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“Abbie let me borrow her key.” He shares that tidbit like it’s the current weather report.
“Did she tell you where I live too?”
“Part of the rescue mission. Which reminds me.” He settles deeper into the mattress, making it clear he isn’t going anywhere. “You should move closer to Knox Creek. This was quite the drive.”
I shift to get a better view of him sprawled out. “It takes no more than thirty minutes.”
“That’s an hour round trip.”
I sputter, which morphs into a rattled cough. “Seriously?”
“Yep, it’s simple math.” Garrett holds up a few fingers to demonstrate.
“Thanks for the lesson.” My puffy eyes roll to the ceiling.
“I’m just saying, you could do me a favor and move. Then visiting you wouldn’t be such a long haul.”
“Nobody is forcing you to drive all the way out here to Timbuktu,” I grumble.
“I had to make sure you were alive,” he reminds me in return.
“And now that you have?”
He winks at me. “We’re forming another habit. You’re lounging like a queen while I sit vigil at your bedside.”
“I’m happy to trade places.” Yet I snuggle lower into the cocoon I created.
“Aren’t you hot?”
“Kinda? The chills come and go. I’m probably due for more ibuprofen.” A glance at my nightstand shows that I could use a water refill as well.
“Nothing stronger?” His grimace is for my benefit, or that’s what I’m choosing to believe.
“There’s no cure other than rest and plenty of fluids.”
Garrett launches to his feet to do my unspoken bidding. After grabbing my Yeti bottle, he disappears toward the kitchen. Ice clinks against metal a moment later. A whimper escapes me at the impending relief.
Heat blurs my vision when he reenters my room. He reclaims his spot beside me, going so far as to putting the nozzle against my lips. I guzzle the cold water greedily. As the burn eases, I pull away for a full breath.
Garrett has two pills in his palm. “Open.”
I don’t hesitate to stick out my tongue. He pops the medicine directly in my mouth. If I weren’t out of commission, I’d open my lady business wide for this man.
“Good girl,” he rasps as I drink more from the raised bottle.
Our gazes lock and hold until I’m burning again. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Want more?”
“I’m okay for now.”
His focus tracks over me as if to double check my assurance. “You went to a doctor then?”
I swallow in a weak attempt to soothe my throat. “My dad took me after I started throwing up. They did all the main tests, but the results were negative. I either have a bad bug or it’s food poisoning. Maybe both.”
His jaw goes slack. “It’s been almost two weeks since Joy told me you weren’t feeling well.”
My shrug is more like a fumbled slump. “I took a home test a few days ago just to be extra sure. Still negative, and still battling symptoms.”
