Page 43 of Your Fan Forever
Fourteen
Callie
We satin the back of the black SUV as the house manager drove us back up to the cabin. Preston sat upfront, on the phone with someone talking about wiring music up the side of a mountain. I curled up in Noah’s lap and rested my head on his chest. Kate pulled my legs into her lap and smiled before tapping away on herphone.
The further away fromthe fall, the more my body ached and my head throbbed. Exhaustion threatened to take over, but part of me was too excited to allowit.
Noah held me. His touch eased my aching muscles. We both smelled like mountain and dirt and I couldn’t wait to get back to the house and take ashower.
I drifted to sleep because the next thing I remember was Noah climbing out of the car with me in hisarms.
“I can walk.” I said, but wrapped my arm around his neck and clung tohim.
“Let me take care of you.” He whispered in myear.
My insidesfluttered.
He carried me up the stairs and we turned towards our room and stopped. Nip sat at attention in front of ourdoor.
“Oh.” I frowned. My little guy waited up forme.
Noah walked us down the hall and sat me down in front of Nip. I squatteddown.
He yelped and sniffed my hand. He had to reassure himself it was me. He yelped again and leaped into myarms.
“Oh, baby.” I ran my hand down his back. His soft fur comfortedme.
“Someone cleaned him up.” Noah said as he scratched Nip behind theears.
I stood with Nip in my arms. I nuzzled up and smelled his fur. Flowery shampoo filled mynose.
“Someone needs to get you cleaned up, too,” Noah said and disappeared into thebathroom.
I heard the spray from the shower. I sat down on the end of thebed.
“I heard you tried to rescue me.” I kissed him and let him kiss me back. “You were sobrave.”
Nip yelped and wiggled in my hand. I sat him down and he crawled in my lap. He wasn’t done checking onme.
Noah came back into the bedroom. He had removed his shirt and shoes. I pulled off my coat and watched him maneuver around theroom.
He pulled out a pair of boxers, one of his Giants practice t-shirts I love to sleep in and a pair of shorts I sleep in. He threw them on thebed.
He knelt in front of me and helped me take off my shirt. I winced from thestretch.
“Easy.” He narrowed his eyes and concentrated. He lifted Nip and sat him on theground.
Nip protested with abark.
“Nip.” He said in his best dad voice. “Mommy needs ashower.”
I reached up and took a small leaf out of Noah’shair.
“So does Daddy.” I grinned. “You going to take a shower withme.”
“Well, I think I have to. I mean, you might pass out or get disoriented.” He touched the bandage on my head. “We need to keep your hairdry.”
“You going to take advantage of me in my weakened state.” Igiggled.
