“Pax,” I said, my voice flat. “What is going on here?”

Rylan stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I resisted the urge to flinch away from his touch.

“I told you Pax was looking for a place while he transitions to the new job in the city,” Rylan said smoothly.

“I told you we didn’t have the space, Rylan,” I said, keeping my voice low and controlled.

“Well, things changed,” Rylan replied, his tone dripping with false sympathy. “And family helps family, Calla. You know that.”

A young woman walked out of the kitchen carrying a baby bottle.

This was Nora, Pax’s wife.

She looked tired, her dark hair pulled back in a messy bun, but she gave me a defensive, sharp look.

“The traffic on the interstate was awful,” Nora said, ignoring me entirely to address Rylan. “The baby screamed the last fifty miles.”

“We’ve got you settled now,” Rylan told her, his voice warm and welcoming. “Make yourself completely at home.”

A toddler, no older than three, came hurtling out of the living room, clutching a plastic toy truck.