Chapter 15
MATHEW
Mathew pinned his phone between his ear and his shoulder. “Yeah, Mom. I know. I’ll be there later. I just finished my shift.”
“Oh, there’s no rush, sweetheart.”
“Mom, you said the washer is making a banging noise. I don’t want it to cause any damage. It’s brand new. Let me take a look at it.”
“I’m not an invalid, Matt. I can handle washing my clothes by hand.”
Mathew fought the urge to groan. “It’s fine, Mom. It won’t take but a couple minutes. I’m dropping something off right now for a friend and then I’ll be there.”
“Okay, dear. I’ll see you soon.”
Mathew nearly dropped the phone when he pulled it from his ear with the hand holding the pastry bag. Then he straightened his shoulders and stared at the door that blocked him from seeing the girl of his dreams.
He moved the pastry bag to his other hand, then knocked on the door. The washer was likely just unbalanced. Sometimes his mother put a heavy piece of bedding in the machine, and when it bunched on one side, a clunking sound started up. Didn’t sound great, but there was an easy fix.
Mathew blew out a breath and glanced over to where River’s truck was parked beside his car before he knocked again. She wasn’t in the hangar, he knew that much. But when she didn’t answer, he started getting nervous. He pressed his ear to the door and called out, “River?”
There wasn’t any answer.
Another knock.
Then he moved to pull his phone from his pocket to call her when the sound of the lock clicked. The door slowly opened to reveal a pale and very disgruntled River.
“River?” His voice sharpened with concern. “What happened?”
River scowled, then made a vague gesture at her face. “What does it look like? I’m sick.”
It had been a week since the barbecue, and River was definitely opening up to him. He had it in his head that he would ask her out again, but by the looks of it, she wasn’t in any state for a date.
“Can I come in?” he questioned, moving closer.
“What? No! I’m sick.”
“Well, good thing I’m a doctor.”
She opened her mouth as if she would be able to argue with him, and he might have laughed out loud if he wasn’t so worried about her.
The fact that River stepped back and allowed him entry was all he needed to know that this wasn’t an ordinary cold. He placed the coffee and pastry bag on the counter before turning around and striding toward her.
He pressed the back of his hand against her forehead. “You’re burning up.”
“You’re late to the party,” she rasped, then coughed. “I told you. I’m sick. Now do you mind leaving me be?”
“Not today,” he said gently. “Not with a fever like that.”
He kept his tone calm. “Let me help, okay? You can say no to any of it—but I’m not leaving you alone like this.”
“But you just got off a shift.”
Fighting his irritation, he guided her toward her bedroom. “You’re going to lie down. I’m going to bring you some water and a few ibuprofens. Then I’ll be right back.”
She muttered something that he didn’t quite hear, but he didn’t bother asking her to repeat herself.
She wasn’t used to leaning on anyone—he could see that.
But he also knew this wasn’t the day for stubbornness to win.
Once in her bedroom, he helped her under the covers.
After he brought her water and some meds, he went through her cupboards and refrigerator.
There wasn’t much, so he made a list of everything she might need while feeling under the weather.
The current flu going around lasted about a week. She’d need all the rest she could get. Hopefully, she wouldn’t fight him every step of the way.
Mathew made a stop at his mother’s place, and sure enough, the clothes in the washer only needed some adjusting. He promised her he’d stop by before his next shift with some dinner, then headed for the store.
By the time he returned to River’s place, she was asleep. He set to work unloading all the groceries he’d purchased and getting started on a pot of soup.
Mathew pulled the pan of boiling chicken off the stove and set it aside. Then he resumed chopping celery and carrots. Once all the vegetables were prepped, he could add the bouillon to the water and boil the vegetables and the egg noodles.
He wasn’t a cook like Jason by any means, but he’d learned a thing or two about cooking food that was good for illness. Perfecting this recipe specifically had felt like a rite of passage when he’d chosen his current career.
While he worked, he let his thoughts drift to the woman in the other room. She was similar to his mother—or rather the woman he’d remembered when he’d been growing up. Headstrong and independent. She’d been so supportive of her husband, too, even if he didn’t deserve it.
Mathew had seen the signs. He’d noticed how lonely she became when his father was late to dinner or refused to attend family functions because of work. And yet she kept her chin held high and never spoke a single word of her discontent. She loved her husband and family more than anything.
Movement caught his eye, and he glanced up to find River standing in the doorway to her bedroom. She didn’t look any better. The pallor of her skin almost had a green tint to it. The hair at her temples was damp with sweat.
He dropped the knife he had in his hand and rushed across the room. “What are you doing up?”
She frowned at him. “What are you still doing here?”
