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“I believe you,” I said. “Thank you for helping.”
He nodded. “You hungry?”
“Am I free to eat? I remember the doctor coming in and the portable scan and all that, but I was too focused on the splitting headache to retain any information.”
“Yeah, you’re good. You only had a mild concussion. He said you’ll heal up pretty quickly. Just watch out for any dizziness, sudden sharp headaches or worsening headaches, double vision, anything like that. Basically, if you’re not getting better or if you feel like you’re getting worse, you need to go to the hospital.”
“Duly noted. I have a headache, but it’s not nearly as bad as it was last night.”
“Good. Take your medication, and I’ll help you to the kitchen. I’m sure you can walk just fine, but until I know for sure, I’m going to walk with you. Do you need to go to the bathroom or anything?” he asked, concern on his face.
I laughed. “Uh, that one I will definitely want to do on my own, but thanks.”
He smiled. “I’d have Luna help with that, dork. Besides, what are you afraid of? Farting in front of me? That ship already sailed. You totally tooted while we were leaving the room. We had to run for it before we started scream laughing.”
My eyes opened wide, and my jaw fell open as I stared at him in genuine shock. “Youlie!Youbetterbe lying!”
He laughed really hard, his head falling back. It was a beautiful sound, one I loved to hear, but it certainly wasn’t my favorite when it was aboutthistopic.
“I swear! It’s totally true!” He laughed again, and I crossed my arms over my chest. “It was the tiniest, cutest little‘poot,’and it was both hilarious and adorable.”
When he did the impression of the sound, I couldn’t help but laugh. It was so embarrassing, and my cheeks felt so damned hot.
“Oh, my fucking God. That issoembarrassing.”
“Why do girls get so bent out of shape about it? It’s totally normal. If you met my sisters, you’d know why I think it’s funny and don’t think twice about it. They’ll blow your damn head off. They don’t care at all. You’d think being raised by rich assholes they’d be more traditionally ladylike, but they aren’t. Which isexactlywhy we all get along so well.”
“I’m sensing a tone around here,” I said. “I don’t think anyone likes their parents.”
He shook his head. “Hmm, not many people. The ones who do are usually just like them—whether that’s good or bad is the question.Anyway, Tooti Frutti.”
“If you start calling me that, I will murder you,” I threatened.
He laughed and stood, stretching out his hand before helping me to my feet. “Let’s go. I’ll get you some breakfast. My uncle, Dr. Wells, said he’d be back to check on you sometime this morning.”
“Wells? Is he married to your aunt?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No. He’s my dad’s brother. He chose to take his wife’s last name for… business reasons. It was smarter.”
I nodded. “I see. Well, that must have been a pretty pricy trip—uncle or not. I don’t have medical insurance at the moment.”
He waved a hand. “Nah, my uncle loves me. He came as a favor. Besides, disgustingly rich, remember? I might not be the biggest fan of the power money holds over people, but I’m always a fan of using it to help others when I can. Especially friends. Don’t worry about a thing. You owe me nothing. Well… That’s a lie. You owe me one,singlething.”
“What’s that?” I asked as we exited the bedroom into a beautiful, monster of a house that was white everywhere, and had more windows than a building in New York.
“You can pretend to like the food I made for you. Itmaykill you, but just smile as you die, and I’ll call us even.”
I snorted. “It can’t bethatbad.”
“It’s not—this morning, anyway,” Luna said from a bar stool at a large island in the kitchen. “He’s honestly the worst cook ever, but this morning, he killed it.”
“I’ve been practicing!” he said with obvious pride. “Now I can impressallthe ladies and gentlemen whenever I bring them home.”
“Uh-huh,” Luna said with obvious amusement as she sipped from a coffee mug. “You and dating don’t mix.”
“Unfortunately, that’s accurate,” he said. The tone of his voice changed, and it made me want to know why. Had he been hurt? Used? Why did he have a hard time with dating?
As he set a plate down in front of me, I saw the twinkle return to his eye. He excitedly awaited me to try the food that may or may not kill me from grossness, so I put my curiosity aside. I was sure there would be a time to ask, but right then wasn’t it.