“Sure.”
She could tell he didn’t want to go. “It’s okay. I deal with this by myself all the time. Don’t worry.”
“I will worry, and I’ll miss you at the bar tonight. You owe me a game of checkers when you’re feeling better.”
“Sounds good.” Cindy closed her eyes because she couldn’t bear to keep them open for another second. “See you later.”
That was the last thought she had until she heard the door open and close, which startled her, as she was accustomed to living alone.
Jace was back.
He knocked softly on her bedroom door. “How’re you feeling?” he asked in the same whisper as before.
It took her a couple of seconds to realize it was hours later and she felt much better. Thankfully, this headache wouldn’t be a multiday event. “Better, I think.” She needed to pee urgently but couldn’t tell him that. Rather, she sat up slowly, closing her eyes when the room spun.
“Let me help you.” He was there with an arm around her and a strong body to lean against as he helped her to the bathroom without having to be told what she needed.
After she took care of business, she stood at the sink and splashed cold water on her face, trying to shake off the sickening malaise the migraines always left behind after one of their attacks. She ought to be used to the routine by now, but it was the usual shock to her system to be felled out of nowhere by one of the monster headaches.
“You okay in there?” Jace asked from outside the door.
“Yeah. I’m coming.”
“Take your time. Just checking.”
She brushed her hair and teeth, and when she felt presentable, she opened the door and found him leaning against a wall in the hallway, checking his phone. He put it in his back pocket and reached out a hand to her.
“I’m okay.”
“Let me help you anyway.”
Because he was so solid and smelled so good, she was more than happy to have him help her to the sofa. He disappeared for a second and returned with the throw blanket he’d brought into the bedroom earlier, as well as the unfinished Coke. “You want me to put this on ice for you?”
“Do you mind?”
“I’m a bartender. If there’s one thing I can do, it’s ice.”
She smiled at how cute and funny he was, not to mention thoughtful.
He returned with the icy glass of Coke. “Are you hungry? I picked up a pizza at Mario’s earlier, but I don’t want to heat it up if the smell will make you sick.”
“Pizza actually sounds good if you have a slice to spare.”
“I do. Coming right up.”
Bringing two plates, he handed her one and then sat on the sofa next to her. From under his arm, he retrieved two paper towels.
“Excellent service as usual. Thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
Cindy’s mouth watered at the smell of the pizza. She swallowed a small bite, hoping it would stay down. When the first bite landed without a problem, she took a second. “Now tell me how you know all the steps to take for a migraine.”
“My grandmother had them. She trained me on what to do at an early age. I’m so sorry you get them, too.”
“Thanks,” she said, sighing. “They’ve been the bane of my existence since I was about eight and got the first one. I was in school when it came on. I thought I was dying.”
“That must’ve been terrifying.”