Chapter 1Mal couldn’t remember the last time he ate a real meal, sitting a real table, surrounded by well-scrubbed and smiling faces. He nodded his thanks at Mrs. Rose as she passed his full plate and dug into the food, his stomach twisting with a hard hunger cramp as soon as he tasted his biscuit. Lee Rose continued speaking as the meal was served, but he didn’t seem terribly offended by Mal’s lack of response. The three Rose children ate their dinner politely and silently, though they couldn’t stop stealing glances at Mal. He didn’t mind—after all, he was a stranger at their table.
He grimaced when his fork scraped against the bottom of the empty plate. He was still hungry, but he wouldn’t infringe further on their hospitality. Especially since they were all still eating. When he glance
