something.” She frowned at me, and I tried to smile. “Really, let’s just get through this night,” I begged.
I headed to the other side of the b ar where a group had gathered. I had just finished filling their drink order when I saw a familiar face walk in. My heart jumped, and I stared as I watched Lucas come in with the other two guys who had been with him and Garrett before. I waited to see if Garrett would walk through the door, but he wasn’t with them. Lucas looked over at me, and I gave him a small smile before turning around, feeling utterly defeated.
“Payt on?” Shelly looked concerned. I just shook my head.
“Hey , Payton.” Lucas was smiling at me. “Can I get three beers?”
“Sure, Lucas.” I grabbed the glasses and filled them, setting them down in front of him. He handed me his money and frowned at me.
“Are you okay?” I wasn’t okay. I felt like total crap, and to top it off, I was pissed at myself for getting my hopes up again with Garrett.
“Not really, I think I’ m getting a cold or something.” I smiled weakly as I gave him his change. “How are you?” I avoided asking about Garrett, even though my mind was screaming at me to do so.
“Not bad, I guess. Hey … I hope you feel better.” Lucas patted me on the hand before turning around to return to his friends.
“Thanks ,” I mumbled.
***
By ten thirty I felt like I’d been hit by a truck. My whole body ached, I had chills, and I was keeping up with the crowds—just barely, but I felt so damn bad that I was almost in tears.
I was re-stocking the beer cooler when I felt a hand on my shoulder. “Payton, honey, go home.” I turned around and saw Marie, the bar owner. She wasn’t here much, but she didn’t really need to be. Shelly ran a tight ship and managed the bar extremely well.
“Marie, what are you doing here?” I frowned, knowing something must be wrong if she came down on a Friday night.
“Shelly called me and told me you were sick , honey. She knew you wouldn’t leave if there wasn’t coverage, so I’m here now, and you need to go home, and don’t come in tomorrow or Sunday. I want you well, and I know you will push yourself until you can’t move if we let you.”
I coul dn’t even argue. I nodded and grabbed my bag from under the bar. “Thank you.” Marie smiled, and Shelly gave me a small wave as I headed to the door. Rob gave me a soft kiss on the cheek. “Get some rest, baby.” The tenderness from my friends almost had me in tears.
The cold air hit me , and I shivered as I pulled my jacket tight around me. I must be running a fever. I set out across the park, just willing myself to move forward. My legs felt so achy. The walk across the park took much longer than it should have, and by the time I reached my apartment I was so weak that I could hardly make it up the stairs. I threw the mail, unopened, onto the counter and headed straight for the bathroom. I managed to get myself in a hot shower to try to warm up, and then I crawled under the covers and fell into a restless sleep.
Chapter 8
“Next week, Jackson, I will come up.” Jackson had finally been able to call me. “How are you?”
“Okay. It was a bit rough the first few days.” He sounded better—stronger—somewhat like the brother I knew before.
“And now?”
“Not bad, Garrett, really.” He sounded very reassuring, and I felt relieved.
“Do you want me to bring you anything?”
“No. Wait, bring me a few Snicker bars.” I laughed. That was an easy request. I planned to throw together a nice junk food care package for him.
“You got it. I’ll see you next week. ”
“Garrett?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, little brother.”
I hung up the phone with a lump in my throat . I can’t remember ever telling Jackson that I loved him before. It hit me a little hard knowing that he was all I had left of my family. I would do anything for him.
I threw on my sweats and decided
I headed to the other side of the b ar where a group had gathered. I had just finished filling their drink order when I saw a familiar face walk in. My heart jumped, and I stared as I watched Lucas come in with the other two guys who had been with him and Garrett before. I waited to see if Garrett would walk through the door, but he wasn’t with them. Lucas looked over at me, and I gave him a small smile before turning around, feeling utterly defeated.
“Payt on?” Shelly looked concerned. I just shook my head.
“Hey , Payton.” Lucas was smiling at me. “Can I get three beers?”
“Sure, Lucas.” I grabbed the glasses and filled them, setting them down in front of him. He handed me his money and frowned at me.
“Are you okay?” I wasn’t okay. I felt like total crap, and to top it off, I was pissed at myself for getting my hopes up again with Garrett.
“Not really, I think I’ m getting a cold or something.” I smiled weakly as I gave him his change. “How are you?” I avoided asking about Garrett, even though my mind was screaming at me to do so.
“Not bad, I guess. Hey … I hope you feel better.” Lucas patted me on the hand before turning around to return to his friends.
“Thanks ,” I mumbled.
***
By ten thirty I felt like I’d been hit by a truck. My whole body ached, I had chills, and I was keeping up with the crowds—just barely, but I felt so damn bad that I was almost in tears.
I was re-stocking the beer cooler when I felt a hand on my shoulder. “Payton, honey, go home.” I turned around and saw Marie, the bar owner. She wasn’t here much, but she didn’t really need to be. Shelly ran a tight ship and managed the bar extremely well.
“Marie, what are you doing here?” I frowned, knowing something must be wrong if she came down on a Friday night.
“Shelly called me and told me you were sick , honey. She knew you wouldn’t leave if there wasn’t coverage, so I’m here now, and you need to go home, and don’t come in tomorrow or Sunday. I want you well, and I know you will push yourself until you can’t move if we let you.”
I coul dn’t even argue. I nodded and grabbed my bag from under the bar. “Thank you.” Marie smiled, and Shelly gave me a small wave as I headed to the door. Rob gave me a soft kiss on the cheek. “Get some rest, baby.” The tenderness from my friends almost had me in tears.
The cold air hit me , and I shivered as I pulled my jacket tight around me. I must be running a fever. I set out across the park, just willing myself to move forward. My legs felt so achy. The walk across the park took much longer than it should have, and by the time I reached my apartment I was so weak that I could hardly make it up the stairs. I threw the mail, unopened, onto the counter and headed straight for the bathroom. I managed to get myself in a hot shower to try to warm up, and then I crawled under the covers and fell into a restless sleep.
Chapter 8
“Next week, Jackson, I will come up.” Jackson had finally been able to call me. “How are you?”
“Okay. It was a bit rough the first few days.” He sounded better—stronger—somewhat like the brother I knew before.
“And now?”
“Not bad, Garrett, really.” He sounded very reassuring, and I felt relieved.
“Do you want me to bring you anything?”
“No. Wait, bring me a few Snicker bars.” I laughed. That was an easy request. I planned to throw together a nice junk food care package for him.
“You got it. I’ll see you next week. ”
“Garrett?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, little brother.”
I hung up the phone with a lump in my throat . I can’t remember ever telling Jackson that I loved him before. It hit me a little hard knowing that he was all I had left of my family. I would do anything for him.
I threw on my sweats and decided
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