Page 135 of Mountain Boss

Has she been hungry?

I look at the stupid fucking can of stew I left on her counter.

I brought her a spare item from my pantry.

A throwaway meal.

Literally nothing.

And it’s the most nutritious thing in this whole fucking cabin.

The bottle of painkillers creaks in my hand as I clench my fist with incompetent rage.

How she can even fucking look at me, let alone touch me.

Or let me touch her…

I close my eyes and breathe.

Just make myself breathe.

Another inhale as I try to picture what I have in my medicine cabinet, wondering if there’s anything that will help her.

I don’t know.

I can’t remember.

I should look, but I don’t want to leave her.

Shaking a pair of pills into my palm, I spot Courtney’s water bottle near the sink and pick it up.

Back in the bedroom, I shake her shoulder again. “Courtney.”

She groans.

“I need you to wake up and drink some water.”

“Later,” she mumbles while trying to pull the blankets over her head again, but I stop her.

“Now. Then you can go back to sleep.”

I don’t know how much these will do, but they can’t hurt. And if I don’t do something to feel like I’m helping, I’m going to lose my shit.

Her eyes finally flutter open, and I hold the water bottle out in front of her.

She sneaks her hands out from under the blankets and takes it from me.

Courtney lifts her head, and I wait for her to take a sip from the short straw.

“Open up,” I urge her.

Not arguing for once, she parts her lips and, reaching around, I press the pills into her mouth.

She drinks more water, swallowing them.

“That’s my girl,” I praise her. “Just a little more.”

She takes another mouthful before dropping her head back to the pillow.

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