Page 81 of Dance with Me on New Year's Eve

“You could’ve fooled me. Well, actually, you did fool me.”

“Not intentionally.” He let out a long breath that spoke of mild frustration and something else I couldn’t identify. “Anyway, I didn’t mind staying. I’d already said no to Aileen about having Lila stay over again, and you really seemed like you needed help last night.”

I’m sure my puffy, snot-stained face turned pink then. “I … I don’t actually remember it all that well. Hopefully I wasn’t acting too weird or inappropriate.”

“Only a little.” When my eyes flew to his though, he was trying to suppress a smile. “It’s fine, Roxy. I need you healthy for the big week ahead, when the decorators are finally coming.Besides, you’ve endured spending time with me twice for the sake of my daughter. Staying to take care of you was the very least I could do.”

“Oh, I see.” I turned away so he couldn’t see my frown.

He’d stayed because he was trying to repay a favor or something?

So what if he did? That shouldn’t bother me.

I tried to shove away the thoughts. “I rarely get sick, you know. But it’s been kind of stressful these past few months. Wearing so many hats.” I snuck a glance at him again. “You know what that’s like, right?”

He nodded. “Stress can definitely make us more susceptible to illness.”

I propped myself up on my elbow again and looked more closely at him. “You have morning stubble,” I murmured. “I’ve never seen that before. You’re usually so …”

“Buttoned up? I think that’s what you said last night.”

“I said that?” I remembered thinking it, but I couldn’t believe Isaidit. What else did I say out loud that I didn’t remember now?

“You did,” Jeff confirmed.

I inhaled sharply, trying to remember last night. “Did I say anything about … anything?"

He pressed his lips together as if to suppress a smile. "Sure. You told me to call and order a Christmas tree from Terry." I winced. Terry owned a tree farm, but I didn't usually decorate since I lived alone and it just felt weird.

"I don't remember that at all," I muttered. "Did you actually call him?"

"No, I figured I'd check with you today when you were lucid. After that, you said you had no decorations and asked if I wanted to go shopping with you in the Christmas Village." He'd spoken casually as though this wasn't a bizarre and embarrassing thing to ask.

"Oh my gosh, no. Please erase that from your memory," I said as I dropped my face into my palms.

He chuckled. "If you say so."

"What about ... did I mention, um, the party?”

“The annual Christmas party? Or the New Year’s one?” he asked.

“Well, either one.”

“You said you were skipping the Christmas party as usual. And you’re bringing a date on New Year’s Eve.” His eyes were intent, and I didn’t know what to make of it. At all.

“Oh … I don’t remember that at all.” I winced and looked down at my hands. “Did I say anything else?”

“You said that you always get excited about making resolutions for the new year. And that you were nervous. About the New Year’s party.” His face was unreadable when I gazed up at him again. “That’s it. It was during the night when your fever spiked.”

“Oh,” I said quietly.

We sat there in silence for a long minute or two, and finally, he sat up straighter and then swung his long legs down to stand up. “I’m going to make you some food. Last night, you were asleep before I could feed you.”

“Oh, you don’t have to …” I trailed off, remembering what he’d said last night about how I never let people take care of me. “Actually, food is good. Thank you. I’m just going to get cleaned up. I look a fright, I know.”

He shook his head, a ghost of a smile crossing his face before he turned and strolled out of the room in a relaxed manner, as if this were a totally normal situation.

As I dragged myself out of bed and ambled over to the bathroom, my mind reeled with all the events recently and the words exchanged just now.

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