“That’s not possible. I’ve never been sick like that before.”
“You had us worried,” he admitted. “We called in a doctor. But she said you’d be fine, and she was right.” He straightened. “Let me get you some food. Mom will be thrilled to know you’re awake. She’ll insist on serving about a quart of soup, but only eat as much as you think you can handle. Trust me, there’s plenty more waiting.”
He left.
Heidi leaned back against the pillows. Four days? She didn’t remember much about what had happened, but it couldn’t have been pretty.
She got out of bed and had to pause to steady herself. Her legs felt wobbly, but she made her way to the bathroom. After nearly shrieking at her reflection, she washed her face and brushed her teeth, then ran a comb through her hair. She was desperate for a shower, but based on how weak she felt, that would have to wait.
She managed to make it back to her bed without collapsing, and lay there shaking for a couple of minutes. Less than a minute later, Rafe returned with a tray.
She smelled the soup before she saw it, and her stomach growled.
“It’s even better than it looks,” he told her. “Mom made this every time one of us was sick. It was the best part of feeling like crap.”
Next to the soup was a plate with plain toast and a glass of ice water. She took it all in and realized she was even more thirsty than she was hungry.
The cool water went down easily. Then she started in on the soup. But despite her best intentions, she only managed a half dozen spoonfuls before exhaustion overtook her.
Rafe moved the tray to the top of the dresser. “I’ll bring some more in a couple of hours. You should try to rest.”
“That’s all I have been doing,” she said, even as she felt her eyes closing. “Just give me a second and I’ll be perky again.”
“Sure you will.”
There was humor in his voice.
She was nearly asleep when she felt the soft brush of his mouth against hers. Nice, she thought hazily, already drifting off to sleep.
Rafe had taken care of her, had been there for her when she needed him. As she drifted off, she knew she couldn’t go behind his back and pretend the ranch was an important Máa-zib site without talking to him. They needed to find a way to compromise and find their own solution to the problem. Because…
Because…
“I love you,” she whispered.
When there was no answer, she opened her eyes. Rafe had left and she was alone.
* * *
BY THE NEXT AFTERNOON, Heidi was going crazy. May and Rafe had both insisted she stay in bed, but she couldn’t stand it anymore. She’d showered that morning, watched hours of HGTV, had bought new sandals and a really cute shirt from QVC, and eaten enough soup to float an armada.
By five o’clock, she’d gotten up and pulled on her jeans, only to find they were loose. The old stomach-flu diet, she thought, pulling on a clean T-shirt. Good for at least five pounds. If she had enough fashion sense to own a pair of skinny jeans, she could now fit into them. Unfortunately, she didn’t, she thought happily, so she’d have to eat her way back to her old weight. Oh, darn.
She made her way downstairs and was pleased to find she wasn’t dizzy or exhausted. She heard May and Glen in the kitchen and followed the sound.
“You’re up,” her grandfather announced when he saw her. He crossed to her and hugged her close, then led her to a chair. “I’m too old for you to scare me like that, Heidi.”
“Sorry,” she said, smiling at him. “I’m better now.”
He studied her for a second. “You look good. You up to joining us for dinner?”
“As long as it’s real food.” She turned to May. “The soup was delicious.”
The other woman laughed. “I understand. After a couple of days, it gets old. I was going to make pasta. You think you can eat that?”
“It sounds delicious.”
While May puttered around the stove, Glen brought Heidi up to date on what had been happening around the ranch. As he talked, he put another place setting on the table. Heidi realized there were only three.
“What about Rafe?” she asked.
“He’s not joining us,” May told her. “Nina called and said she’d found the perfect woman for him. Isn’t that exciting? He was very eager to go on his date. He left about a half hour ago.” She paused. “Didn’t he tell you?”
Summer Days (Fool's Gold #7)
Susan Mallery's books
- A Christmas Bride
- Just One Kiss
- Chasing Perfect (Fool's Gold #1)
- Almost Perfect (Fool's Gold #2)
- Sister of the Bride (Fool's Gold #2.5)
- Finding Perfect (Fool's Gold #3)
- Only Mine (Fool's Gold #4)
- Only Yours (Fool's Gold #5)
- Only His (Fool's Gold #6)
- Only Us (Fool's Gold #6.1)
- Almost Summer (Fool's Gold #6.2)