Page 27 of Endless December (Sleepless November Saga 2)

I look at him as if he's gone crazy, before turning my attention to Caleb. "What the hell is he talking about?"

Caleb rolls his eyes and nudges Jason with his elbow as they approach the counter. "Holden's sick. He has whatever you had."

"Serves him right. He should know not to have sexy time with a sick person, even if he is in love with her." Jason quips.

"You two had sex?!" Dawson exclaims.

I shush them both immediately, not needing all of Dolce to hear about sex life, or lack thereof.

"There was no sexy time, not that it's any of your business." They snicker and make faces as I focus on Caleb. "He didn't mention being sick."

"He probably doesn't want you to feel bad. He's been quarantined in his room all day."

I sigh, knowing it's just like Holden to insist on taking care of me, but not even tell me that he's not feeling well. Looking around the empty coffee house, I turn to Dawson.

"Mind if I ditch for a bit?" He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively until I lightly smack him in the stomach.

"Ouch, okay fine." He takes his keys out of his pocket and hands them to me. "If anyone asks, you're at a doctor's appointment."

"Thank you." I walk over to the coat hanger and grab my jacket.

"Oh, and tell your boyfriend he better be good for the game on Wednesday!" Jason exclaims as I push open the door.

"Not my boyfriend!"

"Yeah, okay!" The three of them yell back in unison.

I lightheartedly roll my eyes, not bothering to argue with them. I walk a few stores down to the pharmacy to grab some medicine and Gatorade. Once I'm done, I climb into Dawson's car and head over to Holden’s. It only takes a couple minutes to get there, but in that short time, I manage to question my actions at least five times over. However, once I arrive, I put my game face on and get out of the car.

I walk up the front steps and into the house. I make my way up the stairs and down the hall to his bedroom. After knocking softly on the door, I hear a congested Holden telling me to come in. I push open the door and his eyes soften as soon as he sees me.

"Constant text messages between today and yesterday, and you just forgot to mention you're sick?" I place the bag down on his dresser and pull out the contents.

His eyebrows furrow. "Who told you?"

"Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum came into Dolce, and one of them may or may not have blamed me for getting you sick."

Holden whines. "You did not."

Putting a hand on my hip, I look at him knowingly. "No? So, you just coincidentally got exactly what I had after spending more than half the day taking care of me?"

"Yup." He replies, popping the p. "Just bad luck and a bit of irony."

"I'm sure that's exactly what happened."

After taking two pills from the package, I walk over to Holden and hand them to him along with a bottle of G

atorade, remembering how much he hates swallowing pills with water.

"Take these."

He grabs the two capsules from my hand and eyes them carefully. "Do I get to be a baby and refuse like you did?"

"No. That was liquid medicine. It’s different. You don't taste the pills."

"Eh, debatable."

I roll my eyes but smile. "Take the pills before I make you."

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