“No, it’s fine.”
“I’ll go out,” he says. “I’ll ask a restaurant.”
“And what if you’re spotted?”
“It will be in pursuit of your comfort so…”
“No, Gus. Honestly, I’m fine.”
My eyes haven’t adjusted to the darkness at all as he softly places me down on the bed. But he doesn’t immediately remove his arms from underneath me, his knee pressing into the mattress, dipping from his weight. “You know, you’re allowed to be vulnerable, right? You don’t have to kick yourself when you’re down.”
Air fills my lungs a little too quickly, that pesky sharp sensation building behind my eyes. I don’t know what it is about his words, or the way he pulls his arms from underneath me away so carefully, like I’m breakable, like I’m something to handle with care, but I feel it remove a weight from off my chest.
I frown. “I don’t like being a nuisance. It’s not fair on the people around me.”
“You’re not a nuisance. You had an accident.”
I shrug. “Still.”
“Sara,” he pauses for effect. “You’re not a nuisance.”
I want to push the words away. To reject them. Because that’s not true. I don’t get to be broken, or sorry, or clumsy. That’s for everyone else. I have to have my shit together all the time in case somebody else collapses.
His footsteps sound as he heads back to his side of the bed and I breathe carefully to force the emotions back.
“Good night, Sara,” he says, shuffling beside me. “Thank you for worrying about me.”
“Night, Gus.” I swallow thickly to control my voice. I don’t want him to know how much he’s affected me. “Thank you for taking care of me.”
FifteenCruise Location – At SeaNext Port – KotorTime of Arrival – 12:00 (GMT+1)
I wake to find my mouth watering.
This is most unusual since it’s usually as dry as the Sahara Desert in the morning and requires instant hydration via strong coffee. Not this morning though. This morning, I am greeted to the delightful waft of freshly baked pastries.
I slowly peel my eyes open.
Gus is already dressed, hair damp from a shower. He’s sitting by the window, staring out at the city view. On the table nearby I spot four cups of coffee and brown, folded paper bags which I pray are filled with warm pastries.
I sit up slowly, frowning. “You got us breakfast?”
He glances at me over his shoulder, smiling. “Good morning, sunshine. We have forty-five minutes until we need to leave. I’ve been building up the courage to wake you.”
I mock scowl at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He presses his lips together and shrugs, playfulness lighting his eyes. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”
“Hmm,” I say. “Pass me the coffee. And whatever is in those bags.”
“Please,” Gus says, dragging out the sound in a way that has my core clenching.
“Please,” I say, holding his stare until he laughs and brings it to me.
He passes a coffee straight into my hands and another cup beside me. “I got you two.” He waits for me to thank him, but my brain isn’t fully awake yet, so I just end up blinking at him till he grins and walks back to the window.
“I do prefer my own room,” I mutter. “Although I could get used to beside service in the mornings.”
He chuckles quietly before tossing a small box on my bed. I get this weird flashback to Mike’s proposal and nearly choke on my first sip. It wasn’t that Mike tossed the ring at me, it’s just he didn’t exactly get down on one knee either. But the déjà vu is jarring. I take a moment to regain my composure before looking down at the object. Fortunately, it’s much better than a ring. It’s painkillers. And then I remember: my ankle.Oof!As if my brain has just caught up, a dull ache makes my toes tingle. But it wasn’t my first thought upon waking, and I’ll take that as a good sign. I hope I can walk on it as who knows what the day ahead might throw at us. I wash two tablets down with more coffee and hope for the best.
