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using my finger to brush away the jelly. Either that or licking it. Her shoulders lifted up in a half shrug that seemed more like a resignation. “I’m eating like a pig.”
    I’d intentionally made sure to keep the table between us because she was in that old blue T-shirt of mine and nothing else and my mind had been running away with me ever since I’d met her earlier tonight. She wasn’t here for me to toss her in my bed and have my way with her; she was here because she needed a roof and a bed and some food filling her belly. She was here because I couldn’t bear to let her be anywhere else right now. At least not until I’d satisfied myself that she was all right, that I’d done everything I possibly could for her, and even then I didn’t know how I’d handle letting her go. I’d failed Liv, and I supposed I was using Noelle as my chance to make up for that. I’d done the same sort of thing when I’d started the Light the Lamp Foundation, a charitable organization that helped addicts turn their lives around, shortly after Liv’s death.
    I shook my head. “You have nothing to apologize for. I’m just glad you’re eating.” I was still laughing at how much food I’d brought over from Soupy and Rachel when the very thing Noelle wanted was the one thing Babs kept in ready supply.
    She took another bite, licking her lips to catch the bit of peanut butter that squeezed out of the bread. That little blob of jelly was still at the corner of her lips, though, taunting me from a distance. I couldn’t bring myself to tell her about it because it was adorable as hell and I didn’t want her to wipe it away. Not yet, at least.
    A quick knock sounded at the door. I got up to answer it.
    Sara Thomas stood on the other side of the door with a silver Portland Storm duffel bag slung over her shoulder. She was like a slightly curvier, brunette version of Noelle, so maybe some of the clothes she brought would come close to fitting. They would at least come a hell of a lot closer than anything I had in my closet or boxes. I weighed over two hundred pounds; Noelle was probably only about half my weight.
    I couldn’t help but wonder how long Noelle had been homeless and how often she went without food. The thought of her not eating and wasting away to nothingness gnawed at my insides until I felt like I would be sick.
    Sara grinned, peeking around me to see inside but giving up when I didn’t move out of her way. I crossed my arms over my chest and took up as much room as I could in the entry. I didn’t want Noelle to be uncomfortable with strangers coming around when she was hardly wearing anything. I wouldn’t have let Soupy come in earlier if I’d thought she was already out of the shower.
    “ Rachel said you needed some clothes for someone around my size?” Sara lowered the duffel from her shoulder and held it out to me. “I was going to take all of this to Goodwill anyway, so if any of it fits...”
    I took the bag from her. “Thanks, Sara. Do you want—”
    “ Gotta run!” She spun on her heels and in no time was halfway down the hall. “I was on my way to a hot date when Rachel called, and Daddy doesn’t know anything about this guy. He thinks I’m going out with the girls. I don’t want to keep Brad waiting.”
    “ Thank you!” I called out again as she disappeared around the corner by the elevator. I’d intended to ask if she needed the bag returned. It wasn’t a big deal, though. I could hold on to it until the next time I saw her, or if necessary I could get her a new one.
    “ Don’t tell my father!” she shouted back.
    I had no intention of telling my coach anything about his daughter one way or another. It was usually better just to stay out of things like that, and I didn’t need any other distractions right now. I had enough of my own. I closed the door and headed back to the table, pushing away the thought that a brand-new distraction was sitting in the dining room and wearing one of