Chapter 26
DANIELLE
After a busy week in the office, I find myself feeling under the weather.
Stuffed up nose, aching limbs, and no taste or smell.
I’m ill.
Kayla had come over earlier with Barbara, both of them fussing over me as they stocked chicken soup in the fridge, plumping my pillows and making sure I was warm enough.
Barbara and I were able to catch up, and she shared that my mom is struggling to believe I am happy.
“She knew it was a fake marriage, Danielle.”
“I know, but it’s not now. It’s really not.” I blow my nose as she nods, a faraway look in her eyes.
“I know, but you can understand why that would be hard for your mom to believe.”
I nod.
Of course, I do.
Mom wants what is best for me, and at the time this agreement was made, I’d thought that was a million dollars and a cushy five years.
Now?
Now I’m in love with my ex, who’s my husband, and I’m running the company by his side.
You can’t make this up.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to make you some soup before I go?” Barbara asks, feeling my forehead. “You’re so warm.”
“I’m freezing.” My teeth chatter as she frowns, glancing at Kayla.
“I might stay with her until Blake comes home.”
I wave a hand, snuggling down onto the pillow beneath my head. “I’m fine; you guys go. Blake said to call him if I feel worse, so don’t worry.”
Barbara and Kayla exchange a look, but they leave after fussing around me and calling Blake to let him know I’m not doing too well.
I fall asleep, waking when a cool hand rests against my forehead, the sound of Blake cursing needling me awake.
“Danielle, you’re burning up.”
“I’m okay.”
“No, you’re not.” Blake lifts me into his arms, and I can barely open my mouth to argue with him.
I just want to sleep.
Everything aches.
“I’m calling a doctor.”
An hour later, a doctor arrives and insists on giving me a full check-up, including bedside blood tests which I didn’t even realize they do.
All part of being rich, I suppose.
“She’s dehydrated, and she’s fighting an infection. She needs to drink or be admitted to the hospital to go on an IV.”
“I’ll drink,” I whisper, my fingers lacing with Blake’s. “I want to stay here.”
Blake nods and kisses me on my damp forehead. “I’ll just see the doctor out, and I’ll be right back with plenty of water, I promise.”
BLAKE
Danielle is the color of stone, and she’s scorching to touch. She’s trembling beneath the thick duvet I’ve tucked around her—and the doctor thinks she’ll be okay to stay home?!
He raises his thick bushy brows at me. “Are you questioning my diagnosis?”
“No, not at all, no.” I run a hand through my hair, rubbing my mouth as I turn back to him. “I just want to make sure she’s okay.”
The doctor taps the blood vial in his hand. “I’ll get these to the lab as soon as possible, but I wouldn’t be concerned. It’s another nasty virus. Plenty of fluids. Keep her warm.”
The doctor nods at me and leaves, the door closing softly behind him.
The house is silent without Danielle’s laughter, so I head up to lie beside her.
“Drink, sweetheart.”
Danielle does her best with the water, but she’s too wiped out to sit up for long, even with my support. Maybe she should’ve gone to the hospital.
I pull her into my arms, soothing her as she shivers, great body-wracking shivers that make my heart flip.
She better be okay.
Soon, she settles into a deeper sleep, and despite being hotter than the sun, I remain entangled with her, kissing her head throughout the night.
“Hey.” I smile down at her as she sits up for a drink. “How are you feeling today?”
“Like I’ve been hit by a truck.”
I wince as she sighs, gulping down the water.
“I hate hospitals, Blake.”
“I know, baby. I don’t think anyone likes them.”
More shivering.
“Can I have a bath? I feel gross.”
“I’ll run it now. Are you hungry?”
Danielle shakes her head, falling back onto the pillow as I head into the bathroom.
“The doctor should have your blood results back today,” I call out, drizzling coconut-scented bath foam into the steaming water.
“Mm.”
I pull out some pajamas, thick warm ones that should keep her toasty no matter how cold she feels.
A fluffy white towel drapes over the heated towel rail, and I test the water before announcing that it’s ready.
Danielle can barely undress, yawning and wincing as she tries.
“Arms up.”
I lift her shirt over her head, tugging her bottoms down to the floor and helping her into the bath.
Her skin is pale. Her eyes are closed. But she exhales when she lies in the bath, and I decide I like that sound.
It’s a sigh of contentment.
“I need to wash my hair,” Danielle croaks out, her lips dry and cracked.
“I’ll do it,” I say, unhooking the showerhead from beside the taps. “Shampoo, then conditioner, right?”
Danielle nods, wrapping her arms around her knees as I rinse her hair of the bubbles. Massaging the shampoo into her hair is pleasing enough, but there’s something satisfying about seeing it glossy and sleek as I rinse it out.
The conditioner is next, and I make sure to rub it into her scalp as she moans with delight.
“I’ll wash you if you want? While we wait for the conditioner to soak in or whatever it does.”
Danielle doesn’t respond, and I make quick work of getting her clean.
It’s easy not to be distracted by her when she’s ill.
All I want to do is protect her.
“Love you.”
I snap my head up to Danielle, who’s staring at me through sleep-stained eyes. “I love you too.”
I kiss her wet forehead and rinse out the conditioner. Her hair feels like silk in my hands as I wrap a towel around her shoulders, helping her to stand in the bath.
“One warm towel. Let’s get you to the bed so you can get dressed.”
It takes a good ten minutes before she’s dressed, and she crawls back to her previous position on the bed, falling to sleep almost immediately.
Is this what it feels like?
To love someone so much you just want them to be okay?
I’ll do anything for her to be okay.
I soon fall asleep next to her, the scent of coconut in the air and the sound of her soft breathing.
The doctor calls, and we sleep through it.
The soft ping of the voicemail he leaves fills the air, but we don’t wake up.
We’re too busy dreaming of each other.