Summer Days (Fool's Gold #7)(67)

“What happened to you?” she asked.

He crossed toward her and moved the pillows against the      headboard so she could sit up. She sagged against them and touched his left arm.      The bruise was still swollen, almost a welt.

He sighed. “Athena didn’t want to move to another part of the      ranch. We had words. Or rather, I had words, and she kicked me.”

“Ouch.”

“Don’t worry. I kicked her back.”

Heidi grinned. “You didn’t.”

“No, but I wanted to.”

“Did you get her moved?”

“Do you have to ask?”

“Silly me.”

He leaned over and touched her forehead. “Good. The fever’s      gone. Are you hungry? Could you keep soup down?”

She touched her stomach. “I think so. How long have I been out      of it?”

“Nearly four days.”

“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.”