Touch by Touch (Riggins Brothers #4) - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,63

should I do for her?” I say as soon as she answers.

“Good morning to you too.” She laughs. “What are her symptoms?”

“Baby, what are your symptoms?” Her eyes soften at my term of endearment. She rattles off that she has a stuffy nose, sinus pressure, a cough, and a sore throat. “You hear all that?” I ask my mom.

“Yes. Has she taken anything?”

“Have you taken anything?” I feel like an ass. I should have already asked her that.

“Nyquil.”

I repeat her reply to my mom. “That’s good. She’s going to need something for the daytime too. Dayquil will work. Make sure she’s drinking and staying hydrated, and it will help to put a vaporizer in her room, to help moisten the air. That will help with the chest congestion and her cough.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“You’re welcome, dear. Let me know if I can do anything.”

“Will do. Love you.” I end the call, sliding the phone back into my pocket. “I’m going to run out and get you some more medicine and a vaporizer.”

“You d-don’t have to do that,” she says over another cough.

“Hey.” I stand and lean over her. “I’m taking care of you.” Closing the distance, I press my lips to her forehead. “I’ll be back. Is there anything else you’d like to have?”

“Cough drops.”

“Done. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Closing her bedroom door behind me, I head back downstairs to the bakery. Grant is still there, talking to his wife. “Hey, I’m not going to be in today. I’m heading to get a vaporizer and some other stuff Mom suggested for Aspen. I’ll call Layla on my way and tell her to cancel my day.”

“I’m here, Conrad. You don’t have to miss work,” Aurora assures me.

I give her a look that tells her I don’t care who’s here. I’m going to be here too. “I’ll be back. Can you think of anything else she might want or need?”

“She only likes the red Halls cough drops, and maybe some Sprite? Oh, and since you’re going out, grab some tissues. The box she was using last night was halfway empty.”

“Got it. I’ll be back.” I wave to them and head out. In my car, I call the office, and Layla answers. “Hey, Layla.”

“Morning, Conrad.”

“Aspen isn’t feeling well, so I’m going to take the day off. I had one meeting this afternoon with a new vendor who’s trying to get us to switch servers. Can you call and move them to wherever next week?”

“Sure. Is she okay?”

“Yeah, just a cold. I’m on my way to pick up a few things and take them back to her.”

“Aw, well, take good care of her. We’ll handle things here.”

“Thanks, Layla.”

“You’re welcome.”

I hit End on my steering wheel just as I pull into the parking lot of the pharmacy.

Thirty minutes later, after parking in the back of the bakery next to Aspen, I’m walking through the back door with my arms loaded down with bags.

“What in the world?” Aurora says when she sees me.

“I wanted to make sure she had options.” I shrug and start my trek up the stairs.

“Conrad.” I hear Aurora call up the steps. Turning, I look down the stairs, giving her my attention. “She’s lucky to have you.”

“I’m the lucky one.” Turning back around, I manage to turn the knob and open the door without dropping any of the bags. Setting them on the small kitchen table, I begin to unpack them. First things first, I grab the medicine, the tissues, the cough drops, the vapor rub, and a bottle of water, and head back to her room.

“What’s all of that?” Aspen asks weakly when I enter her room.

I kneel at the side of her bed. “Can you sit up for me? You need to take some medicine.”

She groans and coughs a deep barky cough but manages to sit up. I hand her two tablets and the bottle of water, and she takes them without complaint. “Now, cough drop?”

“Yes. Thank you.” She unwraps it, then pops it into her mouth.

“This will help with the congestion. You can put it under your nose and on your chest. That’s what the pharmacist told me. My mom used this stuff on us when we were kids, and it’s a miracle worker. It smells bad, but it works.”

“We used that too.”

“Do you want me to put some on you?”

“Please.” She nods and eases back down on her mound of pillows.

After opening the jar, I place a tiny bit on the tip of my index finger