Page 20 of Tucker
“Please,”I scoff. “We live together. If I was going to catch it, I already would have.Besides, I never get sick. Now, go back to bed. You look like hell.”
Hemust feel terrible because he doesn’t argue, just makes his way back upstairs.
Ispend the next few days writing and taking care of Tucker, well, as much ashe’ll let me. By the middle of the week, he’s feeling better and at leastgetting out of bed to watch TV and eat the soup I made for him.
ByThursday night, he’s pretty much back to normal and he hasn’t forgotten thefriend I mentioned. Ely calls me on Thursday, and I take my phone to my room totalk to him. He’s kind and funny, and I’m looking forward to our date the nextnight. I even went out and bought a new outfit. We’re just going to hear alocal band play, so I opted for a pair of jeans that make my ass look good anda red blouse that shows a little cleavage.
Afterour phone conversation, I return to the kitchen to make dinner. A pricklysensation up my back makes me turn around to see Tucker watching me from thedoorway. “I’m making chicken stew,” I tell him, assuming that’s what he’strying to find out.
“Areyou dating someone?” he asks, his face impassive.
“Ihave a date tomorrow night. Why?”
Heremains silent for a few minutes. “Where do you know him from?” I don’t owe himany kind of explanation, but it’s easier than arguing. I feel really tired thisevening and I’m looking forward to going to bed so I can be fresh and brighteyed tomorrow.
“Hevolunteers with me.” I shrug, turning back to stir the stew.
Hisjaw hardens. “Is he an inmate?”
Hewas for a brief time, but there’s no way I’m telling him that. He’d probablyrun to Derek and tattle. “No, he just cares about the environment.”
Tuckerscoffs and rolls his eyes. “Don’t you know when a guy is feeding you bullshit?I’m sure he loves puppies and cries at romantic movies as well.”
Nowhe’s pissing me off.
“Asinsane as it might seem to you, there are decent men out there who want to dateme.” I turn off the burner under the bubbling pot of stew. “And it’s none ofyour damn business who I see. Maybe you need to get laid and quit worryingabout me.”
Tossingthe lid on the pot, I stalk off to my room. Suddenly, the thought of food isn’tappealing. I’m so exhausted I strip off my pants and bra and climb into bedwithout bothering to shower or brush my teeth.
Thewords I spit at Tucker come back to haunt me. The last thing I want is to haveto listen to him fucking some skank so why did I say that? I know I’d bejealous even though I have no right to feel that way. Is that why he’s actinglike a gigantic tool? Because I have a date?
No,he’s never tried anything with me. Most days he just tolerates me. My tiredmind finally stops pondering everything and gives in to the demands of myexhausted body.
WhenI wake, I instantly know something is wrong. I fell asleep with my light on,which is out of the ordinary, not to mention it was way too early to go to bed.That’s probably why I feel out of sorts.
Thatidea is quickly squashed when I sit up and a wave of nausea washes over me.
Ohno.
Ibarely make it to the bathroom in time where I spend the next thirty minutesthrowing up everything I’ve eaten since I was born. At least that’s how itfeels. My stomach aches and my throat is sore.
Acool rag finds its way to the back of my neck and I look up to see Tuckerstanding over me with a glass of water. “Come on. Let’s get you back to bed.”
Hehands me a pain reliever and watches as I swallow it with a grimace. “Yourthroat will get better. Mine only hurt the first day,” he assures me.
Groaning,I turn over. “I have a date tomorrow night.”
“Youmean tonight. It’s four in the morning. And Ely the environmentalist will justhave to wait.”
Nowthat my stomach has settled a little, my eyes threaten to slam shut again.“I’ll call him later. I’m so tired.”
Acool palm sweeps the sweaty hair from my cheek. “Get some rest. You’ll feelbetter.”
Myeyes flutter open a few hours later and while the nausea isn’t too bad, mybladder is screaming at me. I make a quick trip to the bathroom and swish somemouthwash around my mouth to get rid of the horrific taste.
Mythroat still burns and my stomach feels raw. It isn’t until I crawl back intobed that I realize Tucker is asleep on the other half. He stayed with me? Sleptin my bed?
Mytired brain can’t overthink it right now. I’m back to sleep as soon as I closemy eyes. When I open them again, he’s gone and I wonder if I dreamed the wholething. My phone is plugged into the charger on my nightstand where I left it,but it’s turned off. I never turn off my phone. What the hell?
