Chapter 18
Henley
In Sickness & In Health
“Fuck. I can’t believe how long it’s been since I’ve been on these slopes.” Pulling my goggles from my face, I turn to see Warren doing the same.
“You’re missing out, buddy. You become the boss and all of a sudden you’ve forgotten how to have fun.”
“No, I’m just participating in a new type of fun these days,” I reply. “I about lost my shit the other night when Remy rolled over twice back-to-back. And then she tried to crawl.”
Warren’s blank expression makes me laugh. “Wow. Life sure is different for you now, isn’t it?”
I rip off my hat and shove it in the pocket of my snowboarding jacket. “Sure is, but I fucking love it.”
“Daddy Henley. Never thought I’d see the day.”
I reach down and unbuckle the strap on one of my boots, releasing my foot from the snowboard so I can make my way over to a bench. Warren follows me. “You and me both, but hell, Warren. That little girl is the light of my life.”
And so is my nanny.
Staring out at the slope we just ran down, the chill in the air bites my cheeks while the white powder nearly blinds me.
It’s the first week of November, and the first snow fell.
Warren was insistent that I join him for a run, and since I couldn’t remember the last time I had, I relented, leaving home earlier than normal to make sure we had ample time.
Five passes later, and my heart rate is pumping, that familiar adrenaline that I used to chase returning with a vengeance.
“And what about Elodie? How’s that going?” Warren bounces his eyebrows as he glances in my direction.
“That’s none of your business.”
He shoves at my shoulder. “Aw, come on. Anyone with two eyes can see that you’re head over heels for her.”
I stare down at my hands, avoiding his gaze. “Yeah, well she’s only here until Christmas, so not sure where that leaves us.”
The truth is, after yoga last week, I’ve sort of been living in denial, soaking up every moment that I can with her while ignoring the fact that our time together is dwindling by the day.
However, I’m having a hard time containing my alter ego, gorilla man, with her impending performance at Hart Winery this coming weekend.
Part of me just wants to come out and ask her what her plans are, if she’s still planning on leaving or if I should plan a date so I can tell her how I feel and attempt to put some demons to rest by planning a future with her.
But if I do, she’s going to ask me what I want, and I’m not ready to voice it out loud—partly because it involves using words I’ve never told anyone but my sister, and the thought of saying them to her, only for her to leave scares the shit out of me.
“I’m sorry, man. That sucks.”
“Yeah, well, I knew what I was getting myself into.”
Warren lets out a sigh. “At least you found someone. I swear, I’m beginning to think I’ll never meet anyone in this town. Maybe I need to expand my reach.”
“Are you thinking about leaving?”
He shrugs. “Not sure. You know I love the lodge, and I love you.” He bats his eyelashes at me. “But I want more.”
I scoff. “Yeah, well, I never did and look where that got me. Trust me, when you least expect it, life will give you a lesson that you need.”
“And what lesson is that?”
I open my mouth to answer, but an angry voice cuts me off. “Don’t you know how to answer your goddamn phone?”
I turn to find my sister trudging through the snow, her eyes ablaze with fury.
“Dilynne?”
“No, it’s Mrs. Claus, you moron!” The sound of the snow crunching under her footsteps gets louder as she closes the distance between us, planting her hands on her hips.
“Jesus Christ, Henley. I’ve been trying to call you for the past hour.
I finally got ahold of Jess at the lodge who told me you were snowboarding, but she can’t leave the restaurant, so I had to drag my ass all the way out here. ”
I stand from the bench, my anxiety growing rapidly as I take in the expression on her face. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Elodie. She’s sick.”
“What? How?”
“I don’t know. Germs are everywhere.” Rolling her eyes, she says, “She tried calling you too, but when you didn’t respond, she called me and I called Laney. Laney is at the house with her and Remy…”
I rip the strap on my other boot and abandon my snowboard completely. “Fuck. Is she all right?”
Dilynne begins to walk back to the main lodge as I follow her. “I mean, she’s not dying, but she has a fever, chills… Honestly, I’m surprised you didn’t notice this morning before you left.”
