CHAPTER 24

“How do we do it? Go from yellin’ at each other to being kinda normal like this?”

I shrugged. “Because something like this is about Milka, but when we’re alone and it’s just us, it’s about us. When it’s about Milka we work on instinct, but when it’s about us we work on emotion.”

“Good . . . Because we’re gonna need to work a lot on instinct,” she said softly. “Come and stay with us until we work out how to handle this.”

I stopped. “Stay with you?”

She nodded, looking at me from under her eyelashes. “Guest room is empty. You can stay there and spend time with Milka, and it’ll be safe. They have no idea who I am, right?”

“There were no pictures with the article, so I guess not.”

“Then my house is safe. It only has to be for a few days. I won’t even have to be there all the time.”

“Are you sure?”

“You got any better ideas?”

“Uh, no.”

“Then yes, I’m sure.” She lowered my hands from her face and stepped back. “Go and pack some stuff and, uh, maybe put on a shirt, then when Milka wakes up w