Chapter 5
Alexi
I wake up the next morning feeling groggy and still half asleep.
Then I blink my eyes open and see Hugh’s face an inch from mine. That wakes me up real quick.
“Shit!” I hiss.
He frowns, shifting on the mattress next to me, but he doesn’t wake up.
Oh my god! How did this happen?
My mind flashes back to last night. I remember him running into Nosh’s Diner for chicken noodle soup. I remember him driving me home and coming inside. He tried to feed me the soup, and I snapped and told him I wasn’t a child.
After that, things get hazy. I remember feeling kind of loopy from the medicine. I think Hugh carried me to bed, and I—
Oh. Oh no. I begged him to stay with me. Asked him to sleep with me.
My face feels like it’s on fire. I tug my pillow over my head, praying for a painless death as I try to smother myself.
“What are you doing?” Hugh asks, his voice deep and raspy.
“Dying,” I grumble.
A second later, the pillow is ripped from my hands. I blink, glaring at the handsome man in bed beside me.
“Well, you look better this morning,” he says, studying my face.
“Gee, thanks,” I say dryly.
He laughs. “You’re beautiful. Always. I just meant you don’t look like you’re praying for death today.”
“Oh, trust me, I am,” I mumble as memories of last night continue to taunt me.
“It’s time for your second pill,” he informs me.
I leap out of the bed. “I’ve got it. Don’t you have to get to work?”
“Trying to get rid of me?”
“Yes.”
He laughs again as I grab a change of clothes and hurry into the bathroom. I lock myself inside and lean against the door, taking a deep breath.
I catch my reflection in the mirror. Hugh is right; I do look better today. I feel better too. I mean, I’m not a hundred percent yet, but I feel way better than I have for the past week.
I hear him moving around in my bedroom and hurry to get dressed. When I come back out, he’s gathering his things. I lean against the doorframe, watching him. It doesn’t take him long to notice, and he saunters my way, stopping in front of me.
I look up at him, and he smiles. He lifts his hand, and for a second, I think he’s going to cup my cheek. Instead, his palm presses against my forehead, and he takes my temperature.
Wait, am I disappointed? Do I want him to touch me? Kiss me?
“Oh my gosh,” I groan, pulling away from him with a grimace that has him laughing.
“I’ll check on you later, okay?”
“You don’t have to.”
“I want to. I want to do a lot of things for you, Alexi. A lot of things with you and to you, and—”
Okay, so he’s feeling it too, this… whatever this is. Noted.
“I get the idea,” I say, my face heating.
I like Hugh’s attention. It’s surprising for sure since he looks like he does, and I’m just me, plus the whole him being a doctor thing. That should be a big strike against him, but oddly, it’s not. I like being around him. I like him taking care of me and arguing with me when necessary.
I like all of it. I just don’t know what to do about that.
I’ve never dated, never wanted to. I don’t know how to do any of this, and it seems that my instinct is to push him away. So, that’s not great.
“I left the soup in the fridge for you. Make sure you eat something for lunch that isn’t pure sugar.”
“I’ll try,” I say solemnly.
I walk him to the front door, which seems to have been fixed while I was sleeping. I open my mouth to thank him, then wince when I see my neighbors out for a walk. Their eyes bug when they see Hugh leaving my place. I wave weakly at them.
“Doing house calls, Dr. Mercer?” Susan, one of the older ladies who lives two doors down, asks sweetly.
“Only for special patients like Alexi,” Hugh replies, completely unfazed.
I gasp and duck back inside, slamming the front door.
My phone buzzes a second later. I pull it out and read the text from Hugh.
Hugh: Miss you already, baby. See you after work.
My stomach does somersaults at his words, and I swallow hard. I guess asking him to sleep with me crossed the doctor/patient line last night.
Alexi: I’m not your baby. We’re not a couple.
Hugh: Yes, you are. And we will be. I’ll be taking you out for our first official date as soon as you’re feeling better.
Alexi: I’m going to be sick forever.
Hugh: That’s fine with me. I love making house calls when it’s you.
“Gah!” I toss my phone onto the couch.
I jump when it immediately rings, thinking he’s calling me now, but when I look, it’s Daisy’s name on the screen.
“Hey,” I answer.
“Hey! How are you feeling today? You sound better.”
“Yeah, I feel a lot better.”
“Does that have anything to do with Dr. Mercer’s car being parked in your driveway all night long?”
I can almost hear the smirk in her voice.
“Ughhh,” I groan.
She cackles. “I knew he was into you. He was so obvious at the appointment. Couldn’t take his eyes off you. I’m pretty sure he forgot I was even in the room.”
“That’s not true,” I argue weakly.
“Oh, it is true. The guy couldn’t have been any more obvious in his interest.”
“He was just…” I trail off, not sure what to say to that.
“I can’t wait to go on double dates with you! I need to call Ledger and tell him!”
“I think it’s early for that. I mean, we haven’t gone out or anything.”
“You will. He’s going to ask you out for sure.”
“He kind of already did,” I admit quietly.
Daisy cheers. “Yes! When?”
“He asked me this morning. Or, more like, he told me we were going out once I felt better.”
“What a man!”
I roll my eyes. “Whose side are you on?”
“Yours, always, but I mean, you’re into him too.”
“Shut up.”
“I knew it!”
“I have to go,” I lie, ending the call on her laughter.
I take a shower, relaxing under the hot spray. Then I make the bed, trying not to melt at his scent on my sheets.
My stomach growls, so I heat the soup for my lunch.
I pause when my phone buzzes.
Hugh: Are you eating?
I snap a photo of my bowl of soup.
Alexi: Yes. Are you?
He sends back a photo of a club sandwich. I smile, tucking my phone into my pocket and tidying up my place.
My phone buzzes again an hour later.
Hugh: Are you resting?
Alexi: Nope.
Hugh: Alexi…
I send back the emoji sticking its tongue out and go back to cleaning.
An hour later, my phone buzzes again.
Hugh: Do you need anything? I should be done in an hour. I’ll grab some food and head to your place.
Alexi: No, I’m good. No need to stop by.
Hugh: Trust me, baby. There’s a need.
I blush at his words and debate what to do. I can’t stay here. I don’t want to be waiting around when he stops by. So, I do the only logical thing.
I get dressed and go out.