I felt her looking at me, and when I met her eyes, there was something in them I couldn’t quite name.
“Is that because you think no one’s ever going to understand your sense of humor?” she asked softly. “Or enjoy your grouchy side? Because right now this is pretty enjoyable. Even with the plague.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. I’d spent my entire adult life convinced that the kind of connection other people seemed to find so easily just wasn’t available to me. I was too difficult, too private, and too fundamentally incompatible with the kind of vulnerability that real relationships required. I didn’t know how to drop my guard and allow myself to be vulnerable.
But sitting here in Ina’s apartment, watching her drink soup, created a kind of longing I had never experienced before. Maybe I was running a fever too. Maybe I was delusional from lack of sleep and too much coffee.
The buzzer rang, cutting through my thoughts.
“That’s probably the Gatorade and cough drops,” Ina said, starting to get up.
“I’ll get it.” I stood and went to the intercom, confirmed it was a delivery, and went downstairs to meet the delivery guy.
When I came back up with a bag full of cold medicine and electrolyte drinks, Ina was fast asleep on the couch, the empty soup bowl still in her lap.
I took the bowl carefully, set it in the sink, and draped another blanket over her. Then I left the medicine and Gatorade on the coffee table where she’d see them when she woke up, along with a note on a Post-it I found in the kitchen.Take the medicine. Drink the Gatorade. Rest.
I let myself out quietly and stood in the hallway for a moment. Would it be weird if I stayed and watched her sleep?
Definitely.
I have to remind myself I’m her boss. I’m not actually dating her, no matter how easy it is to forget this is fake.
I went back to the office before I ended up doing something stupid.
Lucas intercepted me the moment I stepped off the elevator. He was wearing his wings again with his basket of Valentine’s gifts in hand.
“There you are! I’ve been trying to reach you. Where were you?” He stopped, studying my face. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.”
“You have that face.”
“Yes, I was born with it.”
He scowled. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Ina’s sick. I checked on her. She’s fine.”
“You checked on her?”
“She’s my assistant. I need her at work.”
“Mm-hmm.”
I glared at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing. Absolutely nothing.” He was grinning now, and I wanted to throw something at him. “Your gift is on your desk.”
“Did Ina get one?” I asked. “Maybe I can hold on to it for her.”
Lucas’s grin faded. “Actually, no. I couldn’t find her gift anywhere. Should I try and find something for her?”
Motherfucking Keith.
“I’ll handle it,” I said, already on the move.
CHAPTER 15
