I started winging up her items and then met her gaze. “Yes. Just a touch of food poisoning.”
The expression on the woman’s face told me she didn’t buy my excuse. Instead, she took a full step back and covered her mouth with a handkerchief, behaving as though she would catch what I had. Somehow, I doubted what I had was contagious. Regardless, she paid for what she needed and practically ran out of the store.
I blew a raspberry and promised myself to find a way to be better before someone else believes I’m patient zero for the next horrible pandemic. Maybe I just needed to go home and get more rest. I had been more tired than usual lately.
My boss might not like it, but I needed to go home.
The second I pulled my phone from my back pocket to call my boss, the damn thing rang. Luke’s face and name flashed on the screen. I frowned, wondering what he needed this time. He hadn’t stopped calling and checking on me since I was able to go home. He told me I had scared him when I stopped answering my phone.
Not like there was much I could do about it though, my battery died, and I had no way of recharging it until I got home. But man did he leave some colorful voicemails for me to listen to once I was able to charge my phone. He also didn’t like the idea that I was sick and didn’t seem to be getting better.
I started lying to him, as much as it pained me to do so. He bought it for the most part, and I was careful not to let it slip that I was still sick. I wouldn’t hear the end of it.
I answered the phone. “How’s paradise?”
He chuckled. “Better than you sound, that’s for sure.”
“I’m fine,” I said. “Just tired. What’s up?”
“Not much. Are you at work right now?” he asked.
“You should already know the answer to that question,” I said and leaned against the door of the office. “You can have three guesses, but the first two don’t count.”
He chuckled again. I rolled my eyes. My brother had been super happy recently. And I was happy for his happiness, but I got tired of being exposed to it from time to time. Not that I was bitter… but I was a lot jealous if I was being honest with myself.
“So, what did you want?” I asked.
“Ouch,” he said playfully. “Can’t I call my sister without a hidden agenda?”
“No,” I said and smirked. “Now out with what you need or I’m hanging up.”
“Okay, okay… sheesh…” he added, and I could tell he was struggling not to laugh. “I was wondering if you had gone by the cabin to check on things and make sure Guy hasn’t died.”
“Nope.” I didn’t bother with adding anything else to that. Because why bother? Though my heart sank a little at the thought of Guy dying. I still was upset about how things happened, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to face him yet.
My brother had also been trying to talk me into going to see Guy for several weeks. I refused each time. I told him I was sick. But really, I was too ashamed to face him just yet. Guy had been telling me the truth this whole time, and I had refused to believe him because I was too scared of the idea that things between us were real. And if it wasn’t for Cassidy, I wouldn’t have gotten to this point.
“Well, you should,” he said.
“So you keep telling me,” I said.
“Come on, sis. What is it going to take for you to get over what happened and go kiss him already?” Luke pleaded.
“I’ll think about it,” I said.
“You always say that,” Luke said.
“No, I don’t,” I argued. My stomach clenched. I covered my mouth with my other hand and dashed to the bathroom. “I’ve gotta go.”
I ended the call as I barged through the bathroom stall door and proceeded to revisit my life choices. Maybe I am repaying a karmic debt for treating Guy the way I had. Perhaps that is the reason why I can’t eat.
Though that made sense, it was very unlikely. Still, he made some of the best food I had ever tasted, and I considered how regular food would never work the same for me. So, why not?
A strange noise pulled my attention once I was done vomiting. I held my breath and tried to focus on where the noise was coming from. It sounded like a voice, but that couldn’t have been right.
I searched for the source, finding it on my phone. I groaned. I thought I had hung up. I didn’t. Luke heard everything.
“Hello! Cadence!” Luke sounded panicked.