“Relax. Tanner is taking care of your class.”
She squinted at him. Then she tapped her aching head. “There must be something really wrong with me, because I thought you just said Tanner is teaching my Sunday school class.”
“You heard me right. At this very moment he’s educating ten preschoolers about Noah’s ark.” He walked over to her. “As far as something being wrong with you, my professional guess is yes.”
“Very funny.” She filled a glass with water and drank every drop. Ah, that felt good. Now she had to do something about the jackhammer in her head.
He took the glass from her hand and began filling it with water again. “That must have been some party last night.”
“How did you know about that?”
He handed her the water. “When you weren’t in church, I talked to Harper, and she told me what happened.”
Anita thought she might have to ask Harper what happened too. “What did she say?”
“That you had too many cosmos.”
Right. The cosmos. Her stomach lurched. “I don’t feel so well.”
“That’s called a hangover.”
“I don’t ever want one again.”
“Go sit down, and I’ll bring you some aspirin.”
She sat down on the couch and leaned back, closing her eyes. A few minutes later the scent of strong coffee filled the air. Kingston tapped her on the shoulder.
“Here’s your aspirin and more water. Drink as much as you can today. Alcohol dehydrates you. The coffee will be ready in a minute.”
“Thanks, but I don’t want coffee,” she muttered, taking the aspirin and water.
“Doctor’s orders.”
Anita looked up at him and scowled. “I’m too old to be your patient.”
He laughed her off and went back into the kitchen. She swallowed the aspirin and drank half the water. She had to admit the water made her feel a little better.
After he’d handed her a mug of black coffee, Kingston opened the front window curtains. Sunlight streamed straight into her eyes. “Is that part of the prescription, or are you torturing me now?” she said, squinting against the bright light.
“A little of both.” He sat down next to her. “Remember this next time you drink too much.”
“I’m never drinking again.” She looked at the coffee, her stomach turning again.
“Good. Hangovers are no fun, as you can see.”
“How do you know?”
He cleared his throat. “We’re talking about you, remember?”
She sipped the coffee, burning her tongue in the process.
I wish I’d never gotten out of bed.
“Anything else happen last night?”
The note of concern in his voice surprised her. She turned to him. “Last thing I remember was Dylan making me a second cosmo.”
“Who’s Dylan?”
