Page 133 of Twisted Truth

“I don’t think I could ever stomach beans on toast, no matter the morning.”

“Indeed.”

Asher and Matthew sit and watch like weirdos as I take a bite of a ham and egg sandwich. It tastes different than it would back in New York, but it’s good enough. I take another bite, and then another sip of coffee. The food and drink are doing wonders for my foggy brain, but I still feel really heavy. Good god, now I remember why I never take sleeping pills.

When my sandwich and coffee are half gone, I set them aside. That’s all I can take right now.

“Okay. Shower now, and then I should be back to my normal self.”

“Are you sure?” Asher says. “We can reschedule.”

“I don’t want to do that. Isn’t this meeting really important?”

“It is, butyouare the important piece, so if you’re not doing well, it’s better to postpone. I need you at your best.”

“You have so little faith.”

“I just saw you carried in like a corpse an hour ago.”

“I’m much less corpsy now.”

He snorts. “The bags under your eyes and the pallor of your skin are still quite corpsy.” He flicks my nose lightly.

“A gentleman should never insult a woman’s appearance.”

“I’ve never claimed to be a gentleman. Also, your hair looks like it’s suffered an electric shock.”

“It’s very unfair for you to keep insulting me when you look perfect.”

“I also never claimed to play fair.”

“You’re a cad and a scoundrel, Mr. Langford. See? I’ve even got my London vernacular with me. I’m fine.”

“Okay then, now we get you in the shower, miss damsel in distress.”

He tugs on my arm and leads me to the bathroom.

“What is this ‘we’ you speak of?” I demand.

“The ‘we’ of you and me.”

“I don’t need a ‘we’ to shower.”

“You need a ‘we’ when I’m not sure you’ll make it out without slipping or collapsing and hurting yourself. I can’t have you concussed on top of drugged.”

“And what exactly do you think this ‘we’ involves? Showers are private affairs.”

“Not today, they aren’t.”

“You can’t just follow me into the bathroom while I shower.”

“I can, and I will. I’m serious; I don’t trust you to not get lightheaded and slip and fall.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I’m sure you said that to Matthew before you took that pill, and you have been anything but fine since, so excuse me if I don’t trust your judgment.”

I try to shove him out the bathroom door. “Get out, Cad and Scoundrel.”