Chapter Seven
Amelia
“Nah, she’s still sleepin’.”
Colton’s voice echoes from somewhere in the room, but my eyes are too heavy to open and look for him.
“Yeah, her fever broke last night, but she’s pale and hasn’t eaten since this mornin’.
” He pauses, and I realize he’s talking to someone on the phone.
“Of course I’ve tried to wake her, but she only does long enough to get some water and meds down her throat.
” A longer pause. “The sheriff did? Oh, good. Yeah, keep me updated. How’s Madd? ” He chuckles. “Go figure.”
“Colt?” My voice cracks, and I quickly cough to clear it.
“Wilder, she’s up. I’ll text you later. Yeah, got it. Bye.”
“Hey.” His voice comes closer, and the bed dips with his weight. “How ya feelin’?”
“Better,” I say, although the exhaustion is overwhelming. “What time is it?”
“Almost six.”
My head’s too foggy to comprehend. “A.M. or P.M.?”
“P.M.”
“Is it Monday?”
“No, it’s Tuesday.”
My eyes flash open, quickly finding his gaze on me. “Tuesday? Wasn’t it just Sunday?”
“You slept through most of yesterday and today.”
I manage to push myself up, in disbelief that I’ve been out of it for two days. “Where’re the kids? What have they been doin’? Are they okay?”
“Oh, we took full advantage,” he quips, handing me more water. “We went skydivin’, cliff jumpin’, zip linin’, and then Warren put them on some trick horses so they could stand while ridin’ up the mountain trails. Pretty good at it, too. I think Sam has a hidden talent.”
“I might be sick, and probably look like hell, but you’re still not funny.”
His lips stretch wide in amusement. “Glad to see the flu didn’t affect your sense of humor.”
“Colt,” I warn, not in the mood with my head being underwater. “My kids?”
“Sorry,” he says, then tilts his head toward the bed where Lily’s sleeping with Benny. It’s a bit early for her to be down for the night.
“How long has she been in here?” I ask, feeling her body heat against mine.
“Most of the day. She got sick early yesterday and wanted to sleep with you, but I’ve been checkin’ on her regularly. She was awake and had some lunch, then wanted to nap with you.”
“Aww, poor baby. I feel awful that I wasn’t conscious to help out. Is Sam okay?”
“He’s been hangin’ out with Bodie and Bellamy. They brought him to the goat farm, and Posey gave him a tour. She showed him how to do goat yoga, then he begged to bring one home.”
I chuckle at that. Of course he did.
“Wait.” I meet his gaze, noticing the bags under his eyes. “You’ve been takin’ care of everythin’ for two days? Have you slept?”
He scratches his cheek, and I follow the movement as he brushes his hand along his jaw.
“Not much. Been tryin’ to keep y’all hydrated and medicated.
Aunt JoJo made chicken noodle soup, and I managed to get you and Lily to eat some.
Mom helped me clean and disinfect everythin’, so hopefully no one else catches it.
I thought I was, but it was just a case of a rough night’s sleep. ”
“Shit, Colt. I’m sorry. You’re not used to dealin’ with a sick partner or kid, and I shouldn’t have taken advantage.” She pulls off the covers, exposing her bare legs. “Where’re my pants?”
“You got hot and yanked ’em off. Tried takin’ off your shirt too, but I managed to talk you into keepin’ it on.” He swallows hard, his eyes lowering down my chest. “For my benefit, mostly.”
“Oh God. How much did I embarrass myself?”
He stands, putting space between us. “Maybe you should take a shower, and I’ll warm you up some soup.”
“Colton…” I lower my voice. “Tell me.”
“Nothin’, you were comatose for most of it.” He walks backward toward the hallway. “And it wasn’t a problem to take care of y’all. My mom and siblings pitched in, too. But anyway, I’ll have your food and water at the table whenever you’re done.”
He closes the door behind him, and it takes a few minutes to gain the strength to stand. Once I’m in the bathroom and see myself in the mirror, I’m horrified at my appearance.
“Good God.” I shake my head. No wonder he looked terrified.
The last time I was this out of it was when Sam was three, and I had no one to help me with him. It took twice as long to get over, but then he got sick too, which amplified the whole awful situation.
