Page 116 of Forever After All

What time was it? She searched for her phone and gasped when she saw the time.

“Ten o’clock!”

She’d never slept that late in her life.

A thud outside caught her attention, and she changed into jeans and a flannel shirt. After braiding her hair, she slipped on her boots and ran out the door, heaving the whole way.

Linc was chopping firewood, and he didn’t look up until she was right beside him. His lips turned up in a smile that had her pulse thundering in her chest.

“Hey, are–”

“Why is it so late?” she interrupted. “Why didn’t you wake me up? We have so much to do.” She was panting like she’d just ran a marathon instead of twenty yards.

Linc’s smile fell, and his stare stayed locked on her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Why?”

Linc reached for her hand, and she gave it to him, too tired to protest.

“You look pale,” he said, leading her to sit on the stump he’d been using to chop wood on.

“I’m fine. Probably altitude sickness. I’ll drink a bunch of water.” She looked up at him, and the movement rattled her brain inside her head. She reached up and pressed her whole hand against her temple to stop the throbbing. “We have so much to do.”

Linc crouched in front of her. “Relax. I’ll handle it. I’m actually almost finished with our list for the day. I just need to clean out the chimney, but I was waiting for you to wake up.” He tilted his head as he examined her. “Do you want to head home?”

Home. She’d never longed for home as much as in this moment. She wanted her soft bed, her warm shower, and lots of over-the-counter meds that would at least treat these irritating symptoms.

“But I didn’t do anything I was supposed to today,” she said feebly.

“I did it.” Linc pressed the back of his hand to her forehead, and his brows pinched together. Those soft lips she’d kissed last night were thinned into a stern line. “I think you have a fever.”

“What? I don’t get fevers. I haven’t had one since I was a kid.”

Linc stood and offered her a hand. She took it and stood, not liking the way everything swayed around her.

“Let’s check anyway. I’ll get the first-aid kit and meet you in the cabin.”

Jess walked back inside, frustrated that she was slowing things down instead of helping. They were on a timeline, and she’d thrown a wrench in everything.

She sat in one of the chairs in the kitchen just as Linc came in with the bag. He set it on the table and started rummaging through it.

Jess, on the other hand, couldn’t tell which way was up, much less find whatever she needed to cure the all-over sickness.

Her head slowly lowered until it rested on her arm against the table, and dang it, he was right. She could feel the heat from her head radiating into her arm. Exhaustion wanted to take over, but a nagging discomfort clouded everything, preventing any kind of rest.

“Hold still,” Linc said as he pressed the thermometer to her ear. A few beeps later, and he checked the screen.

But he didn’t say anything.

She lifted her head. “What does it say?”

The mask he’d thrown up to hide his concern was paper thin. She saw right through his attempt. “It’s a little high.”

Jess reached for the thermometer and read it. “A hundred and three!”

Linc was already opening a small pack of fever reducers. He reached for the glass she’d drank from a minute ago and handed both of them to her. “Take this.”

She did as he said, then let out a groan. “I can’t be sick.”

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