Page 102 of Never Fall Again

“I’ll get her.”

“Okay. I’ll let the nurse know you’re on the way.”

“Thanks.”

He left still-sleeping Landry a note and drove to the school. On the way, he called his mom, who informed him that he wasn’t allowed to make medical decisions for Eliza and that her office was booked solid until 6:00 p.m. “Take her home, give her some Tylenol, and let her rest. I’ll swing by with a strep test when I get done.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

The Eliza who met him at the door to the nurse’s office wasn’t the same girl he’d dropped off this morning. “I don’t feel good, Cal.”

“I know. Let’s get you home.”

She fell asleep on the way home, and he carried her into the house. Landry poked her head over the rail. “Is she okay?”

“Probably has strep too. Sore throat. Nurse said there are white spots, and her fever’s around 102. Mom said to give her some Tylenol, and then she’ll come by tonight with a strep test.”

“Your mom’s an angel.”

“She’s pretty awesome.”

Landry started for the stairs.

“Don’t you dare. Wait for me.”

“What?”

“You’ve almost fallen up and down those stairs the last few times you’ve made the trip. We’ve got the strep on the ropes. Let’s not add broken bones to the mix.”

He settled Eliza, who was still asleep, onto the sofa and then jogged up the stairs. He didn’t know everything there was to know about parenting, but he knew better than to keep a mama away from her sick child. He helped Landry down the stairs and hovered as she cuddled with Eliza.

Landry’s color was better, but he’d bet she was running a fever again. Her skin felt too warm to him, and it had been over four hours since her last dose of pain medicine.

She told him where to find the children’s Tylenol and managed to get the dose into Eliza. Cal was then sent to find Eliza’s pajamas. He went upstairs to give them some privacy while Landry helped Eliza change. Once she was dressed, he carried her to her bed.

After Eliza was settled, he focused on Landry. “Okay. Your turn.” The meds and tea went okay, but when she grimaced and pushed the blueberry muffin away, he knew she was done. “Back to bed for you.”

He got her settled and resumed his spot on the sofa. He pulled out his phone and checked his email, made a few phone calls, and tried to make sure he hadn’t dropped any balls. An hour later, he heard footsteps on the stairs. Eliza came down dragging a purple blanket and a ginormous stuffed tiger. She didn’t say anything. She just crawled into his lap, rested her feverish cheek on his chest, and promptly went back to sleep.

Cal stroked her hair and conceded defeat.

The fight was over.

Landry and Eliza Hutton were his.

Twenty-Eight

The trip to full consciousness started with a stretch and ended when Landry tried to swallow.

It still hurt. Bad. But not as bad as it had yesterday. Or was it today? Or last night?

She peered through half-closed eyes. Was the day almost over or just beginning? She yawned and rubbed her hand on the pillow and bedding until she located her phone.

5:24 p.m.

Wait. What? Landry went from prone to standing in the space of two heartbeats. Eliza. Sick. Landry swayed a little and grasped the rail that kept the master bedroom loft from being a death trap. The view that met her gaze froze her in place.

Below her, Cal sat on the sofa with Eliza draped over him like a starfish. He had one hand on her back, rubbing up and down in a soothing rhythm. The other arm wrapped around Eliza’s waist. He was holding her. Comforting her. Protecting her.

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