Page 63 of Off Limits (Alpha Billionaire)

That was an easy answer.Because of you. That and I’m really stubborn.

I’ll see you tonight. His sign-off let me know he had to go back to work and I needed to stop texting him.

I love you. I sent before tossing the phone back down onto the mattress. He may have been able to tell me to stop texting him, but I was still going to get the last word in.

Max didn’t come to visit me until after lunch. The visit felt strained with Mrs. Coleson standing over us. “If you want to take a break and grab your lunch, you're welcome to leave Max here with me,” I said.

“I already had my lunch when Max ate. I’m fine,” she responded.

We played with the plastic dinosaurs until a mysterious chime sounded. Max froze and slowly turned toward Mrs. Coleson.

“What was that?” I asked.

“We keep to a schedule, don’t we, Max?” she said.

Max looked up at me with his big, expressive eyes. He didn’t want to leave. He looked so sad.

“Max is welcome to stay for a few more minutes,” I said. I couldn’t see why we had to stop. He was slowing down. He’d be done on his own soon enough.

Mrs. Coleson wasn’t having it. She seemed like she probably got along with Clara.

“Max, it’s time for your nap. You can see Jessica later if she’s up for a visit,” she said.

“Maybe we can have dinner together?” I wanted to say ‘when your daddy gets home,’ but Dylan hadn’t been home in time for dinner for a couple of days. So, I kept my mouth shut. I didn’t want to raise Max’s expectations and have him be disappointed later. I also didn’t say anything about it being my nap time too, because there had been many times that Max and I had sacked out together. And I wouldn’t have minded a napping buddy. I didn’t think Mrs. Coleson would have approved.

After they left, my nurse helped me to the bathroom again and then gave me some pain pills that made me sleepy, so I took my nap.

When I woke up, I was ready to run out of the room. Unfortunately, my feet were only good for a slow and carefulstroll. I made it downstairs without too much drama, but I was really glad to get my feet up on the sofa when I arrived.

The nurse helped tuck a pillow under my legs. “I’ll get you some water. Anything else I can get you?”

“I left my crochet project in the bedroom. Could you grab that?” I asked.

She left, and I also realized I had left my phone. Oh, well, I wasn’t going to call anyone, and Dylan had already texted me earlier. I needed to leave him alone.

I had nothing to do but examine my cuticles and stare out the windows.

“Jessica, what are you doing out here?” Mrs. Anderson’s voice caught my attention.

I looked up. “I could ask the same thing of you,” I said. “I got tired of being stuck in bed in the same room.”

“Well, that sounds exactly why I’m out here,” she said.

Somewhere behind her, Clara snorted. I tried not to roll my eyes.

“I’m taking a short walk. I think my doctors would like me to walk a little more,” she was explaining when my nurse showed up with my crochet work.

“Thank you,” I said as I accepted the bag.

“What are you working on?” Mrs. Anderson asked.

“I’m getting a jump on my Christmas list.” I pulled out the beginnings of a blanket. It didn’t look like much, just some browns and greens in large color blocks.

“Is that a dinosaur for Max?” she asked. She was perceptive.

“It is. What are you working on?” I asked. I didn’t want to assume she was still working on the same blanket she had been for weeks.

“I started a new sweater. Clara, would you go fetch my crochet basket?” She slowly turned to look at Clara.

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