“I’ll crash at my dad’s for now, I guess. Until I find something else or he gets sick of me, whichever comes first.”
“Oh, okay. Um, would you like some toast before you go? Coffee?”
He clears his throat and looks up at the ceiling. “I’m good. Don’t you need to get dressed?”
“Well, yes, but I was trying to be polite. The least I could do is offer you some breakfast since I’m sort of the reason you’re homeless now.”
His head barely moves in a nod, and his eyes run over me one more time before he turns around to face the front door. “Daisy, don’t take this the wrong way, but, uh … could you please put some clothes on?”
“Yeah, of course, be right back,” I chirp as a satisfied smile creeps across my face. Maybe my bare bodydidmanage to bother him, after all.
I practically skip into my room where I pick out another dress of a similar style, this time in mint green. Then I remember I still have a small scrap of the old dress stuck to my head, but it only takes a second in front of the mirror to successfully free my hair. I pull on my clothes, run my fingers through my wavy, blonde locks, and dart back into the kitchen, hoping Landry’s still there.
“Thanks again for your help,” I venture, pleased to find him in the same place I left him. “Oh, you can turn around now.”
He obliges and rotates to face me. “Hey, can I ask you something?”
I shrug as a few flutters overtake my stomach.Gah-lee, he’s attractive. I guess I’ve always thought Landry was good looking, but I’m having a hard time not letting my imagination run away from me right now, especially when he’s posing open-ended questions and stepping in so close to me …
“Have you always had that freckle on your neck?” He reaches out to touch my left shoulder.
I hold my breath again as I tilt my head to the side so he can inspect it. “I have a lot of freckles,” I manage to squeak out.
“I’m talking about this one here. Has it changed lately? You know, shape, color, size?”
I swallow hard when he leans in. Somehow this feels more intimate than before when I was literally standing in my underwear. “Not that I’ve noticed.”
“Hmm,” he hums thoughtfully, and I try to hide the way it makes me shiver. “Keep an eye on it, would you? I’m not sure I like the look of it.”
“Yes, doctor. Anything else?”
He rolls his eyes as he backs away. Then he crosses his arms and adopts a more serious expression again. “How have you been doing? You know …”
I cringe and look away, the mood changing in an instant. “I’m fine.”
“Day-sie,” he drags my name out, disappointment in his tone. “When was your last seizure?”
I heave out a heavy sigh. “Last Thursday.”
“What?” he nearly yells. “Does your family know?”
“I’m fine,” I repeat, holding my hands out to placate him. “Really. It was a very minor episode. And no, they don’t know, but it’s going to stay that way.”
He shakes his head. “You shouldn’t be driving.”
“I know I shouldn’t. But it’s not like I can call an Uber in Camellia, and I can’t keep bothering Blake every time I need to leave the house, especially when Loren’s not really supposed to be driving either,” I mumble, crossing my arms to mirror Landry. “I’m sure I’ll find someone at school to carpool with eventually. Blake’s brother is our assistant principal, so I was thinking of asking him for a ride in the mornings.”
He straightens up. “You’re going to get a lift from JD Bourgeois? Every morning?” I smile and nod, but he clenches his jaw.
“He’s very nice, and everyone seems to love him. Besides, all he ever talks about is his wife and their kids. I think he’s more than trustworthy.”
“Come on, I’ll drive you to the baby shower,” Landry says through his teeth.
“You don’t have to do that,” I reply, blinking awkwardly. “It’s not that far. And I feel great today.”
“Let’s not take chances when we don’t have to,hmm?” His expression softens as he lowers his chin and peers down at me like an adult reprimanding a child, making my stomach turn in a less pleasant way than before. But I’d rather get scolded than pitied, and I know Landry just well enough to understand that he’s not going to budge. More importantly, I’m officially under his care now, which also means I’m at his mercy if I want him to keep my secret from my parents and my brother.
And I can’t let any of them find out that my anti-seizure meds have been slacking off or they’ll force me to move back home. This is my one chance to prove that I can take care of myself, epilepsy be damned.
