Page 37 of Breathless
“Hey, don’t sweat it. We’ll hang out tomorrow while we work. You can bring the coffee and donuts,” Swede said.
“S-sure,” Rawlins said.
There was laughter on the other end. “Just messing with you. But if you want to bring coffee in the morning that would be great.”
“I can do that,” Rawlins said. “See you then.”
By the time he finished preparing the tray with their meal and carried it upstairs, Chaney was out of the bathroom and in bed again. She was propped on the pillows with the sheet covering her.
“Hope you’re hungry,” he said.
“Depends on what you’ve got,” she replied, leaning forward and trying to see. “Did you make me a hero sandwich?”
“I did.”
“Yummy. Then yes, I am.”
“Aren’t you getting picky.”
“I know what I like.”
“So, do I.”
She cocked a brow as he sat down, balancing the tray on his lap.
“Good. These aren’t as big as the ones you made that first night. I don’t think I could have eaten one that large.”
“I didn’t think you could,” he said.
“I think you are getting to know me pretty well,” Chaney replied.
“I think I am too.”
She smiled before taking a bite. “I’m glad you decided to stay in tonight even if all you can do is watch me sleep.”
He laughed. “Yeah.”
They ate in companionable silence and then she snuggled up beside him and fell asleep. He flipped on her TV and watched the news until he heard the wash cycle stop and then he slowly got up and went to throw his clothes into the dryer. When he returned, he turned the TV off and took the tray of dishes downstairs, to clean them up. But it was still early, and he had to wait for his clothes to finish before he could turn in for the night as well.
The sad truth was not having Chaney around right now pointed out just how much he’d come to enjoy her company inthe evening each day. They usually played Scrabble or another board game or watched a movie before going to bed. And while they hadn’t been doing this that long, he had already come to count on it as a daily routine and not having this to fill his evening right now felt like something was missing.
Annoyed, he went upstairs to take a shower, but halfway up realized he’d already done that because he’d been going out earlier. “Well darn it,” he muttered, continuing up the stairs to check in on Chaney before going to his room.
He changed into his lounging shorts and T-shirt, did his breathing treatment for the night and channel surfed to see if there was anything on that caught his eye. Thankful now that there was a TV in his room.
As soon as the dryer went off, he went to get his clothes out and hung them up. Then he peeped in on Chaney one last time before going to bed.
He left feeling he’d done his job and could rest soundly for the night as he headed back to his room.
Chaney woketo find herself alone the next day. When she finally stirred from bed and went downstairs there was a note from Rawlins that he’d had to leave early to pick up coffee for the Montana Crew since he didn’t join them for dinner. That meant she had the place to herself, and she could run around in her PJs all day if she wanted. The thought made her giddy. She made herself a bowl of cereal and sat on the sofa watching TV, then she went back to her room and took a nap. By the time she woke it was late afternoon and she was feeling better, but tired. She went back downstairs and had another bowl of cereal for lunch and found a movie to watch. She must have fallen asleep face down on the sofa because the next thing she knew Rawlins was calling her name, rubbing her back to wake her up.
“Hi,” she said drowsily, raising her head to look at him. “What are you doing home?”
“It’s dinner time. Are you hungry?”
“Maybe.” She ran the back of her hand across her mouth as she yawned. “What kind of pills did the doctor give me? I took one yesterday, and one this morning, but boy did it have a different effect today.”
“I see that. Have you slept all day?”
