Page 33 of Saved By Two

He passes me them both, and I shake out two tablets from the bottle and unscrew the water lid before swallowing them. There’s a bitter aftertaste that causes me to scrunch up my face.

Silently he sips his water, leaning against the counter, as I shift from one foot to another.

“I might go and have a nap if that's okay?”

He pushes off the counter and steps towards me, nodding. “Of course. You sure you're all right after what just happened?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say, giving what I hope is a believable smile, and then I turn and make my way back to the guest room.

I’ve been finding that napping in small intervals throughout the day helps, seeing as I’ve been unable to sleep at night. I don’t know if it's from the fear of having nightmares or because I feel safer sleeping in the day. Instead, I find myself quietly prowling between the living room, kitchen, and the guest room at night. Sometimes I sit in the small window seat and try to read one of the many books Caleb and Noah have. They have bookcases full of so many different books. Or I watch Marvel, my comfort films, or anything to try and keep my mind busy. But the truth is nothing keeps my attention for long before my mind drifts to places I’d much rather it didn’t. If Caleb and Noah have noticed, they haven’t mentioned it, so hopefully, my restlessness isn’t disturbing them.

Biting my nails has become a new pastime of mine, too. Keeps my hands busy. Usually cooking and baking would have been my go-to, but I’m already intruding on their hospitality enough as it is, and I don’t want to start taking over their kitchen as well as their guest room.

I climb into the bed and tug the duvet up to my neck, a big yawn escaping me as I press play on the TV. Between lunch and the panic attack, I’m exhausted and can barely keep my eyes open.

ChapterSeventeen

CALEB

Noah and I agreed to rotate our work schedules so one of us would always be at home with Jessica. We don’t want it to seem like we’re crowding her or for her to feel suffocated. I know I can be a force to be reckoned with at the best of times, so hovering over Jessica while she begins to heal is something I don’t want to do, even if it does go against my nature.

When I arrive home, Noah is already in the kitchen in front of the range cooker.

“Something smells good,” I say, approaching him from behind and wrapping my arms around him before leaning over his shoulder to see what he’s making.

“Yeah, thought I’d get a start on dinner.”

I kiss his temple before stepping back and undoing my tie.

“Thanks, it's been a long day, and local traffic was murder.”

Shrugging out of my suit jacket, I look around to see any sign of Jessica.

“How was she this afternoon after what happened in the gym?”

He turns the heat down on the pan and reaches for his glass of wine. “Quiet. She’s not come out since she went to take a nap.”

I look in the fridge, grab a bottle of beer, and twist off the cap, taking a huge gulp.

“I’ll check in on her before I go change.”

Grabbing my jacket, I head through the hallway and stop at her door where I listen for a sound. There’s the TV's low hum, so I gently tap my knuckle on the door and wait before pushing it open.

A few pillows prop up Jessica, but she seems to be able to lie down more than when she first arrived, having to sleep sitting up. A bear is cradled under her arm, her hair fanning the pillow. But even from here, I can see the dark circles under her eyes, so quietly I step back, not wanting to disturb her.

Once I’ve showered, I return to the kitchen just as Noah starts setting the table for three.

“Dinner’s almost ready,” he says, glancing up.

“Don’t suppose we know any more about Mason?” I ask.

Noah grabs the cutlery and lays it out beside the placemats.

“Elliot seems to think he’s on an undercover case, but from what he’s uncovered, he might be on security for a high-profile client, so he’s going by an alias.”

I grab the open bottle of wine from the fridge and top off Noah’s glass before pouring myself one, and I leave it on the table for when Jessica comes for dinner.

“That would make sense why he’s been unreachable, but it still doesn’t help when I know how much Jessica, at the very least, could do with hearing his voice.”

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