“Great,” she said. “So what do I do?”
“You’ll have to have it fixed. Can I give you a ride?”
“Thanks but no thanks,” she said curtly.
Dane noticed that she sounded congested.
“You don’t sound so hot. Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.”
He reached through the open window and touched her forehead with the back of his hand. “Huh. You’re a little warm.”
She rolled her eyes and pushed his hand away. “Fine.Yes,I got a cold, and I feel like shit. So, congratulations. You were right! You win! Are you happy now?”
“No, because I feel like it’s my fault.” Dane shook his head. “Lemme run inside and get you something. It’ll make you feel better, I promise.”
“Don’t bother. I already took an aspirin.”
“This is better than that. Don’t go anywhere, okay?”
She patted her dashboard. “Don’t worry. I can’t.”
He snickered. “Hang tight.”
Dane ran inside. He mingled and made small talk with his guests while he fetched the mason jar filled with his miracle cure from the fridge. Once it simmered on the stovetop, he poured the mix into a thermos and brought it back outside.
He passed Austen the thermos. “Here. Anytime I feel something coming on, I take this. I make it myself. I always have a batch on hand, just in case.”
She sniffed at it, and her face puckered. “Whew,that smells intense! What’s in it?”
“It’s garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper, honey, and lemon juice. It’s a natural immune system booster, or something like that.”
“Never would’ve guessed thatyouof all people would be into home remedies.”
“I’m an athlete. My health is important, you know? I gotta know about stuff like this. And hey, it works, because I haven’t been sick in four years.”
“Because of this stuff, huh?” she asked, sounding doubtful. She took a cautious sip. “Well … it’s notgood …but it’s not as horrendous as it sounds, either.”
“Thanks. You’ll learn to love it.” He smiled. “Look, I’m sorry I took things too far last night. Every time I think about it, I feel awful.”
She let her head fall against the headrest and let out a wounded moan.
“What’s the matter with you?” he asked.
“Every time I think I finally have a good reason to hate you, you say or do something that makes meunableto hate you.”
“So don’t hate me. Why do you feel like you have to hate me?”
“I don’t know. Because everyone else does? Because my life would be so much easier if I hated you instead of, well …whateverit is.”
Dane chuckled. “I know what you mean.”
Austen motioned at the cars parked all around. “What’s with all the cars, anyway?”
“I invited the boys over for one last party. I’ll probably be out of here in forty-eight hours.”
She looked up at him. “You really think it’s gonna happen that soon?”
