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“I’m used to running on low sleep,” he says. “You’re just giving me better incentive.”
It takes incredible effort to roll to my side, my eyes still heavy with sleep as I prop my cheek against my fist. I know that like thismy breasts are almost fully on display, and I won’t pretend it isn’t intensely satisfying to see Aiden eyeing them hungrily.
“Don’t even think about it,” I warn him. “I am out of commission. My poor vagina is on strike. I actually think I have temporary paralysis down there.”
“I highly doubt that,” he chuckles. “I don’t remember hearing any of these complaints last night.”
“I will not be held accountable for things I did or said mid-orgasm.”
He laughs again, closing the distance between us to kiss me instead. “Is this allowed?”
“As long as you behave,” I murmur, leaning into it.
Aiden sighs against my mouth before his forehead comes to rest against mine. “We need to get up. I’m sure Wanda is ready to put Sophie out on the street by now.”
“Doubt it,” I tell him. “When I called her on the way home last night, she said Sophie was still hustling her at cards. Wanda probably won’t even let her leave until she gets back on a winning streak.”
“Maybe Wanda will make pancakes for breakfast so Sophie can add one more person to the list of people making them that she prefers over me.”
“Wow, someone’s bitter.”
Aiden scoffs. “I’m not bitter.”
“Sure you aren’t.” I fall to my back, stretching my arms over my head again. “You might have to carry me downstairs.”
“Only if I can do it while you’re naked.”
“Fine.I’m getting up. I need some water, anyway.”
I swing my legs over the side of the bed, feeling a burning in my thighs and an aching in my back—but all of it brings back memories of how I got so sore to begin with, making me not mind so much. Aiden is stretching in bed behind me when I pick up thediscarded white T-shirt he’d been wearing under his button-down last night, pulling it over my head. It dwarfs me, but I figure it’ll do for a trip downstairs for some water.
I can hear him rolling out of bed as I leave the room, turning my neck back and forth to loosen it up as I head toward the stairs. The house is much quieter without the sound of Sophie milling about; usually I can hear the sounds of her Switch or maybe evenEncantoplaying for the dozenth time, and I realize that as amazing as my night with Aiden was, I miss the little gremlin.
I grab a bottle of water from the fridge as I check the time on the oven. It’s only eight in the morning, which is normally around the time Sophie wakes up, so by the time we get dressed and on the road, I imagine Sophie will be bouncing off the walls of Wanda’s kitchen. I laugh at the thought; I can already hear Wanda pretending to be put out by Sophie’s energy.
I’ve just filled my glass and brought it to my mouth for a drink when I hear thudding footsteps coming down the stairs—heavy and urgent almost as if Aiden’s running. And then I hear him talking.
“No, of course,” he says in a tight tone. “I’ll be there immediately. And Sophie, is she—? Right. Yes. Yes, I know. Her aunt? Is she there? That’s—” Aiden stops at the bottom of the stairs, gripping his phone tightly in his hand and closing his eyes as his other hand makes a fist at his side. “Okay. I’m glad Sophie isn’t alone. Yes. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
I set my glass on the counter when he hangs up, watching as he stares at the floor for a moment, looking lost. I move quickly to his side to try to get his attention, bringing my palm to his jaw to force him to look at me. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
Aiden blinks at me like he’s only just now seeing me; his mouth parting and his eyes searching my face as if he’s trying to find what he should say. “Cassie, it’s—”
“Did something happen?” I can feel worry creeping into my limbs like a chill. “Is Sophie okay?”
“She’s fine,” Aiden assures me, reaching to wrap his hands around my wrists. “She’s okay. It’s...” His lips press together, his expression pained. “It’s Wanda.”
Every part of me goes cold. “What?”
“Wanda, she...” He swallows, and it looks like he’d rather say anything else than what he’s about to say to me. “Wanda had a heart attack.”
I don’t say a word as I run to my room to change.
—
I learn more details about what happened on our drive to the hospital; sometime early this morning, Wanda started having chest pains and woke Sophie up. Sophie called 911 at Wanda’s instruction before she inevitably passed out, which left a terrified Sophie alone, trying to get a hold of us.
And our phones were forgotten on the floor somewhere.
