Page 123 of Forever After All

“Good night. Don’t let the bedbugs bite.”

Jess closed her eyes, and the darkness hid the smile on her face.

* * *

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Her brother’s shout cut through the grogginess in Jess’s head. Rolling onto her back, she groaned. Sunlight filtered through the tent, and she blinked through the haze.

“I don’t think it’s your business what I’m doing,” Linc said, much lower than Brett’s shout.

“Oh, it’s my business when it’s my sister you’re shacking up with.”

Jess lay still, trying to piece together what was going on outside.

Linc huffed. “I’m not shacking up with Jess. She’s sick, nitwit.”

“This isn’t the first time I’ve found you two together,” Brett spat.

Good grief. Jess propped up on her elbows, wincing at the pull in her shoulder. Breaking up a scuffle was the last thing she wanted to do. Especially when her brotherwasbeing a nitwit. The pounding in her head hung on the edges, but her skull didn’t feel like it was about to implode anymore.

She stretched her aching neck and climbed out of the tent. Sure enough, Brett was about three inches from Linc, looking like a rubber band about to snap.

“Can you two shut up?” she said as she reached for her boots.

Brett threw his hands out to the sides. “What’s going on, Jess? You snuck away to cuddle up in the mountains?”

“Linc said it’s none of your business.”

Brett’s lips tightened into a thin line, and his jaw tensed. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Jess stood with her boots on and looked down at herself. She really needed a change of clothes. She’d slept in jeans, for goodness’ sake.

When she faced Brett, she fought the urge to thump him in the forehead. “I’m sick, your voice is getting on my nerves, and we aren’t cuddling in the mountains. You make it sound like we’re on a romantic honeymoon. I’ve been half-alive for the last twenty-four hours, and Linc has been pretty great at making sure I don’t wither up and die. You owe him an apology and a big thank you.”

Brett crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Linc. “But I don’t wanna.”

Good. If Brett was joking about it, then he’d already decided to let it go.

Jess pressed a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes against the pain. “Where is the thermometer?”

Linc stepped around her to the tent and emerged with it a second later. Instead of handing it to her, he checked the temperature himself.

“Ninety-nine. Much better than yesterday,” he said, offering her a soft grin.

“Do we have anything I can take for the headache?” she asked low, making it clear she was on friendly terms with Linc and not her brother.

Brett picked up the bag at his feet and rummaged inside until he produced a pill bottle. He handed it to her, and she took it without meeting his gaze.

“You need to drink a lot of water too,” Linc added.

“Jameson sent these drinks,” Brett said, pulling out a few drink bottles.

“Thanks.” She accepted a bottle and opened it.

Brett propped his hands on his hips and stared at the ground. “Sorry I came at you, man.”

Linc didn’t look away from her. He watched as she took a few drinks, searing her with his intense stare. “You’re forgiven.”

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