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Chapter Seventeen
Nina
Ohcrap!Another rolling bout of nausea hit me, and I hurled the contents of my stomach into the first paper bag I could grab before I groaned.
“Nina, try to get some rest will you, you’ve been at that desk for hours and you aren’t even editing it right,” Lola, my partner at the photography firm, said as she got up from her seat.
“Gee, thanks,” I said and raised my head. “I need to get these ready for the magazine cover in a week. You know how Lisa gets when we’re about to miss a due date.”
“I just don’t feel well,” I complained and got up so I could throw away my vomit.
“Your phone’s ringing,” Lola announced as I entered the toilet. My stomach hurt, my head swooned, and I was feeling feverish.
Nothing felt right since I got back to New York. Jack made a fool out of me, and I was making sure not to ever think of him again, so I deleted all his socials and blocked his contact.
I didn’t want anything reminding me of Jack in any way.Well of course my memories,I thought and shook my head.
After rinsing my mouth and my face, I walked out of the toilet and picked my phone up from my desk.
“Hey Ryan, what’s up?” I asked, cutting into my brother’s long ramble on the other end. “I’m all right, Ryan … I probably caught the flu or something while in Jeddah, but I’m fine and alive.”
“Oh, thank goodness. I’m on my way to New York with Jack and we are—“
“You’re what? Why are you coming here with Jack?” I questioned, then felt my insides chill. “Why are you bringing Jack to New York?”
“I can’t explain now because we’re about to board, but …”
He was breaking up and I couldn’t hear a word of what he was saying, so I sighed and ended the call.
My stomach started to rumble again, and I knew I had to get out of the office before I puked all over my clothes.
“Lola, I’ve got to go,” I said while choking back my vomit. “I have to go.”
“Please go to the hospital,” she said without raising her head from her laptop screen to look at me. I managed to pick up my bag and I raced out of the office, got to the elevator, and hurried out of the building to walk the street a little.
In the two weeks since we got back from Jeddah, I hadn’t heard from Jack, but his lawyer had reached out to me, and payment for my help in Jeddah was sent into my account.
I didn’t want the money now … not when I was still angry at myself for falling for Jack again.
Nothing I did could get him off my mind. Not even strolling around the lovely and busy New York City.
The sidewalks were full all the time, the noise couldn’t just stop. My head spun; I lifted a hand and massaged my temple.
Why is Ryan coming here with Jack?
I didn’t think I could look at Jack or stay near him after he blew me off.
He’s a jerk and I should have known.
Goodness!My stomach rolled again, and this time I nearly dropped to the ground, but someone steadied me from behind.
“Careful, miss,” he said as he supported me with both hands and held me up.
“I don’t feel well,” I murmured before I could stop myself. “I don’t …” My words ended with my lids drooping closed, and I blacked out after that.
The next time I was conscious, I was dressed in a hospital gown and lying on my back on a bed. The voices speaking in the room echoed through my head and made the pain much worse.
My throat was parched, and my body ached all over. The queasiness had subsided at least, but the dizziness stayed.
