“Not at all.” I took him by the shoulders and turned him around, facing the inside of the house. “You go in and have a seat, and I’ll be back in a few minutes. Anything in particular you like?”
“Anything. There’s a hamburger stand on the corner, but I am not sure they are open tonight.”
They weren’t. And I wanted something better for him, anyway. He’d been eating a lot of junky food, and it was time he had a real meal. With vegetables. I remembered passing a Thai place on the way. A quick text confirmed he liked the cuisine, so I pulled up in front and went in and bought way too much food.
Altan confirmed the fact when I carried in the four bags. “What did you do?” He hadn’t answered the door for a full minute, which, combined with his hair standing on end, made me think he’d maybe taken a catnap while I was gone.
Good.
“I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I bought most of the menu. Roast chicken, soup, noodle dishes, veggies…and I expect you to eat most of it.”
“I am starving. Come to the table and lay it all out before I bite your arm or something.”
I followed him in to the table, noticing a cat lying under it. “This must be Bunny Foo-Foo, who I have heard so much about.” Crouching, I held out my hand. “Come and meet me, kitty.”
Not a big cat person, preferring dogs, I felt vindicated in my prejudice when the fluff ball stalked away, tail in the air. However, I was also determined to make her love me. “I bet she was glad to be home.”
He snorted. “She’s not speaking to me either. But she’ll come around. Let’s eat!”
We laid out all the different boxes then Altan went into the kitchen and returned with pasta bowls and silverware. Circling the table, we piled our bowls with as much as they would hold before retiring to the living room and sitting on the sofa.
“Want to watch a movie?” he asked.
“If you’d like to.”
He covered another yawn. “What shall I put on? I don’t think I’m up for any real conversation tonight.”
“Just eat, Altan, and build up your strength. I’m here in case you need anything. I’ll pour us some water, shall I?”
“Coffee, I think,” he said. “To wake me up.”
“Oh, no you don’t. You’re going to have your dinner and relax. Caffeine might affect your sleep. When we were talking all those nights, you weren’t drinking coffee, were you?”
He flushed. Adorably. “I was awfully tired, and I didn’t want to fall asleep.”
“No wonder, you’re so exhausted. I’ll get the water.”
I returned to find him nodding off. “Finish your dinner, Altan. Then you can go right to bed.”
“What about our movie? It’s relaxing.”
“All right.” I helped him select a movie and then we settled in to eat. By the time his bowl was almost empty, his eyes were closed and head back, sound asleep.
Standing, I gathered the bowls and carried them to the kitchen to load them in the dishwasher. Then I combined the remaining food into as few cartons as possible and set them in the refrigerator. He’d get a couple more meals out of those.
Returning to the living room, I wanted to carry Altan to bed, but he was sleeping so peacefully, I pulled the blanket off the back of the sofa and tucked it over him. Leaving a note, I drove away, wishing I could stay and hold him all night.
Chapter Eight
Altan
I woke up with my head at an odd angle, my neck stiff. When I reached over to grab my pillow, I hit the back of the couch, waking me fully. The night before, I fell asleep here while talking to Sothea. And now? Now, he was gone.
We’d planned on a nice dinner date, but I was dead on my feet. I’d have powered through. Heck, I wanted to power through. Those two weeks of text flirting, chatting at all hours of the night, and sending pictures of places I’d been were amazing, but I needed more. Sothea thought I needed to rest and there was no rush.
He was right.
We ended up staying at my place, eating takeaway, and chatting until I could no longer keep my eyes open. The last I remembered, my head was on his shoulder, and now, I was alone on my couch with a blanket over me, one I hadn’t put there, and Bunny Foo-Foo on my feet sound asleep.
