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Chapter thirty-nine

Hudson

We’re finally settled in bed, the room warm and everything feels good. The kind of good that sinks you into a peaceful night’s sleep. Daphne’s curled against me, her hair dried and head on my chest, my arm around her.

“This,” she sighs, tracing her fingertips over my bare chest, “is really nice.”

I smile. “Yeah, it is.”

Eyes sleepy, she tilts her head up. “I’m happy.” There’s something so simple about how easily she says it, something so sure that it practically knocks the air out of me. Because what she’s not saying is that she’s happy being here with me.

I brush a strand of hair from her forehead. “Me too.”

She hums, settling against me again, and that contentment washes over me like a soothing balm. It gives me the courage to ask what’s on my mind without hesitation. “Hey, Daph?”

“Hm?”

“We’re gonna make a go of this, right? Like, this isn’t just because we’re away from school. This is us being…us, yeah?”

Daphne shifts, her chin brushing my chest. “Yeah. This is us. If you want it, too?”

Relief sweeps through me, and my fingers find hers where they rest against me. “I definitely want it.”

She chuckles, and it’s that sound I’d hear over and over in my head after I met her.

Just as my eyes begin to close, my phone buzzes on the nightstand. I groan, already tempted to ignore it, but one glance at the screen has me changing my mind.

“It’s my mom,” I say, frowning. We both sit up as I answer. “Hey, Mom. Everything okay?”

Her voice comes through the line. “Hudson, honey,” she says. “I may have had a few glasses of wine tonight,” Mom admits, and I stifle a laugh. I don’t remember the last time that happened. Go coffee guy. “And Rory’s at her friend’s place. She’s not feeling well, though. I was going to get her, but neither of us can drive.”

I throw the covers back. “Text me the address, I’ll go get her.”

When I hang up, Daphne is already sliding on my hoodie and her leggings. “What’s wrong?”

“Rory isn’t feeling well, and Mom’s had a few too many glasses of wine on her date.” I tug on my sweats, already halfway to the door.

Daphne grabs her phone and shoes without missing a beat. “I’m coming with you.”

“No, you should stay, sleep.”

“I want to,” she says firmly. No stalling. Her jumping in like this, like it’s normal, settles under my ribs, and I think I fall a little harder for her.

“Okay,” I exhale. “Let’s go.”

The streets are dark and empty when we pull up to Rory’s friend’s house, but I see Rory and her friend immediately, sitting on the porch together.

I’m out of the car the second I turn off the ignition. “Hey, squirt,” I say, jogging up the porch steps, then crouching down in front of her. “Rough night?”

Her voice is small. “My stomach hurts.”

I reach to help her stand, but Daphne is there before me. “Hey, Rory” she says warmly. “Let’s get you out of the cold, hm?”

Rory’s eyes flick to her, and a smile tugs at her lips. “I didn’t want to puke in Mrs. Stenson’s house, so I thought it was best if I sat out here with Erin.”

Erin looks sheepish and shy as she smiles and waves. “I’ll call you tomorrow to check on you. Night.”

“You know,” Daphne begins, “me and my best friend had a stomach bug on my birthday this year.”

Rory half snorts. “Was it a puke fest?”

“Totally.” Daphne laughs. “I hate being sick, I’m such a baby.”

“Hudson is too,” Rory says without missing a beat.

“Ouch,” I scoff. “But fair.”

And even though Rory looks pale and tired, I see the faintest flicker of a smile, and my girl did that.

***

By the time we get home, it’s late, later than it should be, because we had to stop twice for Rory to throw up. The whole time, Daphne was holding her hair, rubbing her back, talking her through it with a calmness I wasn’t sure I would have managed. I kept a hand on Rory’s back too, but I’ll be honest, I was two seconds from gagging myself.

So, yeah. I’m incredibly grateful for Daphne stepping up, because if it had been just me and Rory…we’d be two disasters on the side of the road.

Rory’s half-asleep when I pull into the driveway, her face pale and her little groans making my chest tighten. I kill the engine, and Daphne is already moving ahead, hopping out to open the front door.

I unbuckle Rory carefully, cradling her against my chest. She grumbles something, but her head rests on my shoulder, hot and heavy.

“I’ll get her a bucket and some water,” Daphne says, already heading for the kitchen.

“Bucket’s under the sink!” I whisper-shout after her and adjust Rory in my arms.

Her body’s limp, weighed down by exhaustion, but I feel the way her fingers curl into my shirt. “Almost there, squirt,” I murmur. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

I carry her upstairs, my steps careful and quiet, and nudge open her bedroom door with my foot.

Daphne appears a second later, holding the bucket and a glass of water with a straw. “How’s she doing?” she whispers.

“Wiped,” I reply, lowering Rory onto her bed. She whines as I ease her down, her face scrunching up in discomfort. “Hey, hey,” I soothe, brushing her hair back. She doesn’t feel hot, which is good, just a little clammy. “You’re okay. Just sleep.”

Daphne sets the bucket down by the bed and slides the water onto the nightstand. “Rory,” she says, her voice soft as she kneels beside her, “I brought you some water if you feel up to it later, okay?”

Rory’s lashes flutter, her voice barely a whisper. “Thanks…”

Daphne gives her hand a gentle squeeze. “You’re welcome, superstar.”

Rory’s eyes close fully this time, her breathing steady.

I reach for the comforter and tuck it carefully around her shoulders. “Night, kiddo,” I murmur. “Feel better.”

In the hallway, I blow out a breath, my shoulders sagging now that the adrenaline’s worn off.

Daphne leans against the doorframe, watching me with something unreadable in her eyes. “You’re good at that, you know,” she says.

I glance at her, one eyebrow lifting in silent question.

“Taking care of her, I mean.”

I scratch the back of my neck, suddenly feeling exposed in a way that has nothing to do with the late hour. “She’s my sister,” I say, like that explains everything. And maybe it does. “I’ve always looked out for her.”

Daphne steps closer, her eyes on mine, something careful but certain in her voice. “It’s more than that,” she says quietly. “You’re patient with her. You’re soft when she needs it. It’s…really nice to see.”

Reading between the lines, I nod. “She’s easy to love. Even when she’s puking her guts up.”

She huffs a light laugh, and then her arms are around me, her head tucked under my chin.

I immediately fold her into me, and something about it makes my chest feel…full.

“I liked being there. With you. Helping. We’re a pretty good team.”

I brush a thumb along her spine. “Yeah?”

She nods.

“I think I’ll need to keep checking on her. I told Mom to stay at her boyfriend’s tonight and that we’ll look after Rory. She gave me tips on what to do.”

“I’m surprised she agreed.”

“Drunk Mom is pretty agreeable.”

She laughs too, but then yawns. “Come on, let’s get some sleep while we can.”