Page 43 of Reverse Perspective

“I’m just getting a headache,” I sigh and drop my hands from my temples.

“Todd, do you care to take her home and force her to relax?” Mason asks.

“I’m okay,” I say.

“Yeah. I’ll hang out until y’all get home,” Todd says, ignoring my objection.

“I can do work from home,” I say.

“Sadie,” Lance sighs and cups my face. I don’t pull away from him but I sigh heavily.

“That isn’t helping the slut shaming,” I say.

“Fuck them,” he says. “Go home and rest, please. Let Todd baby you like we all know he’s going to do and we can take care of everything today.”

“I don’t like this,” I say. “I’d rather stay here.”

“The other option is I pick your little ass up and take you to his car,” Lance threatens.

“You wouldn’t,” I say with a smile.

“Go home, Sadie,” he says with a chuckle. “Please.”

“Okay, but I’m making dinner for y’all,” I say.

“Okay,” Lance says as he hugs me. Before he pulls away, he whispers in my ear.

“And you’ll be the dessert,” he says, brushing his lips against my ear. Heat rushes to my face and my belly twists with anticipation.

“O-okay,” I stammer.

“Stay here and I’ll get your things so you can go with Todd,” he says with a smirk.

I nod before he turns away and goes upstairs. Todd, Dean, and Mason stay with me but chat among themselves while I lean on the table and watch everyone around me.

Chapter nine

Sadie

I am curled upwith the blanket pulled over my head. I have my arms wrapped around my throw blanket so I can bury my face. The pressure in my head was gone when I woke up a few minutes ago, but I don’t want to get up. I am cozy, cocooned in my blankets. I know Todd will be in here any moment now to wake me up so I can make dinner.

When we got here, I took my medicine for my migraine and took a shower. By the time I got out, I was so tired I could hardly get myself dressed. I felt drunk because I was so dizzy. My medicine always does this, but it beats feeling like my head is going to explode. I ended up getting as dressed as I could, which was just a sports bra and underwear before giving in and calling for Todd. No one is new to the way this medicine makes me feel. I think that is most of the reason Lance asked that Todd come with me, other than the death threats.

The last time I was alone when I took that medicine, I ended up sleeping on the kitchen floor because I made the mistake ofgoing to the kitchen for some water and was too weak to get back to the bedroom. The guys got home from work and rightfully panicked when they found me curled up on the kitchen floor knocked out. I sleep heavily when I take it so they couldn’t wake me at first. I think it’s humorous that I woke up to Dean carrying me to the couch and none of them knew what to do. They scolded me for scaring them and not asking for help knowing the medicine made me feel that way. They still took care of me though.

Looking back, it was always so fucking obvious how they felt about me. How I was in denial for so long is a mystery. Once it clicked though, it clicked. I do not doubt how they feel about me. We haven’t said we love each other out loud in a romantic way, but we’ve said it platonically for more than a decade.

I hear a light knock at the door before it opens. I don’t move, mostly because I’m afraid my headache isn’t gone. I slept for nearly five hours, so I hope it is. Todd sits on the bed beside me and puts his hand on my shoulder.

“Sadie,” he says softly. I groan and he pulls the covers down. “It’s five.”

“What? I wanted to get up at four?” I say as I look up. The light is still off, thankfully. No need to test out the lights just yet.

“You wouldn’t wake up, so I just gave you some time,” he says. “How do you feel?”

“There is no longer an elephant sitting on my head,” I say as I slowly sit up. “What have you been doing all day?”

“Working,” he says. “Stacy is here. She wanted to see you.”

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