Motivation was everything.
“I’m not finished. I’ve gone into the settings on your laptop. Using the Ease of Accessibility option, you now have a Narrator. It reads out what appears in dialogue boxes, reads error messages…” Another pause while Paul went back to the fridge. “So if you combine the software and the Narrator feature, you’ll be able to read books and browse online for your research. You can do anything you did before.”
It was slowly dawning on Adam: he could write his books again. “Oh wow.” For a man with an extensive vocabulary, it was failing him miserably.
“I’ve gone into the settings on your phone, too. You now have the option of hearing what’s on the screen. And instead of pressing down to open an app, you press anywhere on the screen and you’ll hear where your finger is. If it’s where you want to be, you double-tap to enter. If not, you flick to the right or left. I’ve also downloaded an app—HeyTell—that turns speech into texts. All you do is say your message aloud and it sends it as a text.”
Adam knew he had a huge grin on his face. He felt so light in his body. “This is incredible, Paul.”
“I’m still not finished.” Paul chuckled. “I’ve also downloaded an app called Trekker Breeze. You use it when you go out.”
Go out?Adam stared in Paul’s direction, his mouth dry.
“It uses a GPS signal to tell you exactly where you are,” Paul continued. “It announces names of streets, junctions, landmarks, you name it.” Adam could hear the smile in Paul’s voice. “You’d be able to go out by yourself and find your way around.” A brief pause. “That’s the lot, except for a couple of things I’ve ordered, but we’ll have to wait for those.I’vepaid forthem, not you, however.” Paul moved to the table. “And there’s a ham and cheese salad sandwich in front of you.”
Adam ignored the food. How could Paul expect him to think about food?
“I can’t believe how much you’ve accomplished in the space of a few hours.” He couldn’t wait to get started. He wanted to get on his laptop and get to grips with the software, the new settings, all of it.
Paul laughed. “It feels like Christmas, right?”
All Adam wanted to do was let out an almighty whoop of joy. “That’s exactly how it feels.” He had to swallow hard to suppress the shout of glee that was right there behind his lips.
“Now eat.”
Adam chuckled to hear the mock stern note in Paul’s voice. “Yes, sir,” he replied with a grin.
They ate in silence, Adam finding it difficult to focus on his food. He didn’t have the words to fully express his gratitude for what Paul had done. What struck him to the core was that Paul had done all this without being asked. He’d done it out of a desire to help Adam.
Then all such thoughts fled him.
Paul had accomplished all that within the space of a couple of hours. Adam had been back on the island since mid-July, a period of four weeks or so.
Why hasn’t my sister offered to help me? She could have found exactly the same information.
In the time it took for that thought to flit through his brain, Adam already had the answer.
Why would she?Adam had been brusque, downright rude on occasions, and had given her nothing but headaches with regards to the companions she’d hired for him. Why would she want to help him?
Because I’m herbrother, damn it.
Adam swallowed the last mouthful of sandwich, his mind racing. He didn’t want to think about Caroline, not when there was something much more important to be done.
He had an assistant to thank, and he knew just how to do it.
Paul was moving about the kitchen, clearing up. Adam cleared his throat.
“You’ve done so much for me today, I’d like to do something for you.”
Paul halted. “You don’t have to do anything. This is my job, right? To be your assistant?”
Adam smiled. “My assistant deserves a reward for his efforts. No arguments, please.” His pulse quickened. “When you’re finished here, come into the library. I want you to pull out the three boxes from behind the couch.”
That hitch in Paul’s breathing was delicious.
Yeah, I have him pegged, all right. Paul is all about the kink.
It took mere seconds for the next thought to filter through his brain.
