He pressed his lips together and huffed. “Again, why haven’t you been seen by someone yet?”
I was instantly aggravated. The accusation in his voice grated on my nerves and he irritated me just as much as Luke did when he said something similar to me.
I slapped the counter in front of me before turning my furious gaze to him. “Because I have bills, Guy. I have to pay them, and I can’t do that without a job, of which I had missed over a week with no call and no show. I’m freaking lucky to still have this job and I don’t want to do anything to jeopardize it.”
He held his hands up. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.”
I let out a deep breath. I realized I did overreact. I was taking my brother’s crap out on him too. He didn’t deserve that.
“It’s okay,” I said. “I’m sorry for ripping off your head.”
He smiled softly as he nodded at me. Things fell silent between us for several moments. Guy was probably trying to figure out how to continue our conversation without triggering another outburst from me.
But the last thing I wanted was him walking on eggshells for me. And the last thing I was going to do was go to the hospital with him, especially since I knew that was where this little talk of ours was heading.
22
GUY
Cadence folded her arms over the desk and laid her head on them. I stared at her as she closed her eyes. With her eyes closed, and how pale she had become, the dark circles stood out even more. It was as though she had two giant black eyes. I frowned. This was more serious than I had thought. She really wasn’t looking well at all. There had to be a way to talk some sense into her.
“I understand you have to have a job to pay your bills,” I carefully said. “That’s no different from everyone else on this planet. But what good is a job you can’t even work because you keep running to the bathroom?”
“Do you think I haven’t thought about that?” she snapped. Her blue eyes were dark and furious and focused on mine. “You’re worse than my brother. The point is I’m trying, and that should be all that matters.”
“The point is, you are too sick to work and you’re running yourself into the ground,” I said. “What did your brother say anyway?”
She huffed. “He made me agree to go to the hospital so I can be checked out. It was that or he was going to drive here to do it himself.”
I nodded. “Well, I suppose that means you better grab your coat.”
“No,” she said, sitting up fully, “it does not. I agreed to going, but not when I was going to go. Besides, I can’t leave right now. The store is open and there’s no one here to take over my shift.”
“Well then, get out your phone and call your boss,” I said, pointing at the counter. “Have him find someone to cover your shift. I really don’t care what it takes. You’re going to that hospital if I have to carry you kicking and screaming the entire way there.”
She stood up promptly, glaring at me. I almost smiled. She was cute when she was angry. “I barely know you. So, I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“Well, now is a fine time to start with that nonsense,” I said, feeling a bit offended. “Especially since we’ve already slept together.”
She stomped around the counter. “That was different.”
“oh, I see,” I said. “So, you’re no longer seeing through whiskey goggles, right? Is that it?”
“Of course not,” she snapped as she started fiddling with things on the displays sitting on the counter. She was working herself up. I needed to get her to calm down. The more upset she got, the paler she was, and I could already see a pattern. But I wasn’t sure how to go about that.
“All right, I’ll tell you what… Ask me anything,” I said, stepping closer to her. I kept my eyes on her face, judging the color and her expression. She was paler that ever. I bet she had a fever. I wondered she had somehow contracted lime disease. I wasn’t familiar enough with the subject to be positive, but I recalled it was a long-lasting illness with similar symptoms.
Then again, I might have been confusing ailments.
“Nice try,” she said and started to walk away. “What good would that do anyway?”
“You said you didn’t know me,” I said. “I figured we could spend some time changing that.”
“I said I barely knew you,” she corrected.
I shrugged. “Same thing.”
“No, not really,” she argued.