Page 23 of Prove Me Wrong (The Sunburnt Hearts #5)

“Hi, baby girl.” His smile broadens as Jade reaches for the phone. I pull it closer so that she’s in the frame, staring at her dad. “I miss you, but why are you so upset?”

“Daddy,” Jade rasps out, and I lean in to kiss her temple.

“I’m right here. I won’t go anywhere until you sleep, okay?”

Jade just stares at the phone, not fully understanding that Noah is in a different place. She tries grabbing him through the screen, tears running down her rosy cheeks.

“I gave her the syrup and put cream on her gums, but I don’t know what else to do.” My voice sounds frazzled as I balance Jade on my hip.

Noah shuffles in his bed. “Can you take her temperature? I have a thermometer in my bathroom.”

“Sure,” I say, walking to the next room. This morning when I woke up here, surrounded by his scent, I didn’t want to leave. It felt so comforting and warm.

I pass the bed I remade and walk into the bathroom to show him the cabinets.

“Top left.”

I open it and find the thermometer at the front. Taking off the cap, Jade lets me slide it through her closed lips.

“It’ll take a few seconds,” he tells me. Jade’s tear-stained eyes look up into mine.

“All right.” I blow out a steady breath. I pull the device out of her mouth and check the number.

“Thirty-eight point three.”

His mouth ticks, and I watch his face sharpen. “I think she might be coming down with something. Could you give her some flu medicine? It should be on the same shelf.”

“Yes.”

I try balancing Jade on the edge of the bench, but she cries as soon as her hands leave mine. Hoisting her up again, I find the syrup and unscrew the bottle. It smells of fake sugary cherries— disgusting .

“She might fight you on it,” Noah mutters.

“I’m not surprised, it stinks,” I counter, and he gives a soft chuckle.

“Fill it to the ten-millilitre line.”

I follow his instructions, and sure enough, when I put it to Jade’s lips, she tries pushing me away, crying again. “You have to have this, Jade, or you’ll get worse.”

Her painful cries echo off the tiled walls as I try to get her to swallow it.

“Come on, baby girl. You need to do it,” Noah joins in.

Jade eventually stops fighting me off after minutes of us trying to coax her into taking the small amount of medicine. I wash out the cup and leave it out in case she needs more.

“When should I take her temperature again?”

Noah exhales slowly. “In about an hour. I’m sorry to make you do this.”

I look at him on the phone and shake my head. “Don’t be sorry. I promised you I’d look after her, and I am doing just that.”

He’s quiet as I switch off the light and walk back into this bedroom. “Thank you, Grey.” His sincere words hit me right in the chest. “If you want, she can sleep with you in my bed. It’s big and she won’t roll around.”

Nodding, I walk downstairs to see that Gran must have left while I was helping Jade. I turn off all the lights and lock the door before taking Jade to Noah’s bedroom.

“You don’t need to stay on,” I tell him as I settle Jade down under the covers. She’s burning up, though, so I make sure it’s only the sheet covering her tiny body.

“No, I will. Just to help her sleep, and honestly, it’ll help me too if I know she’s settled. ”

Nodding, I lie down beside Jade, who snuggles into my chest. My face rests against Noah’s pillow, and I’m suddenly surrounded by his familiar, earthy, fresh scent that I’m starting to crave. Green eyes stare through the screen as I prop it up against the lamp and kiss Jade’s soft hair.

“I’m sorry you can’t be here with her,” I say without looking up at him. I feel my cheeks blushing.

“Yeah, me too,” he mumbles, lying back down in the hotel room, gaze scouring my face through the screen before frowning. “Have you been crying?”

Chewing on my lip, I shake my head. “Just tired. I’ll be fine.”

“Okay,” Noah mutters, but he doesn’t sound very convinced. “I know she can be a lot when she’s not feeling well. And I hate being away when she’s sick.”

“You can’t help it, though.” My mouth twitches sideways. “You did really well today,” I murmur as Jade’s breathing quietens.

His eyes widen a little at my words. “You watched qualifying?”

I nod against the pillow and watch as happiness sweeps over his fair features. “Of course I did.”

“You didn’t have to, Grey.”

I huff out a soft laugh. “Yes, I did. I had to see how skilled your driving was after you bragged last weekend.”

His eyes roll, and I feel a smile pulling in my cheekbones. “Told you I was good.”

My teeth bite my bottom lip as I fight off a wider grin. “Yeah, you did. But tomorrow will be the real decider.”

“Decider of what exactly?” His tone grows thicker, as if fighting off the sleep pulling him under. I feel the same, struggling to keep my eyes open.

“If you really are the best out there. ”

He chuckles huskily, and I allow myself to enjoy the sound washing over me. “Does that mean I have to win?”

My head shakes softly, eyelids heavy. “No. Even if you come last, you’ll still be great to me, thirty-four,” I mumble.

The phone goes quiet.

I try blinking to make sure that the connection hasn’t cut off, but my eyelids feel like they’re made of concrete.

I hear a soft, “Goodnight, Grey,” before I’m pulled into a short sleep that’s woken by a painful scream.