Page 142 of Wish You Were Mine
But hopefully this forced rest would at least let her body catch up on some sleep.
Even if I knew her mind was probably racing, trying to keep all the spinning plates from crashing down.
Me: Just get your rest. I know it’s easier said than done, but I’ll help you catch up on your chemistry assignment and tomorrow’s lab. So no need to worry about either of those things.
At least I could help her with one of the stressors in her life.
Theo’s sister: Thanks.
I was updating grades at my kitchen table on Thursday night, staring blankly at my laptop screen, when a knock sounded at the door.
I glanced at the clock. It was too late for deliveries. And being a hermit professor, I didn’t have too many friends showing up unannounced these days.
Maybe someone knocked on the wrong door?
Curious, I stood and made my way to the door. When I checked the peephole, I had to angle my gaze down. And when I saw who was there, my heart thudded.
Because it was none other than Lucy—bundled up in an oversized hoodie and knit beanie, her cheeks flushed, either from the cold or the fever that still lingered.
I opened the door fast and tugged her inside.
“What are you doing out in the cold?” I asked, wrapping her in a hug the second the door clicked shut behind her. “Aren’t you supposed to be resting?”
“Probably,” she said, melting into me, her voice still raspy. “But I was sad you couldn’t come to me. So I decided to sneak over.”
"You must really like me to brave the cold like this,” I mumbled, kissing the top of her head. “But I’m glad you did. I missed you in lab today.”
“I wanted to be there.” She groaned. “But the doctor said no public places until twenty-four hours after starting the antibiotic. Technically, that was around three, so I could’ve come an hour late…if my mom hadn’t held me hostage.”
“You’re not really great at staying down when you’re sick, are you?” I asked, liking her determination even though I knew she needed the rest.
“I don’t have time to be sick,” she muttered. “I can be sick after I win Nationals and graduate.”
I chuckled and tugged her farther inside so we could sit on the couch. “So…did you really come here as soon as your mom dropped you off at your place?”
“Pretty much.” She nodded, scooting close to me on the couch. “She fed me homemade chicken noodle soup, made me promise to go straight to bed, then let me go.”
“And instead of resting, you came here?” I arched a brow.
Hopefully, she drove here instead of walked. It was the second week of March, so it was warming up a bit as the earth was slowly transitioning from winter into spring, but still, not something a person with strep should be doing.
“Nora wasn’t home, and I already slept most of the day.” She gave a shameless shrug. “So I thought I’d come bug you. I even have my backpack in my car in case you’d want to help me figure out the chemistry assignment I missed.” She studied my face. “That is, if you’re not too busy.”
“I could do that.” I nodded toward my laptop on my kitchen table. “I was just finishing up some grading.”
“Let me guess. My lab grade went down today?”
“Just for now,” I said, smiling at the cute way her nose scrunched up. “But once you make it up, it’ll be back where it belongs.”
“If only you were the kind of professor who made special accommodations for the girl he was sneaking around with,” she said, narrowing her eyes playfully.
“I’m just a mean professor, aren’t I?” I gave her a teasing look.
“Totally…” She grinned. “But better a mean professor than a mean boyfriend, I guess.”
The moment the words left her mouth, she froze, her smile faltering, like she hadn’t meant to say that part out loud. Like something had slipped.
Had it?
