Page 96 of Secret Puck
“I am. We’re on Shelley now, but that book is all the way in my backpack.”
I hesitate.
“Come on. Pleeeease? I dig the rhyming shit; it’s beautiful.”
“All right, all right.” I open the book and start.
Maverick falls asleep about five minutes in, which is good because reading sappy words about love is the last thing I want to be doing. I go out to the living room and eat, feed Charli, and then take her out for a quick walk.
Back inside, I take my spot in his room sitting on the floor and I must pass out because the next thing I know, Charli is licking my face, and Maverick is standing in front of me with a grin.
“Feeling better?” I ask, nudging Charli away and wiping a hand across my slobbery cheek.
“I think so. I’m gonna try to eat.”
I follow him out to the kitchen, and he heats up some of the Chinese he ordered. We sit on stools at the counter. The smell of food has me heating up a plate too a few minutes later. Ginny texted while I was asleep to let me know the plans for tonight, meeting up at The Hideout with our friends. I’m real nervous about whatever she wants to talk to me about, but I do my best to push it out of my mind for now.
Mav finishes about half the food on his plate and then pats his stomach. “Thanks for hanging.”
“Yeah, of course.”
“You’re not as hot as Nanny Laura, but it did the trick.”
“Nanny Laura?”
“She was my favorite. Had these gigantic boobs that were like pillows.” He nuzzles his head to the side like he’s remembering it. “She’d sing to me when I was sick or when I was upset—which was a lot because Dad was always flaking on shit. I think I got more hugs from her in the year or so that she was my nanny than I have from him my entire life. Parents are bullshit.”
I’m quiet. Don’t really know what to say. For all the shitty things that happened growing up, physical contact was never in short supply. Sometimes my mom clung to me all day as if I was the only thing keeping her connected to the planet.
My stomach twists and I push away my plate.
“Sorry, man, didn’t mean to go dark.”
“Nah, it’s fine. I don’t feel so well.” I stand and I break out in a cool sweat, my mouth waters.
“Ah shit,” Mav says right before I take off in a dead run toward the bathroom.
After pukingfor the better part of three hours, I join Maverick in the living room. I stripped down to my boxers—everything else is wet from sweat.
“God, you weren’t kidding. All my organs feel like they’ve shifted. Is that a thing?”
“No clue.” He nods with his head toward the kitchen. “Ginny brought soup and Jell-O.”
“Ginny was here?”
“Your phone was going off, so I texted her.”
I find my phone on the counter and see that she did text several times about tonight and then to tell me to feel better and let her know if I need anything.
“She wanted me to tell you that she’d be by later to check in.” He shakes his head. “That Ginny, she’s a peach.”
“She’s the best,” I say because even though I’m a little freaked out, I know it’s true.
I text her back to thank her for the food and tell her not to bother coming again until we’re on the mend. The last thing she needs is to catch whatever this is. I feel like I’ve been run over by a bus. I take a seat in the recliner. The cool leather feels nice against my skin. I’m pretty sure I have a fever.
“I need a Ginny.” Maverick sighs and Charli whines.
“I think Charli would take issue with getting kicked out of your bed for a chick.”
