Page 41 of Spring Showers

“What happened?” William asked as he hoisted Grant’s arm over his own shoulder.

“I think he’s having an allergic reaction to some poison ivy.” Thandie took her canteen and popped the lid off. She handed it to Grant, who took it and brought it up to his lips. “Drink,” she ordered.

Grant’s steps slowed, and he caught her gaze. “I could have killed you with those flowers. And I was trying to be nice,” he moaned between weeping and laughing.

“Drink,” she said again and pushed the canteen to his lips.

She knew he was having an emotional reaction along with the physical, and he jabbered nonsense all the way up the hill. Leo met them halfway down the driveway in front of the barn and took Grant’s other arm from Thandie. “He’s having an allergic reaction. And a panic attack. Will you get him inside and have him lie down?”

Thandie took off in a full sprint toward the office where the bin of first aid supplies was located. Glad that she had noticed it on an earlier trip to the loft, she rifled through and found the bottle of allergy medicine and cream. Meeting the men downstairs in thecucina, she kneeled beside Grant where he was lying on the floor.

“I need you to take this pill,” she said and sat him up a little.

“I don’t like sushi,” he coughed out and brushed her hand away.

The little white pill flew across the floor, and she took another one. “It’s not sushi. It’s medicine to help you feel better. Now, open up.” Thandie placed the pill on his tongue and held the canteen to his lips. She tilted the container until the water dripped out and into his mouth. His breath smelled of cinnamon, and she guessed that he had recently brushed his teeth. She grinned at the thought of how the situation could have gone quite differently had he not picked the ivy by accident. Her racing pulse could have had a more enjoyable catalyst.

“Should I call the doctor?” Leo asked.

“I don’t think it’s necessary. He’s not anaphylactic.” She pulled up Grant’s sleeve and exposed angry-looking bumps on his forearm. “This is typical contact dermatitis. I think his mental reaction is just shock. He was totally fine, other than his skin, until he saw his arm looking like this.”

William returned with damp paper towels and a small trashcan. “Here, wash the area and throw those away after.” He handed over the items and added, “I was a boy scout and I’ve seen this before. He’ll be okay.”

“Thanks, William,” Leo said. “You should go wash up since you touched him and maybe were exposed too.”

“Right,” William said. “You got this?”

Leo nodded and William departed. “Where are the others?” Leo asked Thandie as she cleaned Grant’s arm and hands.

“Clara is leading them back here.”

“A golf cart would be nice right about now.” Leo attempted levity, but she wasn’t in the mood to laugh. “I’ll go check on things.”

“Go,” she said and kept her attention trained on Grant.

The color was returning to his cheeks, and his eyes looked at her instead of through her as they had since his reaction began. She helped him sit up and leaned him against the wall under theCucinasign. Thandie inquired with her eyes whether he was ok, and he nodded ever so slightly. She finished cleaning all the reddened skin that she could see, but the spots extended underneath the edge of his rolled sleeve.

“Can I take your shirt off?” she asked, but was already unbuttoning his mushroom-colored oxford. He didn’t protest as her hands moved under the collar’s front edge and along his collarbones. His biceps flexed under her touch and sent heat into her cheeks. Being careful not to scratch his arms, Thandie pulled each sleeve down over his hands and tossed his shirt aside. Underneath, Grant’s tight white tee-shirt hugged his chest and abs. It was too bad she had no excuse to take that layer off, also.

The rash creeped up Grant’s arm just beyond the crook of his elbow, where it had settled the worst. She cleaned the area as gently as she could, though he hissed in through his teeth several times. “Sorry,” she said and pressed a clean, damp paper towel on the bumps. “You should probably take a cool shower. And then put some itch cream on this. Do you need a doctor?”

“I need you,” he slurred and laid his head back against the wall.

“You do?” she whispered in disbelief and assumed he had misspoke.More delirium, she thought.

She’d seen skin reactions like his before when she grew up living in the country. Farmers were always getting stung or bitten by something. He would be fine, she knew it, but he would be exhausted from the rush of adrenaline wreaking havoc on his system.

“Should I help you back to your cabin?”

She knew what his answer would be, and she wanted him to say it.

“That would be nice. Thank you, Thandie.”

“It’s my pleasure.”

“It’s your job,” he reminded her as he stood.

There it was. The tit-for-tat that she had grown to love participating in very much. Seeing him near passing out, and in obvious distress, had left her feeling utterly ridiculous for having questioned her feelings for him earlier that day. She had been afraid to talk to him about the kiss.A kiss! It’s not like he proposed or something, she thought.

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