Page 38 of Wild For You
“Takes one to know one.” I threw the jab back at her just as her eyes fully closed. The only way I knew she heard me was the smile on her lips.
Reaching out, I stroked her wet hair before leaving the bedroom.
I had a mission to complete, and nothing was going to stop me from making sure my little nurse got back into tip-top shape. Even if that meant calling in recruits to help.
Autumn was sitting on a bench, situated beneath a tree outside the drugstore in town. I was about fifteen minutes later than I expected to be. Trying to make the adjustments in my truck so I could drive proved to be more difficult than I thought it’d be.
“Hey,” I called out as I carefully exited the vehicle and grabbed my crutches from the back. “Sorry I’m late.”
“No problem. It’s a beautiful day. And honestly, I’m savoring the little bit of quiet time away from the boys. Should you be driving?” Autumn asked, and I rolled my eyes as I motioned for her to walk ahead.
Ignoring her comment, we entered the drugstore, and I went in search of the electrolyte drink from Alex’s list. Autumn found it quickly and added it to the basket in her hand before we moved toward the next item.
The basket was full by the time we made it to the counter. We weren’t sure what exactly Kelsey was suffering from, but Iwanted to cover all my bases. Items ranged from flu and cold medicine to anti-nausea tablets.
“Oh, let me grab one more thing,” Autumn said before she dashed away, leaving me with the young guy who slowly scanned each item as if he wished to be anywhere else but here.
My sister returned quickly, carrying a pink-and-white box.
“Is that for you?” I asked warily.
“Nope.”
“Autumn, I haven’t slept with her.”
Rolling her eyes, she placed the box on the counter with the rest of my things. “You may not have, but she did have a steady boyfriend before moving here. Best to cover all the bases, don’t you think?” she asked, which I would’ve chuckled at, since I had just got done thinking the exact same thing only a moment ago, but I was too dismayed by her suggestion.
Could Kelsey be pregnant? The idea hadn’t even crossed my mind, but now that it was starting to fester, I couldn’t think about anything else.
The entire drive home, all I could focus on was Kelsey carrying a child all by herself. Her symptoms were almost exactly like Autumn and Alex’s had been.
Walking in the door, I was surprised to find Kelsey still asleep. I’d been gone for over an hour. After setting the bags on the kitchen counter, I went to work on cleaning up Kelsey’s space.
Unfortunately, the air mattress had torn at the seam and was no longer inflatable. Pulling out my phone, I quickly ordered a replacement, but its use would depend on both Kelsey and whatever that test said.
It laid in that bag in the kitchen, mocking me. I had no idea how Kelsey would react when she saw the box, let alone her reaction to a positive result.
Around the house, I picked up as much as I could to keep myself busy until that finally ran out, and then I sat on the couch, contemplating what to have for lunch. Kelsey’s stomach came to mind, and I didn’t want to make anything that would trigger her nausea again.
I went ahead and fixed a turkey sandwich, something simple enough that I could eat quickly. Just as I finished putting away the ingredients, the hinges of the bedroom door creaked.
“Hey,” I said, filled with apprehension.
Eyes downcast, Kelsey replied, “Hi.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Better. Hungry, actually,” she said with a sheepish grin.
“That’s good. Let’s take it easy at first, okay? Maybe some applesauce?”
“Sure.” She shuffled along the floor and took a seat at the kitchen island. I moved around, grabbing an individual cup of applesauce and a spoon before setting them in front of her.
“Bon appétit.”
She groaned as the first spoonful disappeared between her lips. “What’s in there?” she asked, pointing to the drugstore bag with her spoon before taking another bite of the pureed fruit.
“I roped Autumn and Alex in for some help. It’s a bunch of stomach bug remedies.”