Once I’ve relieved myself and brushed my teeth, I check my phone and find numerous texts from Raven, Delilah, and Mattie in our group chat. As I scroll through them, I’ve missed a lot in the past couple days.
Amelia
I’m about to get in the shower, but letting y’all know I’m alive. Well, barely.
Raven
Oh thank goodness! I was about to tell Colt to give you mouth-to-mouth if you didn’t wake up soon.
Delilah
Hell, ask him to do it anyway.
She sends a GIF that has me cracking up out loud, which hurts because I’ve hardly moved and my body’s sore.
Damn her.
Mattie
I need a refresher on what this guy looks like before I can offer my opinion.
Delilah
A younger and taller Bradley Cooper with facial hair and less controversial.
Mattie
Not my type, but I can see the appeal.
Raven
Considering you prefer boobs with a criminal record, it’s safe to say you wouldn’t think he’s attractive.
Mattie
Cheap shot. That was ONE time. I was in my bad girl era. I’ve since rehabilitated!
Delilah
What about the one who was a pot dealer…R-something?
Raven
Ramona! I liked her.
Mattie
Okay, so I relapsed once. At least she never got caught or went to jail!
Amelia
But it brought you to Penelope, who’s the sweetest and perfect for you, so that’s all that matters
Raven
And she’s a quiet lover, which Bailey and I appreciate.
I snort, relieved the topic of conversation is no longer about me. Raven and Mattie are roommates, so it’s always hilarious to watch them tease each other, considering they’re complete opposites.
Amelia
Getting in the shower, talk to y’all later!
The rat’s nest on my head and smeared makeup make me shudder at my reflection. Not only did I take over his house and bed, but he saw me at one of my worst moments.
Once the water’s hot, I dip underneath the stream and melt into the heat. The warmth sears my skin and brings me back to life.
When I reach for my body wash, it’s not where I put it when I unpacked a few days ago. My shampoo and conditioner aren’t either.
“What the hell?”
Even my cheap yellow-stringed loofah is missing.
In its place is a fancy sponge pad, and the bottles left are new and unopened.
And they’re way more expensive than my dollar-store brand ones.
Not sure if Colton or his mom switched them out, but they even smell out of my tax bracket.
By the time I wash my hair and body, shave my legs, and scrub the sickness off my face, I’m a new woman.
Putting on fresh clothes, I realize the ones I was wearing need to be boiled after three days of being sick.
When I enter the bedroom, I notice blankets and a pillow on the floor next to Lily’s side of the bed. Considering she’s been next to me the past two days, he must’ve been sleeping there.
“Hey.” Colton beams when I walk into the kitchen. “How ya feelin’?”
“Better. Mostly exhausted.”
“Up to eatin’? I can warm up some leftovers or make you somethin’ else.”
“I probably shouldn’t eat anythin’ too heavy.”
“Wanna start with some toast? I have several jams to choose from, or I have peanut butter.”
“Plain butter is fine,” I say, looking around for Sam.
“He’s at my parents’ for dinner,” he says as if reading my mind. “As soon as my mom mentioned pot roast, he wanted to go over. Should be back by seven. Maybe seven-thirty if they have dessert.”
“Wow…that’s nice. Your family’s been pretty incredible.” I sit at the breakfast bar, dumbfounded. “I dunno how to repay everyone for helpin’. Especially you.”
“I didn’t mind,” he says, keeping his back to me. “You have great kids, and you were an easy patient.”
I can’t wrap my head around how a man like him—sweet, genuine, thoughtful, and too damn attractive for his own good—is single. I’ve never relied on a man to help my kids or me when we’re sick, and he did without complaint.
But under no circumstances can I fall for him.
“I know I’ve said it already, but seriously, thank you. Gettin’ sick while takin’ care of kids is always a challenge, so being able to rest while knowin’ they’re being taken care of helped more than I can express. You and your family have been lifesavers—in more ways than one.”
Colton’s silent as he prepares my food, and it’s not until he sets a plate in front of me that his gaze finally meets mine.
“It was no trouble, Amelia.” He nods down to the toast. “Do you want a drink?”
