Keith (Hathaway House #11) - Dale Mayer Page 0,6

He nodded at the tray. “You ate half of everything. Do you want any more?”

“I want to,” he said, “but I’m scared of pushing my stomach.”

“You know what? That’s probably wise,” he said. “Let’s just call it quits with this amount right now, if that’s okay with you.”

Hesitating, Keith looked at it. “Let me have a few more bites of that soup.” Struggling to keep the blanket tucked around his chest, he had another three or four spoonfuls until it was mostly gone. As the tray was about to go, he picked up the rest of the meat and cheese and said, “Okay, now I’m done.”

“Good thing,” Dennis said, “because the only thing you left was a half a piece of bread.”

He smiled, sank back into the covers. “Man, I don’t know where you got this heated blanket from, but, God, it’s exactly what I needed.”

“Yeah, we all need them sometimes,” he said. “Now hopefully you’ll get some sleep tonight. That must have been a rough trip getting here.”

“Yeah, it was pretty painful. Right now, I’m mostly just cold,” he said.

“Of course you are. Your body has been through a lot. Now rest. That’s what you need.”

He nodded and sank farther under the covers, slowly munching the last of the meat and cheese. By the time that was gone, his eyelids drifted closed. He wasn’t sure how Ilse had known what he wanted to eat, but it was a perfect choice, and he appreciated it.

As soon as he got the chance, he would tell her. Later. Anything that required movement right now was way too much to contemplate. He closed his eyes, and, within minutes, he fell asleep.

Chapter 3

When Ilse walked from her on-site apartment into the center in the wee hours of the morning, she took a long, deep breath. She loved the place when it was quiet and almost empty. It was five o’clock in the morning. She didn’t always come in at this hour, but she had woken up and couldn’t get back to sleep, so she figured she’d get an early start on breakfast. She knew that some of her crew would already be here, but she had her own keys to get in and out.

Nobody manned the front desk yet, but nurses would be on, orderlies around, and, of course, her kitchen staff filtering in. She walked the long hallway where a light shone through a door partially open. She frowned at the idea that she wasn’t the only one awake a little too early.

“Good morning,” she called out softly as she walked by. The voice that called back was one she recognized. Stopping, she turned around, walked back, and poked her head in the door. “What are you doing awake so early?” she asked Keith.

He looked at her in surprise. “I guess you’re up early, being a chef and all, huh?”

“I could work nine to five,” she said, “but I’d much rather work early.”

“Aren’t you here for all the meals?”

“Sometimes,” she said. “Sometimes I take a few hours off in the afternoon. It all depends on what I’m cooking.”

“And I guess it also depends on whether you have a decent staff or not,” he said with a smile.

“I have a very decent staff,” she said. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. But it’s hard to let go of control on something like that.”

He nodded.

As he shifted uneasily in his bed, she watched him, knowing he was already in pain. “So, let me guess. The pain is getting to you, and you can’t go back to sleep.”

He shrugged. “Seems like something I just live with these days.”

“I don’t think you have to do that here,” she said. “The hot tub and the pool might be something you could use.”

“And that might help too,” he said. “I don’t know. I hate to ask anybody to give me a hand getting there.”

“Asking for help is hard,” she said, “but it’s also pretty necessary.”

He just smiled but didn’t say any more.

“So, I’ll go make a fresh pot of coffee,” she said, wagging her eyebrows at him. “You interested?” She watched the surprise light up his dark eyes, and, in spite of himself, he smiled and nodded slowly.

“That would be awesome,” he said. “And thank you for dinner last night. That soup was delicious.”

She smacked the doorjamb as she walked back out again. “See you in a few.” She headed down to her kitchen. Stepping inside her gleaming domain, she smiled. She didn’t know what she would do