Page 30 of Cursed Fox (Willow Creek Security #4)

CHAPTER THIRTY

Lex

"You're supposed to be taking it easy." I rushed over to help Nancy get out of the chair she’d just sat down in barely ten minutes earlier.

"I can't just sit here and do nothing while you straighten up my house."

Since coming home from the hospital, I’ve spent every night at her house and in her bed. Most nights I barely slept. Sometimes because I was nervous about my night terrors, and other times because I needed to watch her breathe while she slept.

Ever since the shooting, I had the irrational fear that I would wake up one morning with Nancy lying dead in bed with me. I knew it was unlikely. The doctors expected her to make a full recovery, but the fear was still there.

My therapist said it was because I’d already lost so many people in my life that I was afraid to lose more.

That session had gone splendidly when I told the therapist, “No shit. Why the hell am I paying you to tell me what I already know?” If it weren't for Maverick and Nancy pushing me to attend the sessions and get help, I would've ended them that day.

Instead, I pushed on. Twice a week I was seeing the therapist. Until I got a handle on my sleep. I didn't know how long it would take, but I was determined to be able to sleep a full night next to Nancy without worrying that I would wake up with my hands around her throat.

"You relax. I'll handle the cleaning," I said after I had her back on the recliner.

"Move in with me and I won't mind you cleaning the house."

I stopped in my tracks. This wasn't the first time we’d had this discussion, and I knew it bothered her that I was still living out of my backpack.

"I told you I'll move in just as soon as I have my night terrors under control."

I could see the agitation clear as day on her face. "How can you get them under control when you spend most of the night staring at me?"

I leaned the broom against the wall and plopped my ass on the edge of the recliner. "I watch you sleep because I need to know you're still breathing. You said you understood that."

Nancy sighed. "I do understand, and I know you're speaking to the therapist about it, but I'm worried about you. It's been two weeks. How long can you go without much sleep?"

I was wondering the same myself. I had to be hitting my limit soon though. It was getting harder and harder to stay awake at night. But every time I closed my eyes, my mind would start going a mile a minute.

"I guess we’ll find out."

Nancy looked like she didn't much care for that answer, so I changed the subject. "How are Jimmy and Jessie doing?"

Jessie had decided to take some time off for the summer to spend it with her brother as he recovered. Luckily, the team doctor offered to let her continue her internship with the team.

"I'm pretty sure Jimmy is going to strangle his sister, but otherwise good. Jessie is getting along with the team—a little too well according to Jimmy—and he's healing nicely. It's going to be a long nine months if Jessie chooses to stay with him."

I made a mental note to give Jimmy a call and find out what Jessie was up to. I didn't care that she was going to be twenty-two soon, she needed to keep her head focused on school and less on the football players.

"Do you think she will?"

Nancy fiddled with the hem of her shirt. It was a rare act of nervousness, so I took her hand in mine.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm afraid she's going to follow in my shoes."

I gave her a questioning look because I truly didn't understand what she meant by that.

"Thomas wasn't always the asshole he turned out to be.

" She rolled her eyes. "Okay, he probably was, but he hid it well.

Especially when we first started dating.

I was convinced he was this amazing guy who loved me and wanted the same things I did.

I had my choice to go off to college, but instead, I got married.

I don't want Jessie to make the same mistake.

If the only reason she's staying in Oklahoma is because of some boy, then I would rather she didn't."

Now her need to keep busy made sense. Even though she feared Jessie was making a mistake, she was trying not to interfere in her daughter’s life.

"We don't know that's what she's going to do." I did my best to ease her mind. "And if she does decide to stay, then we have to hope she's got a good head on her shoulders. She was raised by you, baby. Jessie's smart. She's going to make a smart decision."

At least I hoped that was the case. Otherwise I would be kicking some guy’s ass for hurting her. I didn't care that I’d only known Jessie for a few weeks, we’d bonded in that hospital while waiting for her mother, and that wasn't something that could be broken easily.