Page 11 of Rumor Has It

“Here, I brought you some.” She hands me a glass and two pills.

“You’re a lifesaver,” I say. I down the pills and hand her back the glass, nearly empty.

She sets it on her nightstand and crawls beneath her blanket. There’s a layer of sheet separating us. And though we’ve actually cuddled without a barrier in the past, given the night we’ve had, I thought it would be more appropriate.

“Thanks,” she says.

“You’re welcome.”

Her queen bed means we’re not touching, but I can hear her breathing in the quiet of the room. It’s a soothing sound. Normally, I have a fan on when I sleep for the same kind of soothing noise, but her breathing will work.

I stare up at her ceiling, my eyes becoming heavier and heavier. Eventually, sleep takes me over. I don’t know how long it takes or which of us falls asleep first. All I know is it’s the best night’s sleep I’ve had in a long time.

And the next morning, I wake up with Ellie wrapped up in my arms.

EIGHT

ELLIE

You know what, it’s a brand-new day and I’ve got a baby opossum to deal with. Which is why when I wake up nestled to Theo’s chest—his arms around me—I do nothing. The two of us gloss right over it. We don’t mention it as we get up and dress. Not when we’re eating breakfast in my kitchen. Not even when we pull the shoe box from my closet and walk to the bar to get his car.

While getting ready, I texted Emma about the situation, and she told us to meet her at the vet’s office. Technically, she’s a veterinarian, but she basically works as a vet tech underneath Doc Otis, who’s been here since maybe when the town was first settled. No one really knows. The point is, the old man won’t retire and so she’s stuck.

When we pull up to the small building, Emma’s car is already here. Before I can even open the door, Theo’s hand is on my forearm.

“Wait,” he says. “I want to say, um… about this morning—”

“No need to say anything. It’s no big deal. At some point in the night, we just cuddled. It didn’t mean anything.”

“Right,” he says. “Just making sure you’re okay.”

“I’m great, honestly. But I’ll be better when we get the baby opossum taken care of.” I open the door and step out. Theo shuts off the car and joins me on the sidewalk. He holds the door open for me, and given no one else is here, I call out.

“Emma, we’re here,” I yell.

There’s some fumbling noises and a loud crash, followed by some choice expletives all from the back area that’s out of sight from where we are in the front lobby. Suddenly, Emma pokes her head out from around the corner.

“Sorry, the good Dr. Otis left a mess yesterday and never mentioned it,” she says. “What have we got?”

I place the box onto the counter and open the lid. Emma slowly folds back the towel inside to reveal the opossum. She cups it in her hand and begins assessing its condition, checking its paws, belly, ears, and temperature.

“Well, she looks to be in good shape,” she says. “You did the right thing if no others were around.”

“I haven’t fed her anything,” I say. “Is she hungry?”

“Probably, but it was good not to give her something without knowing.”

Emma hands her back to me to go grab something from the back and reappears with a few things in her hands.

“Okay, the problem is the only rehabber we have in this town is gone for the rest of the week. She’s two hours away helping with some animals. The next closest one is even farther away.”

“What does that mean?” I ask.

“It means that even though it’s not the totally right thing to do, I’m going to show you what to do and unofficially deputize you until she gets back.” She sits down with some syringes and a can of puppy milk.

I’m so confused, I look to Theo, whose eyes are as wide as saucers. “Emma, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying there’s no way I can take her, and you’re her only hope until the rehabber gets back. I let her know what’s going on, and I’m giving you her number to text.”

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