“Thanks.”
We hung up and I crawled back under the covers.
* * *
Wednesday night I wasback at my place and trying to find the will to walk from the living room to the kitchen for some kind of food. It was my first day back at work and I was still a little under the weather, but I always felt guilty taking sick time because I missed my kids. Plus, I always seemed to be missing a stapler when I had to put in for a sub.
Austin was at “church,” which he explained meant club meeting, so I was on my own for the moment. Well, alone meaning I had a recruit on me. Buzz was currently sitting in his truck downstairs watching my door. Austin was still concerned there was a threat to me, but since my sleep was a major priority to me, I wanted to be close to school so I didn’t have to wake up as early in the morning. Hence the decision to let me be back at my place with the caveat of having someone watch me.
Depending on how late the meeting went, I may or may not see Austin, and since I didn’t think I could find enough energy to care one way or the other, I vegged under a blanket with HGTV on low volume.
My phone buzzed and I answered it without looking at the screen. “Hello?”
“You sound terrible,” Kim said.
“I know. But I really do feel better. Just tired from wrangling five-year-olds.”
“I bet.”
“What’s up? I kind of miss your face.”
“Me too,” she said. “That’s what I’m calling about. I don’t have to work tomorrow night, so I wanted to see if you wanted to go shopping with me. Maybe grab dinner after?”
“Yes, please,” I answered immediately.
“We’ll make it an early night so you can get your beauty sleep, but why don’t I pick you up at five and we’ll head to the mall.”
“Perfect.”
“No conflict with your man?”
“I see him every day, Kimmie. You I get when I get you, so you’re the priority.”
She laughed. “That’s why you’re my favorite. Okay, gotta get back to work. See you tomorrow.”
“’Bye.” I hung up and set my phone on the coffee table.
I heard the locks in my front door turn and then Austin was walking into the room. He frowned as he sat on the coffee table facing me. “You still sick?”
“Just tired. Why are you here so early?”
“Not a whole lot of business. It only took an hour.”
I smiled. “I like it when you’re early.”
He leaned down and kissed me quickly. “Did you eat?”
“I haven’t left the sofa since I got home.”
Austin stroked my cheek. “You hungry?”
I nodded. “Starved.”
“How hungry?”
“I could eat a cow.”
“Okay, I’ll run and grab burgers.”