“Yes, please. Whatever you have is fine.”
He goes to the fridge and takes out a bottle of orange juice.
“Have you checked Lily’s temp?” I ask when he pours some into a glass for me. She’s had fevers before, but I want to keep an eye on it so it doesn’t spike.
“Bellamy did earlier. It’s down from this mornin’. It’ll probably break tonight.”
I sigh with relief.
“Any updates from Wilder or the sheriff?” I take a bite of the toast and chew slowly. My throat’s still dry, but the juice helps when I take a sip.
“Some, yeah. Sheriff Wagner confirmed that your ex-husband is still behind bars, but he’s eligible for parole in six months. Wilder and Maddox moved your car to different places in town to see if he’d show up and follow them. Nothin’ yet. But the sheriff did find Lily’s dad.”
“Oh my God.” My jaw falls to the floor. “How?”
I don’t even know what state he lives in.
“Child support records.”
I scoff. “The one payment I got before he terminated his rights.”
“The sheriff had a local officer speak to him and was able to verify his whereabouts last Thursday night with his timecard since he works the overnight shift at some security job.”
“I didn’t suspect him anyway, but good to know.”
“So that leaves a question of who else could it be? Any other exes or friends of exes who would wanna hurt you? Get revenge?”
This time, I take a larger bite, not sure how to respond to his question, but it’s valid, considering the exes are usually the first suspects. “No…I only dated a couple guys between Sam and Lily’s dad, but none were serious or lasted more than a few weeks.”
“So let’s assume it’s not someone you know directly.
Maybe someone who knows your routine and that you’re a single mom.
Knows where you shop, live, and probably work.
Could it be someone you’ve interacted with from the retreat?
A guest or hell, maybe an employee. Have you noticed any weird behavior or being followed before last week? ”
I think back over the past several weeks, but nothing stands out.
No weird encounters or unhappy guests gave me any issues.
I rarely leave the property since Sam takes the bus to and from school, but he’s on summer vacation now, so both kids go to the on-site daycare center.
The last time I went into town before the grocery store was…
“Oh God.” The piece of toast in my hand slips and drops to the counter.
“What is it?”
“I took the kids with me to the DMV in the next town over a couple weeks ago, and there was this strange lookin’ man there who gave me the creeps, but I didn’t think much of it since I assumed he was just tryin’ to be friendly.
Sam had to use the bathroom, so I asked him to hold my spot in line while I took him, and he offered to take Sam for me.
When I declined, he offered to watch Lily instead. ”
“You didn’t let him, did you?”
“Of course not! But when we returned, he was gone. The woman in front of him was still waitin’, so I knew he left without finishin’ what he came there to do.
It was weird, but he wasn’t threatenin’ or anythin’.
But I also didn’t check for him in the parkin’ lot when I left and didn’t pay attention when I ran the rest of my errands to notice if he was followin’ us.
Nothin’ stood out until the incident at the grocery store.
” I bury my face in my hands. “Fuck, I’m an idiot.
I should’ve been more observant of our surroundings. Especially as a mom.”
“No, you’re not.” Colton steps next to me, then pulls my arms down and meets my gaze. “Sugarland Creek is a small and safe town, so it’s easy to assume every place is like that. I’ll tell Sheriff Wagner and see if he can talk to the DMV.”
He never went up, so I doubt they’ll remember him, but it doesn’t hurt to let the sheriff know.
“Do you think Sam remembers what he looked like?” he asks, keeping his feet planted next to me. Our bodies are only inches apart, so it’s impossible not to smell his cologne that has memories of our night flooding back in.
Bending me over, smacking my ass, tugging my hair when I asked him to fuck me harder.
Oh God.
Get out of my head.
“Um…” I blink, clearing my mind. “Wait, that’s a great idea. He can confirm if it was the same guy at the grocery store.”
“Right.” He grins. “And if he wasn’t, then we can at least cross him off the list.”
A part of me hopes it is so I can finally know who’s after me, but the other part of me—the one in my gut—tells me it’s not. Although he made me a bit uncomfortable, he wasn’t giving off stalker vibes.
However, given my track record of recognizing red flags in men, my gut isn’t always correct.