“She and Remy were still sleeping.”
My sister shakes her head. “Well, that explains it. Long story short, when she woke up and realized she was not feeling well, and when you didn’t answer, she called me.” Breathing heavily, she says, “I thought you’d want to know.”
Pushing a hand through my hair, I start running at full speed to my truck. “Warren!” I call out over my shoulder.
He raises his hand in the air. “I’ve got it. Go take care of your girl!”
And as I race back home, I pray she’s all right—because if she’s not, I’ll never forgive myself.
***
“Where is she?” I bark out as I stumble through the front door of my house.
Laney jumps from her spot on the couch, clutching Remy to her chest. “Jesus, Henley.”
“Elodie…where…”
“She’s resting.” Laney peers down at Remy to check that she’s okay. For a second, I debate going to my daughter, but Laney makes the decision for me. “Go. I’ve got the baby.”
My footsteps are heavy as I make my way down the hallway to Elodie’s room, not bothering to knock. As I open the door, the sight of her curled up in bed almost splits my heart in two.
I wasn’t sure anyone but my daughter had the power to do that.
“El?” She doesn’t respond, so I move toward the bed, stripping off my jacket as I do and tossing it onto the chair in the corner. When I take a seat on the bed, I find her eyes closed, but her brows pinched together. “Elodie?”
A groan leaves her lips as her eyes flutter open. “Henley?”
“Hey sweetheart.” I lift my hand to her face, shocked by how hot she is. “Shit, El. You’re burning up.”
“I’m sorry,” she says groggily.
“You’re sorry? What the hell do you have to be sorry for?”
“Remy…”
“She’s fine. You did the right thing calling Dilynne.
She called Laney and then drove all the way out to the lodge to get me.
I’m so sorry I didn’t answer, baby.” I smooth away her hair from her face, noticing how flushed her cheeks are and it’s not from embarrassment for once “I was snowboarding with Warren.”
“Did you have fun?”
I huff out a laugh. “Don’t worry about me.”
“You deserve to have fun. I didn’t think I would wake up feeling like this, but…”
“Were you feeling off yesterday?”
“A little.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because I don’t get sick.”
“Newsflash, you’re human, El. Humans get sick.”
She lets out another groan. “Don’t make me laugh, Henley. Everything hurts. I’m so achy.”
“Sounds like the flu.” I lay the back of my hand on her forehead this time. “Have you taken anything?”
“Some ibuprofen.”
“How long ago?”
“I don’t know. Wh—what time is it?”
“Just after ten.”
“Then maybe around seven. You left early today.”
“Because Warren wanted me to go snowboarding with him on the fresh powder. That’s the last time I listen to him,” I grumble.
She cracks a smile. “Stupid Warren.”
I stroke her cheek again, loving how even when she’s sick she can still manage to make me smile. “Yeah, stupid Warren. Can I get you anything?”
She groans louder. “I don’t even know. I feel so horrible.”
Leaning over, I press a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll see what I have and come right back, all right?”
“Henley…”
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
“I don’t want you to get sick too.”
“I’ll be fine. I don’t get sick.” Winking, I leave her room and find Laney still in the living room in the same spot I left her. “She’s in bad shape.”
“I know. She kept apologizing for calling Dilynne, but…”
“Look, I know you probably have to get to the salon, but I don’t think I have any cold medicine here. Do you mind hanging out for a little while longer while I run to the store?”
“Of course. Yvonne is opening for me and I don’t have a client until four, so I’m good here.”
Crossing the room, I pull Laney into my arms for a hug, kissing Remy’s head as I do.
“Thank you.”
“Of course, Henley. We’re family. We look out for each other.”
When we part, I give her a curt nod then grab my truck keys, heading for the store to get everything possible to help Elodie feel better. The only other time I can recall feeling this helpless was when Remy was sick, but now it’s the other girl in my life that needs me.
I just hope I don’t screw it up.
***
After buying every cold medicine known to man and a few other necessities, I return home to find Laney has managed to get Remy down for her nap. After thanking her again for her help, I unpack the bags from the store and tidy up the house a bit before checking on Elodie again.
