Page 81 of Resisting Isaac

I snort despite myself. “Where I come from,huevosis a slang term for balls, cowboy.”

“Shit. You know what I meant,” he says, voice gentling again as he coaxes me toward the bed. “Into the nest. You’ve officially been daddied.”

My eyes narrow. “Did you just use ‘daddied’ as a verb?”

“Sure did.”

He tucks me in like a burrito, then leans down and presses a kiss to the crown of my head.

“Can you maybe put a garbage can by the bed? I’m not sure I got everything up yet.”

“Of course. Rest. The world will still be here when you wake up.”

I want to argue.

I want to run the hell out of here while I still can.

But instead, I do as I’m told for the first time in a long time. And rest.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

isaac

I’ve never washed a woman’s clothes before.

Not because I’m a Neanderthal. I know how the washer works. I know how to separate colors and delicates and all that. But because I’ve never had a reason to.

Until now.

I switch her clothes from the washer to the dryer, laying the knit top on a barstool at my countertop because I’m afraid drying it might ruin it.

Then I pull out my phone.

There’s only one woman in the world who I trust enough to call in this situation.

Laurel Logan answers on the first ring.

“Hey, Mama.”

“Isaac?” she asks, suspiciously.

I don’t typically call anyone before noon unless someone is injured.

I scrub a hand down my face. “How do I know if I gave someone food poisoning? Hypothetically speaking of course.”

She sighs. “How about you tell me a little bit about whyyou think you might’ve hypothetically given someone food poisoning.”

“I made breakfast for El—a friend, and she bolted halfway through. Like full-onsprintedout of my house. A minute later, I find her behind the bushes, puking her guts up.”

“Oh no.” Her tone shifts instantly to gentle-mom mode. “Is she okay?”

“She said it wasn’t my cooking. But it was like two bites in. So now I’m here washing her vomit-covered clothing while she rests and I’m wondering if I low-key poisoned her.”

“Hm. That’s mighty quick unless the food was rancid, which you would’ve noticed a foul smell while cooking. I think there’s a stomach bug going around. Don’t worry, sweetie. If she’s resting now, she’ll be fine.”

I nod, even though she can’t see it. “Right. Okay. Thanks.”

“Isaac?”