“Seems to. We’ll see.” I was still sure there would be setbacks, but I had a new goal in mind; I wanted to go grocery shopping one day soon. Maybe even go to a bookstore.
* * * *
Since Mona was a bit sniffly and River had a day off, he kept a close eye on her on Toby’s behalf. That meant making a nest on the couch, and making sure she was warm and comfortable, and could nap whenever she wanted.
We watched the movies she wanted to. She remembered seeingBrother Bearwhen she was little, so we watched that, then moved onto theHow to Train Your Dragonfilms afterward.
The day moved along at the solid pace every day here would. Ben came to the house for mealtimes but otherwise he’d stay at the cabin, working. Lake took a break after lunch and went to help Theo with the horses.
Jack kept us fed and Mona hydrated. River made sure to text updates to Toby and monitor her temperature so Toby wouldn’t freak out too much.
I lounged on one end of the couch, not too close to Mona just in case she was contagious. Madden didn’t have the luxury because she needed him right next to her. He kept throwing me these looks that said I was a coward. I stuck out my tongue at him.
* * * *
When I went to bed that night, I started to feel weird.
At first, I thought I got whatever Mona had, but then my heartbeat picked up and I started to feel panicky.
To my surprise, the images in my head were of Jack, frozen in the yard. I felt his emotions, or what I thought he must’ve felt in that moment, and suddenly I couldn’t breathe properly.
I got out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom, then opened the door to Jack’s room.
“Rey?” he asked, sounding much too awake for how late it was. He was reading a book and looked at me in the light of the lamp on his bedside table. “What’s wrong?”
Immediately, he sat up and gestured for me to come closer. I managed to gasp in another breath, and move my heavy limbs in a way that moved me forward to him.
I collapsed in his arms, and he pulled me on the bed.
Murmuring reassurances, he manhandled me until I was under the covers with him, and then pulled me to his chest.
I started to cry, which didn’t help with breathing.
“It’s okay, come on,” Jack whispered. He pulled my hand and put it on his chest. “Breathe with me.”
I tried my best, but with the tears, it was so, so hard.
Jack reached for a tissue from the box on his bedside table, which I would’ve totally ribbed him about if I’d had enough oxygen to do so.
He seemed to realize what I was thinking, because he threw me a mock glare. “Don’t even. Maybe I read sad books and need these to dry my tears.”
I choked on a snort, then blew my nose. Somehow concentrating on that for a moment made my breathing switch gears, and I could begin to try breathing with Jack.
He started to pet me like he’d done in the car that day. This time, his big hand that seemed to span the width of my back, and when I started to register the heat he was putting off, I realized we were both shirtless.
Luckily I was still upset enough that my dick didn’t get any ideas, because that would’ve been mortifying.
“Delayed reaction to this morning?” he made an educated guess.
I nodded against his chest. The hair tickled my cheek and made me smile.
“I guess so. I was just trying to go to sleep and then…” I shrugged.
“I know how that goes. It’s the worst when you think you got through something just fine, and then hours later your brain checks out for a while.” We were quiet for a while, then he quietly said, “Thank you.”
He didn’t need to specify. I put my arm around him and pressed myself harder against him.
I was calmer now, and feeling my heartbeat go down was a relief.
