Trying not to dwell on who else could get easy access to this house from the upstairs neighbor, he climbed the stairs to the second floor. He knocked on the door and waited until it opened.
“You don’t even check to see who it is?” he asked when it opened. He took in Astrid from head to toe. She didn’t look like she felt very good. Her nose wasn’t running or red, she didn’t have an obvious fever, nor was she coughing. She simply looked paler than normal and exhausted.
“Parker, what are you doing here? I told you I was sick,” she said, turning back toward the bedroom. He followed her inside and closed the door behind him.
“I know. I was just worried. Thought I would come check on you.”
He took in the apartment. There were dishes stacked in the sink through the kitchen door. They looked like they had been there for a while, which wasn’t like her. He had only been in this apartment twice, but both times the apartment had been spotless.
He followed her into her bedroom. It had to be ninety degrees, yet she was curled up under the covers. He was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, pouring sweat. How was she not dying?
“Are you cold?” he asked incredulously. He walked over to feel her forehead. It was a little warm but not feverish. “When was the last time you ate something?”
“I don’t need a babysitter.”
“I know,” he said. “I just wanted to see if there was anything I could get you.” Maybe she had a summer flu and he could just stuff her full of food. Is that what you did or did you starve it? Didn’t matter, he had Google. He could figure it out. Whatever it was, he was determined not to leave her alone while she was sick. What if she tried to get in the shower and passed out?
“Really, Parker?” She was growling at him now. He was used to her being flirty, indignant, even defiant. This was different. This was more than just tiredness. Finally, with a sigh, she paused what she was watching and turned toward him.
“If you want to help, go find me some heavy-duty painkillers that will knock me out for the night. You can also pick me up an Oreo shake.” It was an odd list, but he was pretty certain he could make it happen. He grabbed her house keys off of the rack by the bedroom door.
“I’ll be back in a little while. Will you be okay?” Stepping back over to the bed, he studied her for a few minutes before bending down to place a kiss on her forehead. She didn’t look like she felt all that good.
Parker made a call to a cousin on the way to the SUV. He owed him a favor. He also needed to make arrangements to be away from the bar for the rest of the night.
“Hey, what’s up?” Liam asked, finding him in the bar office taking some cash out of the safe.
“Do you think you and Ronan can help tonight? I’m not going to be here.” Parker walked past him into the bar. “If you can just help with tables and make sure the money is locked up, I’d appreciate it.”
He checked that everything was ready for tonight before quickly walking down the hallway to the stairs with Liam following him. Upstairs he found Ronan spread out on the couch watching TV.
“Where will you be?” Liam asked. Parker caught the shrug Liam gave his twin when he started throwing clothes into a bag.
“Astrid’s sick. I’m going to go hang with her for a while. If I let the two of you stay here by yourselves tonight, can you manage not to burn the place down?” Turning around in the bathroom with his toiletries, he found both brothers leaning against the doorjamb.
“What?” They both had grins on their faces.
“Nothing,” Ronan said with a shrug.
“We can’t remember you ever missing a shift,” Liam added.
“I don’t need any grief, okay? Just help Andrea and I’ll see you tomorrow.” Snatching up his bag, he headed toward the door. “If you don’t feel comfortable staying here on your own, go home with Andrea. She won’t mind.”
Downstairs he found his cousin waiting for him. After exchanging some money for a prescription painkiller, he set off for a drugstore. He just hoped they hadn’t come from his aunt’s medicine cabinet.
Three more stops and he pulled back up to the front of Astrid’s apartment. He carried the bags of supplies up the stairs. He let himself into her room, finding her in much the same position he had left her in.
“Hey,” Astrid said in a lackluster greeting. “I decided you ran screaming, never to be seen again.”
“Nope, you weren’t that lucky. I had a very awkward conversation with a pharmacist. But I got you a couple of things.” Setting the bags down on the floor, he pulled out a cloth pad. “She said this thing can be heated in the microwave and is lavender infused. It’s supposed to be good for your back and whatnot.”
Digging back through the bags, he pulled out a handful of chocolate candy, a six-pack of soda, and a small bunch of flowers.
“Daisies?”
“They looked happy. Fuck, I don’t know,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “I’ll go stick the soda in the fridge.”
Taking the flowers also, he found a pitcher in the kitchen he filled with water. He returned to the room and set them on her dresser so she could see them.
