Page 75 of Tough Love

I lay her back on the pillows, slightly elevated, and take her temperature.

One hundred and two.

Fuck.

I peel another layer off her, and she objects, grabbing at it with trembling hands. Gooseflesh washes over her skin. I pop the pills into my hand and hold them out to her. She wraps fine, shaky fingers around them and slides them into her mouth. I raise the glass to her lips. She drinks enough to wash the pills down and then shakes her head. Probably dehydrated, too, then. I stand and close the curtains to block out the streetlights. She needs to rest.

“Huddy, don’t go.”

“Never, Addy.”

I sit back by her side, and she closes her eyes. I pull out my phone and text Ma. She will be worried. She texts me back a second later with a blue heart. Addy’s hand closes around my wrist. “Stay with me, please.”

“Do you need something to eat?”

She shakes her head no.

I slip off my boots and walk to the other side of the bed. A heartbeat after I lay down, she rolls over, nuzzling into my chest. “I’m so cold.”

I wrap an arm around her and dot a kiss into her hair. “Close your eyes, Addy. I’ll be here when they open.”

Her hand presses against my neck. Her breathing slows and steadies twenty minutes later. I feel her forehead. The heat has almost gone. I pull one layer over her. There is nowhere else I would rather be. And when I close my eyes, the sight ofher trapped under her horse replays incessantly in my mind. I tighten my hold on her. This precious woman who has turned my hard heart on its head.

I have no idea where anything is in this kitchen, but I am making her breakfast if it takes me all fucking day. So far, I’ve found eggs and bread. So, I cut the crusts off and cut out a shape like Ma used to do for us boys when we were little. But a flower for Addy, instead of the star Ma did. It’s a little corny, but it might make Addy smile. And I will happily exchange corny, or anything else for that matter, to see her smile.

Butter sizzles as I drop it into the hot pan, and I spread it around before laying two slices of bread into the bubbling mix. I crack an egg and hold it over the flower-shaped cut out. It plops into it filling the space. I crack the second egg and it does the same. I wait a while before I flip them over and make coffee.

On second thought, juice would be better. Fuck it, I’ll grab both. I turn off the stove and pull a plate from the overhead cupboard and flip the toast from the pan onto it. Assembling the plate, glass, and mug on the tray, I make my way upstairs. She is asleep on her side when I sit on the opposite side of the bed, resting the tray on the duvet.

I touch the back of my hand to her forehead. Her fever hasn’t returned. Hopefully it has broken. Her eyes flutter open when I remove my hand, brown eyes finding mine. A small smile blooms over her face. “Hey, Huddy.”

The air leaves my lungs. I feel like it’s the first time I have seen her since I saw her fall on Ma’s screen. And theoverwhelming emotions snag my voice, rendering it useless. I clear my throat. “Morning, Addy.”

She pushes up to sitting. “I feel better, thank you.”

“I didn’t do much, you?—”

Emotion clogs my throat, so I stare at the wall, and she frowns.

“What? Did I say something in my sleep?” She feigns a laugh.

I pick up the tray and place it in front of her and shuffle off the bed. Her gaze drops to the contents of the tray. “Wow, thank you.”

She runs a hand through her hair and tucks it behind her ears, leaning forward to grab a slice of toast. I have to leave. She’s so delicate, so small with her legs tucked underneath her, wrapped in a blanket.So fucking precious.Fire burns in my lungs, my breaths too shallow.

I walk into the hall and lean on the wall, head back, eyes closed. The image replays, her underneath that damn horse, the agonizing sound that filled the stadium when the horse crushed her. I slide down the wall, knees up, letting my head drop. I suck in every burning breath.

Something hits my foot then rubs the top of my socked toes. I rub the heels of my palms into my eyes, trying desperately to dislodge the horrific replay that has been haunting me from the moment I saw Jewls go down during that jump. Fine fingers pry my hands from my face. My legs part and Addy wedges herself between them. Her hands land on my face, eyes tortured and searching.

“Huddy?”

My face cracks. I fight the choking feeling crawling up my throat and fail.

“Oh no, what is it?” she whispers, hands searching my face like she can find what’s broken there and piece it back together. “You can tell me.”

Schooling my face back, I shift my focus to the wall behind her. I can’t look at that beautiful face if I want my words to have any chance of forming right. “I saw your fall. Ma found it online. She showed it to me.”

She stiffens and leans back on her heels, hands dropping from my face to her lap. I’m an ass for bringing it up when she’s sick. For watching the video at all.

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