He just laughs and shakes his head. “Too late.”
“Thank you,” I say, reaching for the soup. “Want to come in?”
He doesn’t say anything. He only walks in and closes the door behind him, and I realize he intended to come in no matter what. That’s why he plunked Bria in front of the TV.
“How are you feeling?” he asks, and I see his hand itching to touch me. I don’t know why I know that, but it moves weirdly at his side, and he keeps looking at my forehead. “Still have a fever?”
“I dunno,” I mumble, and I go to set the soup down. “I can’t find my thermometer,” I say.
“Oh,” he says, and walks over to where I’m standing. “Can I…?” He reaches his hand and holds it over my forehead. I nod, and his cool palm touches me gently. His hand feels so cold against my burning skin, and I know instantly that I still have a fever.
“Wow, you’re burning up, Evi.”
“What did you just call me?” I smile weakly.
“Evi?”
“You always call me Evianna. That’s the first time you’ve called me Evi.”
“No, it’s not,” he says, and then he looks up, his face scrunched in thought. “Is it?”
“Yeah,” I laugh.
“But really, you definitely have a fever. Sit down and eat some soup. I’m going to get the thermometer, okay?”
“Okay,” I say, and I take a seat on my couch.
He walks back outside, and I try to gulp down some soup. It’s unsuccessful. I don’t even have an inkling of an appetite. I lie down and throw my arm over my head. God, I feel like shit. My headache is back, and I hear Nick come through the front door again. The couch sags where he sits next to me, and I can feel his warmth next to me even though my eyes are closed.
“Under your tongue,” he says, and I open my mouth. He puts the thermometer in and a few seconds later it beeps. “Fuck, Evi. One hundred and three.”
“No wonder everything is spinning,” I babble.
“How much water have you had today?”
“Umm…” I open my eyes guiltily. “A few sips.”
“You’re probably dehydrated,” he says, and before I realize what’s happening, his arms are under me and he’s lifting me up into a sitting position. He grabs the glass of water that he brought over. It’s chilled, and I drink the whole thing down to appease him.
“There,” I say, satisfied.
He just watches me, and his eyes are hooded with concern.
“One hundred and three is really high. I should stay here and make sure you’re drinking a lot of fluids.”
“No, that’s not necessary, Nick. You need to watch Bria. I’m sure you guys have fun things planned today.”
“Nah. It’s raining, and she wanted to watch that damn movie again.” His lips curve upwards into a smile. “I could have Cecelia come over.”
“No,” I say more urgently. “Really, I’m fine.” Just as I say it, I get really dizzy, and I slowly lower myself back down onto the couch. “Just a dizzy spell. It’s nothing.” I close my eyes for a minute, and when I reopen them, Nick is texting on his phone.
“Cecelia will be over in twenty minutes.”
“Nick.” I groan. “I’m an adult. I can take care of myself.”
He looks at me and smiles, and his one crooked incisor just does me in.
I am a total goner.
“I know,” he says quietly.
I don’t look away, and instead his eyes burn into mine. It’s probably my fever, but my whole body begins to burn in a way it never has with him—or at least, in a way I haven’t recognized before. I try not to notice how his flannel shirt is unbuttoned ever so slightly, or how his hair is messy, or how he seems so comfortable here, sitting next to me.
“Want to watch TV?” I suggest, and he nods, grabbing the remote.
“Have you eaten any soup?”
“A bite or two. Please don’t make me eat it,” I beg.
He laughs. “Is it that bad? Damn. I made it from scratch.”
“What? Seriously?”