We sit in silence for a few minutes as she finishes her soup. She shivers under the blanket, and I think about offering to adjust the thermostat, but then I realize there is no thermostat—just a rusty radiator in the corner.
Yikes.
“Do you want to move to your bed?” I eye the full-sized bed in the corner of the studio apartment.
She shakes her head, eyes barely open now. “No, I’ll just sleep here.”
I nod, then settle back. Eventually, her breathing deepens, and she slips off to sleep. I let her be, standing to clean up the kitchen. I wash the mug and bowl, wipe the counter, and gather the tissues into a plastic bag.
She probably doesn’t want me doing all these things, but also… I don’t want to leave yet.
I shove the tissues into the trash, shut the lid, and then wash my hands in the sink, eyeing a picture of her and some girl with purple hair hanging on the wall. It’s theonlypicture. I stare at it, trying to figure out if it’s a family member or just a friend.
“Why are you still here?” Maddy’s groggy voice cuts through the moment, grabbing my attention.
“Tidying up,” I reach for the dish towel to dry my hands. “I don’t want you re-catching your cold with all the germs still around.”
“You’re really nice as far as bosses go.”She tries to give me a smile.
I pause, not sure what to say. “Is that a good thing?”
She nods, and her eyes jump to the picture I was staring at. “That’s Riley. She’s my best friend. I’ve known her since college.”
“That’s cool,” I say, hesitant to ask too many questions. I’m not sure if we’ve crossed from professional into personal territory…
But I know I’ve crossed that line in my mind with her.
“You can take off your suit jacket,” Maddy suddenly says, gesturing to me. “You look super uncomfortable. You’ve already torn through my kitchen… You might as well settle in—if you want,” she adds quickly.
I hesitate for maybe half a second, then toe off my shoes, strip off my jacket, and sit at the far end of the couch. I grab a throw pillow and lean back, legs stretched out. The couch sags under my weight.
“Movie?” I offer, picking up the remote.
She nods. “Deal. But you pick. I’m too sick to make major decisions right now.”
I chuckle and turn on the TV, flipping through her streaming options. But before I settle on which comedy hits the spot, Maddy shifts on the couch, her head resting against my shoulder. My heart skips a beat.
“Is this okay?” She peers up at me, her lids heavy.
“Yeah, of course,” I tell her, and then try to focus on the shitty movie I randomly click. But while my eyes stay on the screen, the rest of me is tuned to Maddy, whose breaths are growing deeper with every passing minute.
I risk a glance down at her, and see her eyes closed and her face peaceful.Damn, she’s gorgeous, even when she’s sick.Carefully, I brush a strand of her hair from her face.
I’m so fucking lucky to be here right now.
And I know it’s probably breaking all the HR policies at work, but whatever. I don’t give a shit right now.
Chapter 12
Maddy
Ialmost thought Caleb being in my apartment was just a fever dream.
But nope. He’s really here.Still.
I breathe in the scent of his cologne, which is a mix of cedar and something else and it smells delicious.
It takes a heroic effort to pry myself upright. The comforter clings to my back like it’s plotting to suffocate me. I’m a gross, sweaty mess.