When I enter her room, I find her blowing her nose.
“Hey.”
She coughs, holding her hand over her mouth. “Henley, you don’t want to catch this. You shouldn’t be near me.”
“The only place I will be until you’re better is by your side.” Entering the room, I hand Elodie a glass of water and a few pills. “Now, the internet said that since the flu is viral, there’s not much we can do until it passes, but I bought everything they suggested to make you comfortable.”
“You—you looked up stuff on the internet?”
“I wanted to make sure I was buying the right things.” Her eyes start to well with tears, but I cup her face.
“Take your medicine.” She does as I say and sets her glass on her nightstand.
“Good girl. Now, I’m gonna make you some soup, and then you can try all the flavors of popcorn that I got you if you’re still hungry. ”
“You bought me popcorn?”
“Every flavor they had.” I push a hand through my hair and shrug. “I know it’s probably not the best thing for you to eat right now, but it was one of the things that I knew would make you happy.”
“I can’t believe you did that, Henley.”
“It’s my turn to take care of you, El, like you’ve been taking care of me since you got here.” The emotion in her eyes makes me want to reach out and pull her into me, but I also know that I’m not immune to every sickness, so I control myself and slip right back into caretaker mode.
For the next twenty-four hours, I juggle taking care of my daughter and my nanny, checking on her regularly while alternating medicine to keep her fever down, using the same protocol that she taught me when my own daughter was sick.
Warren assured me that he is holding down the fort at the lodge, giving me updates here and there, but I’m grateful that I can rely on him to keep the place running while I’m needed at home.
By the morning of the third day, Elodie emerges from her room with color back in her cheeks. “Hey.”
“Hi there.” Her cough is still present, but it’s not nearly as bad as it was. “I don’t know how I’m supposed to sing on Saturday.”
“We still have a few days to get you in tip-top shape.” I wave Remy’s hand toward her as she sits on my hip. “Who is that, baby bear? Can you say, Elodie?”
Remy lets out a squeal that makes us both laugh.
“Close enough.” Elodie moves toward Remy, but then second guesses herself. “God, I wanna squeeze her, but I don’t want to get her sick.”
“Yeah, probably best to wait another day.” I move around the kitchen. “I’m gonna make you some hot tea for your throat.”
“You know, if you ever consider a second career, I think you’d make a fantastic nurse,” Elodie says as she takes a seat on one of the stools at the kitchen counter.
I chuckle. “You think so?”
“Oh, absolutely. Besides, the idea of you wearing scrubs?” She hums appreciatively. “Yeah, I can definitely see it.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
She clears her throat, watching me as I move. “Seriously though, Henley. I can’t thank you enough for the past few days.”
I turn and meet her eyes. “There’s no need to thank me, El. I did what you would have done for me.”
Her smile is small, but it’s there. “Still, I’ve never had anyone take care of me like that.”
“That’s a damn shame because that’s what you deserve.”
And I’d do it a thousand times over, I think, feeling my heart slam against my chest as the reality races through me.
This woman has completely flipped my life upside down in three months, but I can’t even be mad about it anymore. Instead, all I want to do is make her tea, ask her questions, and stroke her hair when she’s sick.
Suddenly those wedding vows about taking care of each other in sickness and in health are starting to make a lot more fucking sense.
“Speaking of what you deserve,” I say, preparing what I want to say next. “Once the concert is over, I’d like to take you on a proper date.”
Her eyebrows lift. “What?”
“It dawned on me last week that we haven’t done that. Between Remy and the trip to Charlotte…things sort of escalated and we haven’t even had our first date. I want to show you how grateful I am for you.”
She purses her lips. “You show me every day, Henley.”
“Well, this is something I also want to do.”
The smile she flashes me this time makes me feel like I’m ten feet tall. “All right. I would love to go on a date with you.”
“Good. Now, you focus on getting better, and I’ll focus on giving you a night you won’t forget.”
If only I knew that a few nights from now would be a moment that would be burned into my memory for the rest of my life, and not in a good way.