the dance floor.” He gestured to where the two were dancing. He looked back at her. “You look beautiful tonight. Are you feeling any better?”
“I am. Thanks. Also, I really appreciate you covering classes for me this week.”
His dimples showed as he grinned at her. “You can show your appreciation by dancing with me.”
She didn’t really feel up for dancing, but he looked so hopeful, she hated to turn him down. She’d dance one dance and then turn him back over to Toni for the evening. Unfortunately, they were only halfway through their dance when her cough kicked back up. She felt like she was going to hack up a lung before the spasms would stop. Pete looked concerned as she pulled him off to the side of the room while she continued to cough. She couldn’t catch her breath.
Suddenly a hand reached around her waist that she knew instinctively belonged to Chris. He leaned down to whisper into her ear, “Relax and concentrate on your breathing. Try to breathe lightly through it until the coughing subsides.”
It worked, but by that time, exhaustion swamped her again. She just wanted to go to bed.
Chris had been shielding her from the crowd with his bulk while she fought for control. “Come on. It’s time for you to find your bed.”
She looked around to apologize to Pete, but he’d disappeared.
Chris was quiet as he drove her home. When they’d walked outside, he’d settled his tuxedo jacket over her bare shoulders. Now she pulled it tighter around her, reveling in Chris’s masculine scent. It took her back to a time that she never allowed herself to think about. If she’d been truly aware, she would have given it back to him just to avoid these memories, but in her feverish mind, she settled into a time, a weekend when Chris had been hers. It was bittersweet and after the emotion of the wedding, it was especially difficult. The tears welled in her eyes, and she shut them as she turned toward the window. She knew her emotions were sitting just under the surface because of being sick, but that didn’t make sitting on the edge of shattering into a million pieces any easier.
She hated that Chris had left the wedding early to take care of her, but knew that it would be useless to argue with him. Exhaustion and weakness pulled at her and she just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for a week.
She startled as Chris’s truck turned off. She must have dozed off on the way home. She looked over at him to find him frowning.
“I feel like I should be taking you directly to the hospital instead of home,” his voice whispered across the cab of the truck like a caress.
“It’s just a cold. I’ll be fine after a few days sleeping.”
“Have you already let the hospital know you aren’t coming into work tomorrow?”
“Yes, my boss said I could have off until Wednesday and that if I still need more, they can rearrange my schedule. I’ll be fine. Thanks for all of your help this week, though. I know I haven’t been very gracious about it, but I couldn’t have gotten through all this without you.”
He scrutinized her for a moment in the dark. “You know there’s no shame in asking for help when you need it, right? That’s what friends do. I’d like you to think you could count on me if you need it.”
“Thanks, Chris.” She reached for the handle. She could take care of herself, although this friends thing with him might just kill her. Actually, it left her feeling like curling up into a little ball and sobbing, but he wouldn’t understand or even want to know that. She had to get away from him as the tears threatened again. “I need to head inside and go to bed.”
Chris followed her to her door. “I don’t want to call you and wake you up tomorrow, but can you promise to text me when you wake up just to check in? Maybe if you’re feeling up for it, I could bring you some chicken noodle soup tomorrow night.”
“Thanks. I’ll text you and let you know.” She handed him his jacket as he turned to go into his townhouse. “Goodnight, Chris.”
“Goodnight, Julie.”
Chapter 18
The next day as Chris left for work, he glanced over at Julie’s house. There didn’t appear to be any movement from within and he hoped she was getting some rest. When his nightmares had