getting a feel for what they were like depending on the type of flooring.
I used the soft napkin to dry my clean hands. “Onto a whole other topic, are you sure you’re okay with spending Thanksgiving with my family?”
His brow creased. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because Melinda’s still a little off with you. I wouldn’t like to eat my Thanksgiving dinner at a table where there’s tension.” The meal was in a few weeks’ time, but Melinda had already called the people she wished to invite, including my father.
“You want to go, so we’ll go. Just be aware that if Heather cancels the plans she’s made with her friends and does attend the dinner, I won’t be anything close to friendly with her. I can’t prove she sent that flash drive, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t.”
“I highly doubt she’ll cancel her plans. She’s always left Junior at her parents’ home on Thanksgiving so she can go spend the day drinking with her friends. To each their own, I guess. You sure the tension won’t put you off your meal?”
“Unlike you, I’m not interested in the holidays. It will be just another day to me.”
“So I won’t be able to convince you to dress up on Halloween?”
His brow furrowed. “Is that a serious question?”
And there went my dream of him dressed in a fireman’s outfit. I leaned back in my chair. “I guess I can spend the day with Ashley and Tucker.”
His frown deepened. “You’ll spend it with me.”
“Doing what? You’ll hole up in your office.”
“We’ll go to the city’s annual Halloween festival.”
My mouth almost dropped open. I sat up straight. “Okay, you’re really starting to worry me now. Daytrips, meals, festivals. You’re not dying, are you?”
He gave me a droll look. “Do you want to go to the festival or not?”
“Yeah, obviously, but there’ll be no tickets left. They sell out fast.”
“I’ll get some.”
I was going to warn him that it wouldn’t be so simple, but then his phone began to ring. I waited for him to answer it, but he didn’t. “Aren’t you going to get that?”
“We’re talking.”
I almost fell off my chair. “But you … Okay.” I wasn’t gonna complain that I had his full attention. I really didn’t know what to do with it, though. And now he was back to wearing that secret smile. I narrowed my eyes. “You’re doing it again.”
“What?”
“Looking at me like you know something I don’t.”
“Vienna, I probably know a lot of things you don’t.”
I might have bristled if I wasn’t so pleased that the oh so serious Dane Davenport was actually teasing me. “Arrogant fucker,” I muttered.
A godawful cramp in my stomach yanked me out of sleep. I moaned and pulled my knees up to my chest. Every muscle in my stomach seemed to contract and twist. Then a strong wave of nausea slammed into me.
Oh God, I was gonna be sick.
I felt the vomit begin to rise; knew I’d never be able to hold it back.
I scrambled off the bed and rushed to the bathroom like my ass was on fire. I made it to the toilet just in time. I retched violently as vicious contractions racked my stomach. It was so bad I could barely catch my breath between the flows of vomit that surged up my throat and sprayed the toilet pan.
“Vienna?” A hand settled on my back just as Dane bent over me. “Shit.”
Mortified, I tried waving him away, but he wouldn’t be budged. He held my ponytail out of the way and rubbed my back as I hurled like a champ. The stench of stomach acid and vomit stung my nostrils.
Finally, the contractions stopped, but the queasy feeling remained, telling me it wasn’t over yet. Glad of the reprieve, I flushed the toilet, sank to my knees, and sat on my haunches. Jesus, that was intense. My eyes watered, and my breaths were coming fast.
I grabbed some toilet paper and wiped my mouth. “I think I caught a stomach bug.”
“Or food poisoning.” Crouched beside me, he put his palm against my forehead. His jaw went hard. “You’re running a fever.”
“I don’t feel hot.” If anything, I felt cold.
“You’re shaking a little. Do you have the chills?”
I went to answer, but then my stomach turned over. Groaning, I lurched forward and retched again. And again. And again.
“Wait there,” said Dane.
Where did he think I was going to fucking go?
I kept on heaving as my stomach lurched, twisted, and cramped. Soon, Dane was at my side again, rubbing