“Who is it?” April called as I stepped in and toed off my sneakers.
“For you,” she sing-songed, leading me in the condo.
At the sight of me, April shifted on the couch, squeaked, and pulled the blanket over her head.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, barely above a whisper.
Stuffing my hands in my pocket, I simply said, “I wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Yup. Totally fine,” she muttered.
“She’s lying. Can’t get up without damn near crying.” Nora stood watching between us. My face fell.
“Right. I’m suddenly exhausted. I’m off to bed and I’ll have my headphones on full blast.” She grinned at me.
“Nora!” April shrieked from under the blankets. Nora shook her head and disappeared around a corner.
I stood for a moment, waiting for April to come out of hiding. “I’m not leaving until you come out from under there.”
“Josh, I’m fine.”
“I’m more inclined to believe Nora.”
She groaned but didn’t move. Crossing my arms, I stood patiently waiting. After a few minutes, she finally relented and lowered the blankets, showing off the messiest bun I’d ever seen. Most of it had fallen loose. She was still in pajamas, with what was either coffee or tea stains down the front of it.
“Cute.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “Don’t be that guy.”
“What guy?”
“The one who hands out compliments even though I look like a feral racoon who just came out of a dumpster.”
I burst into a deep rumble of a laugh. Jesus, where did she come up with this shit? “Okay, you look a bit rough, but you’re hurt. It’s warranted.”
She moaned and covered her head again. Gently, I went over and swiped them off her. “What do you need?”
“To be pain free,” she deadpanned.
“Let me help you.”
“No.”
“C’mon. Where’s the bath?”
“Bath? Do they still make those?”
“Ooh, a joke. There she is.” I chuckled. “Okay, fine. How about I run a hot shower for you?”
Her eyebrows rose an inch up her forehead.
My hands flew up. “I’ll behave.”
“Let him!” Nora bellowed from her room, making me jump.
“What happened to the headphones?!” April yelled back. Nora’s laughter rang through the space.
“Jeez, that’s how bad I smell? The first thing you offer for help is to clean my filthy body?”
