Something simple for the three of them would be fine.

Stella hadn't expected him to agree so readily. Shoving her surprise aside, she hurried straight to the master bedroom, her mind entirely focused on Lemira.

The moment she walked in, she saw Lemira's flushed, feverish face.

She pressed a cool hand to Lemira's forehead. "Lemira, you're burning up. We need to get you to the hospital."

"No hospitals."

Lemira was fiercely opposed to the idea. Orion was at the hospital, and she absolutely refused to run into him.

Stella knew this couldn't be ignored.

She hurried back out to the living room and started tearing through the cabinets for the medical kit.

Hearing the commotion, Caleb stepped out of the kitchen, a spatula still in hand. "What are you looking for?"

"Lemira has a high fever. I'm trying to find the first-aid kit to see if there are any fever reducers."

Caleb set the spatula down, easily located the medical kit for her, and followed her into the master bedroom.

He took one look at Lemira's flushed complexion, stepped forward, and pressed two fingers expertly against her wrist to check her pulse, then evaluated her breathing. He stepped back. "A strong fever reducer and some rest should stabilize her." Stella stared at him in astonishment. "You know how to read vital signs like that?" Caleb calmly extracted the medication from the kit. "Picked up some field medic skills. When you're running mercenary ops in the middle of nowhere, you can't exactly call for an ambulance. You learn to patch yourself up. Even out in the wilderness, you figure out what keeps you alive."

Stella fell silent. Right. His time as a mercenary overseas must have been brutally dangerous and exhaus ng.

She didn't press the matter, gently coaxing Lemira to sit up and swallow the pills.

Stella let out a heavy sigh. "I don't know why, but I have this terrible sinking feeling in my chest."

Lemira's behavior was completely out of character. Something monumental must have happened.

Caleb paused. "Let's wait until she wakes up to talk about it. Food comes first." "I don't have an appetite."

"I made porridge. The rest of the food will be ready soon. We'll wake her up to eat when it's done."

Caleb's tone carried an authoritative weight that left no room for argument.

Stella didn't fight him on it. Since he was the one cooking, she knew she couldn't manage Lemira's care entirely on her own anyway.

As Caleb walked out of the bedroom, he sensed something was deeply off, but he pushed the thought aside and returned to the stove.

He knew Orion's personality better than anyone.

Whatever mess had occurred, Orion was the only one who could step up and fix it.

It was a simple, unspoken rule between men.

After the medication kicked in,

Lemira slept for a long stretch. When she finally groggily opened her eyes she sensed someone sitting nearby.

For a split second, her heart leaped, thinking it was Orion. Then her vision cleared, revealing Stella.

Lemira offered a weak, bitter smile. "What are you doing here?"

"I was worried sick, obviously. If I hadn't come over, you could have passed out and

no one would have known."

Stella crossed her arms, a hint of scolding in her tone. "Are you hungry? Eat something. Caleb actually cooks really well."

At the mention of food, Lemira realized her stomach was completely empty. She hadn't eaten a real meal all day.

But the thought of Orion made her want to avoid Caleb entirely.

She shifted against the pillows. "I'll just have some porridge in here."

Stella nodded and headed out to prepare a bowl for her.

Seeing Stella emerge alone, Caleb grabbed a tray, efficiently dished out a bowl of

hot porridge, and added a side of light vegetables.

When Stella reached for the tray, Caleb didn't hand it over.

She looked at him in surprise. "Give it to me."

Caleb's gaze darkened slightly as it swept over her clear, delicate features.

For some inexplicable reason, a

furious bush rushed to Stella's cheeks. She stepped forward, t to snatch the tray from his

Caleb simply sidestepped her. "I'll take it in."

nds.

He moved with long, purposeful strides, entering the master bedroom and setting

the food down on the nightstand.

Seeing Caleb walk in, Lemira

suddenly remembered that Stella's making it

twas still recovering fellet

hard for her to carry heavy things.

She murmured an apology. "Sorry, I forgot Stella's foot was still acting up."

"She doesn't mind."

Caleb set the tray down and took a few steps back to give her space.

Unable to hold it in any longer, Lemira looked up at him. "In your eyes, what kind of person is Orion Everhart?"

The question had been suffocating her.