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“I’ll be right back.” He disappeared from the bathroom and the sound of himrunningdown the hallway made me chuckle.
My fingers threaded into my tangled hair as I waited for him to return, my stomach still churning—though not nearly as bad as it was only a few minutes before. I took deep breaths, steadying my racing heart in my chest.
I didnotfeel good.
The bathroom door opened, and I heard the little patter of Takoda, trotting up to me and sniffing my face.
“No...” I moaned, petting him but also pushing him away a couple of inches. “I don’t want to snuggle right now.”
“I took him to go to the bathroom for you,” Wade’s voice reemerged, his footsteps growing closer. “I didn’t want him pissing on the floor or something.”
I snorted. “Thanks.”
“Right, so my mom said to bring you some crackers and Gatorade? So here you go.” He set the tray of crackers and the blue drink beside me on the bathroom floor before slowly backing away. “It’s amazing he doesn’t just like eat those crackers right off the plate.”
“He’s trained not to do that.” I gave Takoda a pat on the head. “Not to bother you,” I began, reaching for the Gatorade. “Do you happen to have a way to charge a phone? I really need to get in contact with Leia.”
“Yeah, there’s a battery charger downstairs. I can get it for you. Do you want me to take Takoda with me? Give you a chance to rest?”
I shook my head, not wanting to be left alone—Ineverliked being totally alone. “That’s okay. I’d rather risk him eating the crackers than send him with you.”
“You might not feel good, but you still have your attitude.”
“Always.”
Wade chuckled down at me, and I took in the sight of him for a moment, realizing just how handsome he looked in gray sweats and a white t-shirt, his hair tousled. Something in my stomach fluttered...
But it was probably just whatever bug I’d caught.
He gave me a lopsided smile before turning to go. “I’ll go grab that charger.”
“Wade,” I called after him.
He stopped, spinning back around. “Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
“Yeah, no problem. I’m not sure if you know this, but I’m actually a doctor in addition to a rancher.”
“Really?”
“No.”
With that, he spun and disappeared, shutting Takoda and me in the bathroom. I shook my head, and relaxed, doing my best to keep my head from going back to spinning.
“It would figure that I’d catch a stomach bug.” I sighed, patting Takoda’s fluffy white head as I reached for the drink, cracking the lid open. As much as I didn’t want to drink it, I knew I would have to.
Even if I was just gonna throw it right back up.
I sipped on the sweet liquid, doing my best not to drink too fast or too much. Takoda sat across from me. His head tilted as I continued to drink. I picked up one of the round wheat crackers, holding it in front of me. My stomach lurched at the very sight of it.
There’s no way I can eat right now.
With a swift toss, the cracker landed in front of Takoda, and I nodded, giving him the go ahead to eat. He swept it up, crunching away as I grabbed the plate. I set it on the counter where he couldn’t reach and took another sip of Gatorade.
I’m so freaking tired.
My entire body ached, and I grabbed a towel, rolling it up to use as a pillow. I laid it on the floor before slowly lowering myself down. Bringing my knees to my chest, I curled up in the fetal position, wrapping my arms around myself. Takoda let out a whine and snuggled up against me, curling into a little ball.
