Page 49 of Betting on the Boy Next Door
“I’ll pay for it,” she almost yells, an edge of hysteria in her voice.
“Is your dad still in town?” I ask. I need her out of my hair.
“No, he flew home.”
“No problem.” I slide my phone from my pocket and order a Lyft. “I got you a rideshare to take you back to your place. Go ahead and wait outside while I get this taken care of.”
“I don’t want to leave you here.”
I hold my hand up. It’s bleeding. Not terribly, but it’s not nothing. “Then come help me take care of this.”
She looks like she’s going to pass out again.
That’s what I thought. “I appreciate the concern, but truly, getting yourself home would be the most help to me right now. I’ll make sure your car gets over there later.”
She hesitates, then as if realizing having me drive her car over will give her a golden opportunity to monopolize me again, she nods and hurries to the bedroom door, skirting around me and not quite looking me in the eye as she says, “Get that checked.”
A few seconds later, I hear the front door close behind her.
I run my hand under the faucet in my bathroom and clean it well with soap and water. When I’m sure I’ve washed it as well as I can, I cut the water and grab a dark hand towel from the set Reagan bought.
Even though boas aren’t poisonous, I don’t know enough about snakebites to know if Presley’s right and I should go get checked out anyway. I wish there was a hotline to call before I go in for a potentially overcautious visit, like with a doctor or—
Or the nurse who lives next door.
I’d give myself a facepalm if I had a free hand to do it. I’m just going to say the snake germs made my brain slow for a second or I would have thought of that sooner.
I poke my head out of the balcony door, but it’s no surprise not to find Sami there. I hurry down the stairs, the towel still pressed against the punctures, and head next door to give three sharp knocks before I have to staunch the wound again.
Ruby opens the door, her eyes widening when she sees my first aid situation.
“You okay?” she asks.
“Is Sami home? I’m thinking I need her help.”
“Absolutely.” She waves me to the sofa even as she heads upstairs, calling Sami’s name.
Sami appears within moments, wearing loose pajama bottoms and a concerned expression. “What’s wrong?”
“Bernice bit me.”
Ruby looks confused.
“His boa,” Sami explains, already reaching for my swaddled hand.
“Not mine. Pet sitting.” It’s not awful pain, but it’s uncomfortable as Sami pulls back the cloth to look.
Ruby nods and whips out her phone.
“What happened?” Sami asks as she peers at the punctures.
“I thought Bernice didn’t need to eat for a day or two. She thought differently. She’s usually safe to handle, but I guess not when she’s hangry.”
“Same,” Sami says without missing a beat. “You cleaned it out already?”
I wince as she touches the skin right next to one of the fang marks. “Yeah. Water and antibacterial soap.”
“You just need to put some ointment on it and feed Bernice,” Ruby says.
