Chapter 23
Carey
WHEN I WOKEup the next day, she was gone, but she left so much of her. Her scent. Her impression on the pillow she laid her head on, and my memory of her last night. I don't fully remember, but I am sure at some point, she rolled over to my side and clutched me by the waist. Instead of removing myself from her embrace, I pulled her to me in return. And slept better than any man coming back from a party where his wife almost died. She was so comforting. The last time I slept this good was when… well, the last time she was in my bed.
I got up, not wanting to dig deeper into what that meant and went to the bathroom. I took a shower, got dressed, and went to the breakfast room. Thalia was already there eating a croissant. She was dressed in a formal outfit, looking like she was getting ready to go to work. "What are you doing here?"
She blushed and gulped down her pastry with fresh juice. "I'll be done soon, I promise."
"No, I didn't mean—you need to rest. Three days, remember?"
"I'm feeling fine."
"Yeah, well, I am not going to risk it. You're staying here for three days."
She scoffed. "You're not going to stop me. I'll just go after you leave."
I could see her doing it. She had no qualms about going against anything I say. She seemed to rejoice in it. And her friend Darcy would only help. Heck, she might even provide more drugs.
I fished my phone out of my pocket and called my assistant. She answered after three rings. "Good morning, sir."
"Clear my calendar for the next three days."
"Sir?"
"You heard me." I ended the call. Thalia's jaw was open. "I am no longer leaving." I sank into a chair opposite hers and grabbed the coffeepot.
"Fine. That just means you're going to follow me around like a puppy for the next three days."
"Huh." I took out my phone again and called Darcy. She answered a little later than my assistant. Her "hi," was weary and overly cheery.
"Thalia isn't coming to work for the next three days."
"Right. Of course. She needs to rest and flush out…you know… out of her system."
"I think this is the first time you've talked sense, Darcy." I ended the call and turned my attention back on Thalia. A few seconds later, Thalia's phone buzzed. It must have been a text from Darcy, because Thalia was frowning as she read it, and when she put her phone down, she was scowling.
"What is your problem?"
"Don't be mad at me. I'm just following the doctor's orders. We wouldn't want you fainting in the storeroom."And have Jack be the one to catch you.
"I can just go, you know. Darcy is not my boss."
"Pretty sure Darcy will just call an Uber and send you back here."
She huffed, but didn't say anything else. She knew she was outmatched. We both went back to eating our breakfast insilence until she said, "You can't seriously have me couped up in this place, can you?"
I shrugged. "Rest was deeply emphasized, and that's what you're going to do."
She rolled her eyes and got up.
I finished my food casually, as if I wasn't thinking what she was up to next. She didn't try to leave. Instead, when I finished breakfast, I found her in the living room scrolling through channels. "Looking for something to watch?" I was behind the couch she was lounging on and she didn't bother turning my direction.
"Was TV always this boring or have I simply matured?"
"Don't know." I circled around to where she was sitting and sank on to the couch next to her. "I rarely watched tv growing up."
"Yeah, you liked your video games. Hey!" She whipped her head to face me, remote dangling in her hand, "You must have a good game I can play. If you want me to stay inside, you better keep me entertained."
