I'd been measuring flour for the past how many minutes? And I'd lost count. The bowl in front of me was definitely too full.
"Sorry." I dumped some back. "I'll start over."
Hawthorn stopped what he was doing. "When did you start feeling sick?"
"This morning."
“Don’t fib. You haven’t been yourself for two days."
My wolf wondered who I’d been if I wasn’t me and I told him I’d explain later.
Hmmm. The last few days were a blur of early mornings and late nights. Maybe those walks in the freezing cold so early in the morning had finally caught up with me.
"I'm fine," I repeated, though my voice sounded weak even to my own ears.
"You're not."
I bent to get the bread out of the oven, but the room tilted sideways, and I grabbed the counter to steady myself.
A strong pair of hands caught me. Hawthorn's espresso scent assaulted my nostrils, even through the congestion, and my wolf perked up.
"That's it." His tone was firm. "You're done."
"I can keep working.” Did done mean finished for good?
"No." He steered me toward a stool. "Sit."
I obeyed because my legs weren't cooperating.
Hawthorn crouched in front of me with one hand on my knee to steady me. My wolf was excited about that though it barely registered in my fever-addled brain.
"You're running a fever. My family doesn’t catch colds, but I know enough that you shouldn’t be at work."
"But the orders."
"I'll handle them."
"But—"
"Zale." Despite me feeling lousy, his voice sent shivers through me which had nothing to do with my illness. "I'm taking you home. Don't argue."
"Okay," I whispered.
The truck waswarm and I leaned my head against the window and watched the dark streets pass by. The lodge was only two blocks from the bakery so I could have walked, though I’d have more likely stumbled.
"You didn't have to close the bakery."
"I didn't close it. I locked the front and left a note, saying I’ll be back soon."
We pulled up in front of the Sleep Easy Lodge. Hawthorn followed me up the narrow stairs to my room and he swore under his breath when we walked in. The room was freezing. The radiator clanked uselessly in the corner, putting out barely any heat.
"How long has it been like this?"
"Not long after I moved in. It's fine because I use extra blankets."
"It's not fine." He was already gathering my clothes and toiletries. "You're coming to my place."
My fevered brain took a moment to process that. "Your place?"
