“That’s what autocorrect meant to say,” I muttered.
He opened his mouth to keep grilling me, but?—
“Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!”
“Never mind,” he said. “I know the problem.”
“Are you a doctor? ’Cause I know a lot of them, and diagnosis usually takes longer.”
“I’m not a doctor, thank you. Why do you know so many?” Hank shook his head before I could answer. “Never mind. I still know the problem even without the degree.”
“What do you know?” My voice sounded like it was echoing inside a barrel.
“The Texas pollen has taken you out. Good news is, you’ll probably survive.”
His little chuckle was entirely unnecessary. Hank wasn’t my favorite in this town anymore. Earl from the dinner seemed like a guy who could be a good friend. He could be my new favorite and no Hank allowed.
“What’s the bad news?”
“You’ll probably survive.” If it were possible, I liked him even less now.
“I want option one.”
“Sorry, sugar, death by pollen isn’t happening on my watch.” Daddy took my hands and hauled me off the floor. The movement sent me reeling, and I banged into his chest.
“Sorry, that one’s on me.” Okay, well, that lightly redeemed him.
“Ugh. I was painting, finally finished, and collapsed.”
“Texas pollen takes out a lot of people. If you’re not acclimated, it can be rough.”
“So next year I’ll be fine?”
“No, next year will suck too—but you’ll be ready for the onslaught.”
Yeah, thestill suckspart was stuck in my brain on a loop.
“Just leave me here to die.”
“Sorry, sugar, I like you too much to leave you to the wolves.”
That tidbit sent me sitting straight up.
“They have freaking wolves around here?”
“Ha! We don’t, but we do have coyotes—which is why the fences gotta be good for the ladies.”
“Ugh, how did I forget about them? I still need to give them their evening snack.”
My attempt to step back from Hank sent me swaying, and I had to grab his bicep—rock hard, FYI—to keep from falling again.
“Nope. You’re going back to your house, getting some meds I’m sure Sissy has around here—because she used to complain about the pollen too—and crashing on the couch.”
Hank morphed into Daddy in an instant, and I fell into line. Ugh. This was the hardest part of a Daddy situationship.
We’d hooked up, kissed, even held hands in public. But the very next day, he’d gotten caught up in a flock of bogos or bongos or bingos—I don’t know, one of them—and been radio silent ever since.
It left a guy to wonder. And to pine. Individually terrible, and together a total killer for my live, laugh, love era. RIP. Oh crap, wasn’t I supposed to be all serious and dedicated-minded during this reno? Well, now I’d screwed it all the way around.