“Hey.” He crossed to her fast. “You look like you should still be resting.”
“I’m fine,” she said, though this time her voice wasn’t nearly as steady.
“River,” he warned, “you’re not going to get better if you don’t take care of yourself.”
“That’s what I’m doing.” She folded her arms and leveled him with a stare, but then she wobbled and had to catch herself on the doorjamb.
He exhaled, fighting for patience. “River… let me help. Just for today.”
“Why?” she demanded.
“Because I care about you.”
Her eyes widened slightly.
Mathew cleared his throat. That wasn’t supposed to come out. This was not the time. And yet a part of him felt relieved that he’d let it slip. She had to have known, right? He’d been honest about his intentions.
River’s expression softened and she looked away. “I don’t want to lie down anymore. That’s all I’ve been doing all day. I at least need to take a shower.”
Mathew fought the urge to touch her, to cup her cheeks and beg for her to just give in and let him do what he was good at. But she was stubborn. And if he were honest, he wasn’t well-versed in this side of things. He couldn’t recall a single time he’d stayed home with Victoria to take care of her.
Then again, his ex wouldn’t be caught dead without a full face of makeup.
She would have likely shoved him out the door and insisted he stay in a hotel until she was feeling better, if only to save herself from looking unattractive.
Victoria wanted his time, his attention, his adoration, but she didn’t want to appear weak to anyone.
That was one thing he’d done wrong, not insisting he care for her when she actually needed it.
He glanced over at the couch. “How about a TV marathon?”
A flicker of relief and perhaps excitement filled her eyes. River smiled and shifted as if she was ready to get started immediately.
Holding up a hand, he said, “Take a shower. I’ll finish lunch. Then we start.” To his surprise, she didn’t argue. She simply turned around and headed back into her bedroom.
This particular battle hadn’t been won, but the compromise had been entirely worth it.
They spent the afternoon watching all of the episodes of Friends they could squeeze in.
Okay, that wasn’t entirely true.
River watched the show, but Mathew was too distracted by her and all the thoughts about his past mistakes to pay too much attention. River looked a little better. Her color was returning. And while she would definitely disagree, he would call her beautiful.
Free of makeup, with damp hair up in a messy bun, and clothed in cotton pajamas, River was the exact opposite of everything Victoria had been.
It was nice.
He liked seeing the true side of people. Those were the folks he treated in the hospital. No one came into the ER made up and ready to walk the runway. They were everyday people who were caught up in an accident. They were real.
The more he got lost in thought, the more he realized he wasn’t paying attention to the time. He wasn’t itching to get back to work. He could spend the whole day with River this way and feel content.
Why did being with River like this feel so different than how he was with his ex?
Had he grown? Changed?
Or was it the person he was with?
River intrigued him. She made him laugh. When he was with her, he wanted more for himself. And there was a part of him that wanted her to come along for the ride.
Losing his father had triggered something in him, yes. But spending time with River had changed something in his brain chemistry, he just knew it.
River glanced over at him after laughing at something Chandler had said. Their gazes collided, and her humored expression softened into something else. There was a question in those eyes that he couldn’t bring himself to tear away from.
“Go out with me,” he murmured.
She continued to stare, and he knew she’d turn him down just like every other time he’d asked. This wasn’t the best timing. And yet he couldn’t bring himself to keep his thoughts to himself.
Even the apartment seemed to hold its breath the longer he waited for her response. Then one side of her mouth quirked upward. “Okay,” she whispered.
He blinked and nearly asked her to repeat herself. But thankfully, he was smart enough to play it cool. “Finally.”
River tossed her head back with a laugh. “Easy there, tiger. I only said that I’d go on a date with you. This doesn’t mean anything else.”
“Oh, I’m well aware.” He nodded, turning to face the television. “Well aware.”
Later, he dished up some of the leftover soup for his mother. “I’ll come check on you tomorrow morning,” he told her at her door.
“You don’t have to do that.”
Mathew gave River a hard look and she bit down, fighting a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he repeated.
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Goodnight, River.”
“Goodnight, Mathew.”
Mathew skipped down the steps, his footing lighter than before. He caught sight of Rose just as he reached his car. She gave him a knowing smirk but thankfully didn’t comment on the fact that she likely noticed he’d been here all day.
Once inside his vehicle, he pulled out his phone. There was a message he hadn’t realized he’d received when he’d been with River.
And it was from the one person he thought he’d never hear from.
Victoria: I miss you, Bunny.
It had been years. Why was she reaching out now? He shook his head as he deleted the message. He didn’t need any more distractions in his life, and that was what Victoria was.
A distraction.