me down,” I say. “I can walk back to the dorm by myself.”
His grip doesn’t loosen. “You can’t go back to the dorm. Not like this. You’ll definitely get caught.”
I try to wiggle from his grasp. “Then at least let me walk. If anyone sees you carrying me we’ll get caught.”
“Fine.” He sighs loudly and puts me down. After I take a few wobbly steps, he clasps his arm around me and leans me against his chest. “You haven’t been drunk before, have you?”
“Uh-uh.” I shake my head, and the motion makes me dizzy.
“That’s what I thought. Do me a favor and the next time you have the urge to drown your troubles, don’t.” His voice is thick with concern.
“That’s not what I was doing.” Even as I protest, I know he’s right. My embarrassment won’t let me admit it. “You’re one to talk. You were drinking too.”
“I had a beer that I nursed the entire night. Besides, I’m older and know my limits. I never would have let you drink that much if I’d known it was alcoholic.”
“Humph.” I am not buying his story.
“Fine. If you promise not to drink anymore, I promise not to drink anymore, not even an occasional beer.” Guilt sinks through my embarrassment. I hang my head.
“Fine,” I mumble.
I haven’t been paying attention and am surprised when we stop in front of a house. Dean rings the doorbell, and a minute or two later Troy’s worried face greets us. Great. That’s just what I need, more people to see my predicament and add to my embarrassment.
“I’m sorry to wake you guys, but she needs somewhere to spend the night.” Dean sidesteps through the door with me and sits me on the couch.
“Don’t worry about it. We were already up—Hazel’s morning sickness.” Troy presses a hand on my forehead. “What’s wrong with her?” He leans in and examines my face, but when he smells my breath his entire expression changes, and not in a good way. “Is she —?”
“It’s my fault,” Dean says. “One of my idiotic colleagues decided to feed her drinks. Don’t worry, I’m gonna deal with the jerk later.”
Troy returns with a glass of water. He slides his arm under my back and helps me sit up. I’m about to complain that I’m perfectly capable of sitting up on my own, but a wave of nausea makes me double over. Troy watches me with an expression that I assume is pity.
“You might not feel like it, but you need to rehydrate,” he says, and I take the glass. Troy stands and looks at Dean. “How much did she drink? Should we bring her to the hospital?”
“No!” I cry and drop the glass. I attempt to jump to my feet but only make it halfway up before dropping back down onto the couch. “I didn’t drink that much.”
“I’ll get Wendy. We should at least have someone here who’s medically trained.” Hazel leans against the hallway wall. Her skin is pale and circles shadow her eyes. The morning sickness is really taking its toll. The last thing she needs to do is tramp across the base in the middle of the night.
“I’ll get her.” Troy quickly offers.
A bemused look spreads across Hazel’s face. “And just how do you plan on getting into the dorm?” She pulls out a coat from the hall closet. “I’ll be fine. I’m perfectly capable of walking, and the fresh air might do me good.” She kisses Troy on the cheek.
“Be safe,” he whispers. Hazel his pats his arm, and leaves.
Troy gets a towel and cleans up my mess. I try to help, but he tells me to lie down. The instant my head hits the couch, the room spins, and my stomach churns. I stagger to my feet. “First door on the right,” Troy calls as Dean ushers me into the bathroom. Once more, my stomach refuses to recognize when it’s completely empty.
When the dry heaves subside, I gargle some water and stumble back to the couch. Troy wants me to drink more water, but I lie down and close my eyes. He doesn’t argue.
“You brought her to the warehouse, didn’t you?” Troy asks
His grip doesn’t loosen. “You can’t go back to the dorm. Not like this. You’ll definitely get caught.”
I try to wiggle from his grasp. “Then at least let me walk. If anyone sees you carrying me we’ll get caught.”
“Fine.” He sighs loudly and puts me down. After I take a few wobbly steps, he clasps his arm around me and leans me against his chest. “You haven’t been drunk before, have you?”
“Uh-uh.” I shake my head, and the motion makes me dizzy.
“That’s what I thought. Do me a favor and the next time you have the urge to drown your troubles, don’t.” His voice is thick with concern.
“That’s not what I was doing.” Even as I protest, I know he’s right. My embarrassment won’t let me admit it. “You’re one to talk. You were drinking too.”
“I had a beer that I nursed the entire night. Besides, I’m older and know my limits. I never would have let you drink that much if I’d known it was alcoholic.”
“Humph.” I am not buying his story.
“Fine. If you promise not to drink anymore, I promise not to drink anymore, not even an occasional beer.” Guilt sinks through my embarrassment. I hang my head.
“Fine,” I mumble.
I haven’t been paying attention and am surprised when we stop in front of a house. Dean rings the doorbell, and a minute or two later Troy’s worried face greets us. Great. That’s just what I need, more people to see my predicament and add to my embarrassment.
“I’m sorry to wake you guys, but she needs somewhere to spend the night.” Dean sidesteps through the door with me and sits me on the couch.
“Don’t worry about it. We were already up—Hazel’s morning sickness.” Troy presses a hand on my forehead. “What’s wrong with her?” He leans in and examines my face, but when he smells my breath his entire expression changes, and not in a good way. “Is she —?”
“It’s my fault,” Dean says. “One of my idiotic colleagues decided to feed her drinks. Don’t worry, I’m gonna deal with the jerk later.”
Troy returns with a glass of water. He slides his arm under my back and helps me sit up. I’m about to complain that I’m perfectly capable of sitting up on my own, but a wave of nausea makes me double over. Troy watches me with an expression that I assume is pity.
“You might not feel like it, but you need to rehydrate,” he says, and I take the glass. Troy stands and looks at Dean. “How much did she drink? Should we bring her to the hospital?”
“No!” I cry and drop the glass. I attempt to jump to my feet but only make it halfway up before dropping back down onto the couch. “I didn’t drink that much.”
“I’ll get Wendy. We should at least have someone here who’s medically trained.” Hazel leans against the hallway wall. Her skin is pale and circles shadow her eyes. The morning sickness is really taking its toll. The last thing she needs to do is tramp across the base in the middle of the night.
“I’ll get her.” Troy quickly offers.
A bemused look spreads across Hazel’s face. “And just how do you plan on getting into the dorm?” She pulls out a coat from the hall closet. “I’ll be fine. I’m perfectly capable of walking, and the fresh air might do me good.” She kisses Troy on the cheek.
“Be safe,” he whispers. Hazel his pats his arm, and leaves.
Troy gets a towel and cleans up my mess. I try to help, but he tells me to lie down. The instant my head hits the couch, the room spins, and my stomach churns. I stagger to my feet. “First door on the right,” Troy calls as Dean ushers me into the bathroom. Once more, my stomach refuses to recognize when it’s completely empty.
When the dry heaves subside, I gargle some water and stumble back to the couch. Troy wants me to drink more water, but I lie down and close my eyes. He doesn’t argue.
“You brought her to the warehouse, didn’t you?” Troy asks
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