then. Foot, meet mouth. I was always spouting off at the wrong time.

He rolled his eyes. “You’re such an asshole. Just let me finish eating.”

I shouldn’t have joked, but he was being ultrasensitive since his accident, more so than ever before, and I was trying to find anything to make him smile. So far I’d been pretty unsuccessful.

After he waved off another spoonful, I reached for my plate on the nightstand and began eating my food, polishing it off in record time. Not only because I was famished, but because his mom’s cooking was freaking amazing.

I returned the plates to the sink and rinsed them off before loading them in the dishwasher. Kam was a huge neat freak, so I knew he’d razz me if I didn’t clean up after myself. I wasn’t that much of a slob, but some days I could definitely let myself go.

After I returned to his room, I noticed he was squirming, trying to get more comfortable. Maybe he needed to get out of bed for a bit and move his muscles.

“Want help getting to the bathroom?”

I knew he didn’t want to say yes, but he couldn’t move very well on his own yet.

“You know I can get up, right? Take a leak when I need to?”

He would have to move at a snail’s pace to get there and hope he didn’t tip over, which was one of our fears when we all discussed our rotating schedule. His arm was in a sling and his knee was also wrapped, but so far there’d been no real issue except maybe the few hours he was alone; he hadn’t complained to us about any difficulties.

“Yeah, but I bet it sucks balls,” I replied. “Not that balls are a hardship to suck. Because it’s sort of my favorite thing.”

Kam cracked a smile. “Not if it’s donkey balls.”

I arched an eyebrow. “Or sweaty donkey balls.”

Kam’s shoulders shook as he swiped at his eyes. Christ, it was good to finally hear him laugh. “Just shut the fuck up and help me already.”

He gingerly shifted his body to the edge of the bed. “It hurts like a bitch and it’s slow going, but it could be worse. I could have both arms useless or both knees.”

I winked. “Are you trying to take a page out of my optimism book?”

“Something like that. Now stop being a pain in the ass.”

I held out my hand to escort him to the bathroom. He leaned on me as leverage down the hallway. I fished out the toothbrush and paste and left it on the counter for him, then gave him privacy to take a leak and brush his teeth. Hearing him struggle a bit, I wanted to rush in there to help, but I knew he had too much pride and desperately needed to feel independent.

“Okay, ready,” he wheezed, and when I pushed open the door, he was leaning heavily on the counter with his good arm, his chest heaving from the effort.

“C’mon, tough guy.” Kam threw his good arm over my shoulder, and I helped him hobble back down the hall to his room.

“That felt good. But even pissing zaps every ounce of energy,” he replied, panting softly. As he adjusted his grip, he bent his head to sniff the front of his shirt. “Damn, I probably stink; haven’t been able to do much since the hospital.”

I hadn’t considered that. An idea hit me after I got him resituated in bed, with his leg propped on the pillow. “I can maybe help you, you know…get clean.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “How you gonna do that? I can barely stand long enough to brush my teeth.”

“Suppose it would have to be like…a sponge bath,” I replied, biting my lip. I felt my cheeks flush, which confused the hell out of me. I’d seen Kam naked plenty of times, so this would be nothing new. “Let me get some supplies and do my thing. Cool with you?”

He nodded but had trouble meeting my gaze. Nevertheless, I caught a flash of relief mixed with wariness. He was still skeptical I could play nursemaid. Guess I’d show him.

I grabbed a large bowl from the cupboard in the kitchen and then headed toward the bathroom. I filled it with soapy, warm water, using his fancy vanilla shower gel that I’d showered with on more than one occasion. Reaching for a large towel and washcloth from the linen closet, I stepped back into the bedroom where Kam stared wide-eyed, his fist clenched in the sheets.