"No, I have no idea. What I can tell you is that I think you're pretty. And not fat at all, but glowing with the fact that you're with child. No, I'd say that you're very beautiful." She wasn't sure what to say to that. He smiled at her and she wanted to hit him. But for reasons that she couldn't put her finger on at the moment, she was also charmed by him. Standing up and holding onto the bedpost, she was surprised when he put his hand out for her to hold. It was warm and comforting to be taken care of, even for a little while. "After you've rested a bit, if you like you can shower. There are clean towels in the bathroom there. And an extra blanket in the chest at the end of the bed. I don't know if you noticed or not back at the hotel, but we gathered your things and brought them with us. Also, I've asked Rachel to press or wash them up if they need it. For now there is clean clothing I can lend you. They'll be huge on you, but they'll serve to keep you dressed."
The door behind him opened and a tall woman walked in with a tray. She was followed by an equally tall man with a stack of something … she thought it was more towels, but it turned out to be a robe. She took it from him when he handed it to her. She watched them fuss around the room as Grady continued.
"This is Rachel, our housekeeper, and her husband, Walker. They will keep you safe when I'm not here. Unless you want to come with me to the shop." Harper nodded. "All right then. I'm going to go down and have some breakfast, then I'll see what we can do about getting you some clothing. If you're hungry, I'll wait for you to eat. That'll give Rachel time to whip us up something besides cereal."
"I'd like a shower first, if you don't mind." He pointed to the door again where he'd said the towels were. "I don't know what's going on here, but I don't like being in the dark. I also don't know why you've brought me here and are caring for me like this. I think I deserve an answer to at least that."
"I agree. You do deserve answers. But I don't have a lot of them right now, not on all of this. However, if you want to know something else, ask me. If I know the answer, I'll give it to you. If I don't, then we'll find it together. I would like the same from you." She nodded at him again. "Good. There are any number of people that are around working on the house. Either Walker or Rachel can tell you if you can trust them."
"Can I trust you?" He told her with her life. And again, for some reason she believed him. "You said that they'd tell me who I can trust. How many people do you know that you don't trust?"
"Sadly, a great many. My mother is here now. She's pushy and will tell you to rest a great deal. But she'd never harm you. Not for any reason. My sister-in-law, Emma, is with her, and she is scary bossy, but one of the nicest people you'll meet. Jasmine is around, my other sister-in-law, but not close at the moment. You'll meet the rest of my family soon … tonight, I think." He grinned at her when he took the robe and led her to the bathroom. "Take a long hot shower, and when you're finished, I'll have Rachel help you with the dressing on your arm. Kenton said you could get it wet, but to change it as soon as you were done. Do you need anything?"
"Yes. Answers." He nodded this time. "I don't understand you. Why are you being so nice to me? Is it because of the dragon and the stories he told me?"
"Did he tell you what you are to me?" She told him that he had, but she didn't believe it. "That's fair. I'm to understand that you know a couple of shifters … a wolf and cat."
"Yes. They're friends...they were friends of mine." He asked her what had happened to them. She wanted to tell him, but didn't. Her mind was still trying to wrap around their deaths and how they'd been killed. "I'd like a shower now, please."
"Of course. Take your time and when you're finished, we'll have some breakfast together and go to my store. It opens in two weeks, and I have a lot of work to be done yet. It'll be nice to have the company."
She was turning on the water to the large stall when a knock sounded at the door. Harper wasn't sure who it could be so she asked without opening it. The laughter on the other side was female, so she opened it to see.
"Hi. I'm Emma McCade. You must be Harper." Harper said she was. "Good. It would just be silly to find someone else in this room, don't you think? Anyway. I have some things for you to wear after you're done. Your clothing is being washed right now, so here you go."