Page 67 of Make Me Swoon

“Yeah, I’m sure that didn’t go over well,” he snorts in the background and I wonder what they know that I don’t.

“Why is that a big deal?” I ask, tossing my clean socks in the dresser drawer.

I grab my underwear and bras next, turning to toss them next to the socks when I see Jameson standing in my doorway.

“Jeez! We’ve got to get you a bell, my friend,” I mumble as I try to get my heart rate under control.

He frowns at me, his eyes going from my face down to the brightly colored bras and thongs in my hands.

“Is she okay?” I ask and he blinks.

“What?”

“Faith? Is she alright?”

“Yeah, she wants you,” he says, his eyes going back down to my hands.

“Hey, Sylvie? I’ve got to go but I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” I tell her and she says her goodbyes.

I stuff my clothes in the drawer and try to smile at Jameson as I follow him out of my bedroom and down the hall.

“Hey, I’m sorry about bringing up the dating stuff,” I whisper and he seems to relax at my words. “I know that you have a lot going on right now with Faith and training. I should have brought it up after she’s feeling better.”

And there goes his back again. He’s tense, his whole body frozen as he stares down at me and I smile, trying to put him at ease.

“We can talk about it once she’s all better,” I say before I turn and head into Faith’s room.

“Great,” Jameson mutters as he trails after me.

“How are you feeling?” I ask Faith.

“I’m kind of hungry,” she mumbles, her little face half buried in her pillow.

“Want me to make you some soup? That should be easy on your stomach,” I tell her as I feel her forehead.

She still feels like she has a fever, but she’s not as pale as she was when I picked her up this afternoon.

She nods and I smile as I smooth some of her hair away from her face.

“Okay, I’ll go make it and I’ll let you know when it’s ready. Do you want more Gatorade?” I ask when I notice that her glass is empty.

She nods again and I lean over and kiss her forehead before I stand up and get ready to make her something to eat.

Jameson takes my spot when I stand up and leave but I’m not surprised when he joins me in the kitchen a few minutes later.

“Need any help?” he asks as I pull some carrots, celery, and an onion out of the fridge.

“No, I think I’ve got it. Can you bring Faith up some more of her drink?” I ask him as I grab a pot.

He nods, grabbing the Gatorade bottle and heading back upstairs. I get started on the soup, humming under my breath as I peel and chop vegetables and find some chicken broth in the pantry.

“It smells good. Where did you learn to cook?” Jameson asks as he joins me in the kitchen again.

“From my grandma. She raised me. My mom… wasn’t really cut out to be a parent.”

“What about your dad?”

“He was never in the picture.”