Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 45210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Logan smirks but nods his head. “Got it.”
Ricardo is still standing at the doorway. “Thanks, Ricardo. I appreciate your help. Can you take care of everything the rest of the day?”
He nods. “Sure thing, boss. I’ll take care of it. I hope Miss Emerson is okay. She’s the best worker we have.”
I nod and watch the man leave. Everyone has come to care about Em. She’s made her way into their hearts, and there’s no doubt each and every one of them would do anything for her.
I focus my attention back on her while talking to Logan. “She collapsed, and I wasn’t fast enough to catch her. She may have hit her head.”
I sit and watch as Logan examines her. She starts to come around again, and when she sits up, she’s still grasping my hand.
Logan asks her questions, and when she says she forgot to take her water bottle this morning and skipped lunch, he goes over the importance of staying hydrated. He goes to the kitchen and grabs a drink with electrolytes and has her drink it. Almost immediately, she starts to perk up.
Logan turns to me. “She should rest the remainder of the day.”
I nod my head. “She will.”
After a few more instructions, Logan leaves, shutting the door behind him, and I’m still sitting here with her hand in mine.
I soften my hold because I know I’m squeezing her hand too hard. “What did I say about eating?”
She looks at me worriedly. “I know. It’s my fault. I had a story in my head, and instead of eating on my break today, I wanted to get it on paper.”
I lean toward her. “I could have fixed you a sandwich.”
“Kanan, today was crazy. I wasn’t going to give you something else to do.”
I open my mouth, and she’s shaking her head. “No, don’t try to turn this around. This was not your fault. I keep telling you I’m an adult, and I should act like it.”
I’m not happy about it. I should have kept a better eye on her. “I’m going to fix you a sandwich and then you’re going to bed.”
She releases my hand, and I go to the kitchen. Shakily, I make her a sandwich and pile it extra high with turkey, cheese, and tomatoes. I grab some cut fruit and carry it all back into her. “Here. Eat it all.”
She reluctantly starts to eat but smirks. “Do you realize you have some kind of fetish about me eating? Most people would try to get me to eat less but not you. You’re trying to shove food down my throat at every turn.”
I’m not going to be swayed. “Eat.”
I hold my hands together and sit down on the coffee table in front of her, but she continues to eat.
She’s watching me closely. “You’re shaking. Did you eat something?”
I shrug, flex my hands, and then squeeze them into fists. “I’m fine. You scared the hell out of me, that’s all.”
She looks at me curiously but continues to eat. When she’s done, I have her drink some more from the bottle with electrolytes.
She rolls her eyes but does as I ask.
After picking up everything, I come to stand next to her. “All right. Time for bed.”
She looks down at herself. “I really want to shower.”
I openly cringe. There’s no way I can help her with that and keep my hands to myself. “Uh, uh, well, I can call Brooklyn.”
She shakes her head. “She and Walker are in Jasper for the day.”
“Uh, okay, I can call Doctor Kline to come and help you.”
“Your therapist?”
I nod, and she shakes her head in refusal. “Kanan, no way. I’m not having someone I’ve never met come to help me with a shower.”
She starts to get up, and it’s obvious she’s not so steady on her feet. I wrap an arm around her waist and pull her against me, but she’s not stopping. “Em, you can’t shower by yourself.”
She keeps going. “Well, it’s good I’m not by myself.”
I pull her to a stop next to me. “Wait. You’re not suggesting that I… I mean you don’t want me to help you, do you?”
She puts a hand on her hip. “Well, I’m sure Ricardo would help me if you want to call him.”
My jaw tightens, and I’m shaking my head. “No way. That’s not fuckin’ happening.”
She nods. “Okay, well, I’m not showing the goods to just anyone. Today’s your lucky day.”
My mouth drops, and I know I’m not going to make it. She smacks me on the chest. “Relax. You can sit in the bathroom just in case I need you. I’ll be behind the curtain, and you won’t have to see a thing.”
I help her to the bathroom and sit her on the closed lid of the toilet seat. “Stay. I’m going to grab some clothes.”