back into the living room and helped her onto the sofa. He looked down on her for a moment. “When you feel up to it, eat the soup.”
“Okay.”
He started toward the door.
“You’re leaving?” she blurted out, which only went to show she wasn’t thinking on all eight cylinders.
He grinned as if her protest pleased him. “Going to collect Schroeder for a walk. I’ll be back.”
“Oh good.”
His gaze held hers. “That I’m taking the dog for a walk or that I’m coming back?”
“Both,” she answered without hesitation.
“I mean what I said about you eating the soup. You’re going to eventually need something in your stomach, and as a side benefit it’ll make you feel better.”
“No, it won’t. I’m probably going to die.”
He had the audacity to chuckle. “Why doesn’t it surprise me that you are such a drama queen?”
“I’m not. I’m sick. I’m suing the company that makes those flu vaccinations. This should never have happened.”
Cain laughed as if he found her hilarious.
“Do you enjoy laughing at me?”
“If you remember, you took delight in adding to my misery less than twenty-four hours ago. So yes, this is fun.”
“You’re coming back soon, right?” Suddenly the thought of being alone depressed her.
“I won’t be long.”
“Will you watch TV with me?”
“If that’s what you want.”
“Even if I want to see
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
?”
He groaned and nodded. “Even that.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Can I leave now?”
“Okay.”
As soon as Cain left, Julia reached for her phone and called Cammie.
“Hey,” her bestie answered after the first ring. “I wondered when I was going to hear from you.”
“I’m in trouble,” Julia burst out.
“What kind of trouble? Have you been arrested? Because if so, I know this great lawyer who can get you off the hook.”
Cammie’s husband was an attorney.
“Not that kind of trouble. Besides, what can David do to help me a thousand miles from Seattle?”
“He’d do whatever was necessary, because he loves me and he knows you’re my best friend. Now tell me what’s up.”
Julia hardly knew where to start. They spoke nearly every day. If she were to blame anyone, it would be Cammie. This whole experiment had taken control of her life, and Cammie was the one who’d suggested it. Like she told her friend, she was in deep trouble. “First off I’ve got the flu.”
“Oh no.”
“And I got it from Cain.”
“I read your blog. Do you have any idea how crazy successful this has been? I hope you’re looking at the numbers. It’s nuts the way people are following what’s happening. At this rate you’re a shoo-in for the job.”
“Yeah, I know. That’s where the trouble part comes in.”
Her words were met with silence. “Cain found out you’re blogging about him?”
“No, thank God.” That would be disastrous. “It’s worse than that.”
“Worse? What’s happened?” Cammie demanded.
Julia dragged in a deep breath, hoping that would help her sort through her feelings. “You know how I intensely disliked him not more than a week ago.”
“Of course I remember.”
“Well…” She paused and then blurted it out. “I don’t feel that way anymore. In fact, I’m starting to feel the opposite.”
Silence.
“Julia.” Cammie’s voice was low and concerned. “Are you falling for this guy?”
The denial didn’t make it past her lips until finally she confessed. “Maybe.”
“It’s clear I’ve missed more than a few details in the last couple days. Tell me what’s changed.”
“It all started this evening when Cain stopped by to check on me. I was shaky on my feet,” Julia murmured. “Cain put his arm around me to keep me upright. It was all innocent and…and, this is embarrassing to admit, but I wanted more. A lot more.”
“What about Cain?”
“I don’t know. He’s hard to read, but I get the impression he’s feeling the same
“Okay.”
He started toward the door.
“You’re leaving?” she blurted out, which only went to show she wasn’t thinking on all eight cylinders.
He grinned as if her protest pleased him. “Going to collect Schroeder for a walk. I’ll be back.”
“Oh good.”
His gaze held hers. “That I’m taking the dog for a walk or that I’m coming back?”
“Both,” she answered without hesitation.
“I mean what I said about you eating the soup. You’re going to eventually need something in your stomach, and as a side benefit it’ll make you feel better.”
“No, it won’t. I’m probably going to die.”
He had the audacity to chuckle. “Why doesn’t it surprise me that you are such a drama queen?”
“I’m not. I’m sick. I’m suing the company that makes those flu vaccinations. This should never have happened.”
Cain laughed as if he found her hilarious.
“Do you enjoy laughing at me?”
“If you remember, you took delight in adding to my misery less than twenty-four hours ago. So yes, this is fun.”
“You’re coming back soon, right?” Suddenly the thought of being alone depressed her.
“I won’t be long.”
“Will you watch TV with me?”
“If that’s what you want.”
“Even if I want to see
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
?”
He groaned and nodded. “Even that.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Can I leave now?”
“Okay.”
As soon as Cain left, Julia reached for her phone and called Cammie.
“Hey,” her bestie answered after the first ring. “I wondered when I was going to hear from you.”
“I’m in trouble,” Julia burst out.
“What kind of trouble? Have you been arrested? Because if so, I know this great lawyer who can get you off the hook.”
Cammie’s husband was an attorney.
“Not that kind of trouble. Besides, what can David do to help me a thousand miles from Seattle?”
“He’d do whatever was necessary, because he loves me and he knows you’re my best friend. Now tell me what’s up.”
Julia hardly knew where to start. They spoke nearly every day. If she were to blame anyone, it would be Cammie. This whole experiment had taken control of her life, and Cammie was the one who’d suggested it. Like she told her friend, she was in deep trouble. “First off I’ve got the flu.”
“Oh no.”
“And I got it from Cain.”
“I read your blog. Do you have any idea how crazy successful this has been? I hope you’re looking at the numbers. It’s nuts the way people are following what’s happening. At this rate you’re a shoo-in for the job.”
“Yeah, I know. That’s where the trouble part comes in.”
Her words were met with silence. “Cain found out you’re blogging about him?”
“No, thank God.” That would be disastrous. “It’s worse than that.”
“Worse? What’s happened?” Cammie demanded.
Julia dragged in a deep breath, hoping that would help her sort through her feelings. “You know how I intensely disliked him not more than a week ago.”
“Of course I remember.”
“Well…” She paused and then blurted it out. “I don’t feel that way anymore. In fact, I’m starting to feel the opposite.”
Silence.
“Julia.” Cammie’s voice was low and concerned. “Are you falling for this guy?”
The denial didn’t make it past her lips until finally she confessed. “Maybe.”
“It’s clear I’ve missed more than a few details in the last couple days. Tell me what’s changed.”
“It all started this evening when Cain stopped by to check on me. I was shaky on my feet,” Julia murmured. “Cain put his arm around me to keep me upright. It was all innocent and…and, this is embarrassing to admit, but I wanted more. A lot more.”
“What about Cain?”
“I don’t know. He’s hard to read, but I get the impression he’s feeling the same
Similar Books
