Real Time by Jeanine Binder Page B

sensitive over. Steve had been sick about three weeks into the tour and Nick never said anything special to him about it. “You don’t have to come over here,” she tried again.
    “Kate.” That was all he said. Then as an afterthought, “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” And he disconnected their call.
    Since all she had done since coming home was sleep, Kate took a minute to put her suitcases in the bedroom and made sure her hair wasn’t standing straight up. She never liked being fussed over when she was sick – leave her alone and let it run its course. This was one of the negative perks of starting a relationship with a man who was used to things going his way. He was not going to be happy until everything was how he wanted it.
    Almost fifteen minutes exactly, the doorbell rang and Kate got up to let Nick inside. She had seen this look on his face before but last time it hadn’t been directed at her. She knew he was at the very least irritated. She watched him as he looked around her condo; she had floor to ceiling windows in the living room giving an excellent ocean view. She kept watching his expression as he took in the room, seeing it was starting to soften it some. She was not feeling well enough to deal with any of his hard moods.
    “Nice place,” he commented.
    Kate went back to the couch and pulled the blanket over her. “You didn’t have to come over here,” she repeated, feeling like a broken record. Only this time, she got a stern look as Nick turned to face her.
    “With anyone else, maybe,” he answered. “But not you. I wanted to see for myself you were ‘ fine ’ and you sure don’t look it to me, love.”
    “I’ll bet you don’t look glamorous when you’re sick,” she retorted.
    Nick started to laugh. “That’s my Kate. Are you sure you’ll be okay tomorrow?”
    Kate nodded. “I’ll be fine. Not like I have to sing any of it.”
    “True,” he agreed, sitting down beside her on the couch. “Promise you will tell me next time? I almost had a heart attack when I heard your voice and realized I hadn’t dialed a wrong number.”
    Kate laid her head on his shoulder. “I promise.”
    Nick put his arm around her. “You’re running a fever,” he said, concerned.
    “I took some stuff for it after you called. Just have to let it run its course.”
    “Doesn’t mean I have to like it, love,” he replied, tightening his arms to hold her close.
    * * *
    B y six the next morning everyone was gathered at the studio as scheduled. Kate didn’t feel much better than she did the day before; however, the dizziness was gone. She was hoping this would all go well so they could get out early and she could go back home and sleep. Nick had promised her yesterday they would try to lay her stuff down first so she could get out as fast as possible. And, as usual, things did not go so smoothly at first and it was after two before they got something Nick was happy with. The sound room played it into the studio for everyone to listen to and there were a lot of high fives and people cheering. The rest of the band started to file out of the studio and as Kate stood up, the dizziness was back. She put a hand on the stool to steady herself and started to take a step when the world went black. She fell to the floor.
    One of the sound guys yelled and the crowd came running back into the studio. Nick plowed his way to the front, trying to get to her. She was unconscious when he reached her and he scooped her up in his arms, taking her out into one of the waiting rooms where there was an overstuffed couch. Nick set her on it and tried to wake her up. Her eyes fluttered open and she went into a coughing fit as the panic of everyone there enveloped her. Nick motioned one of the public relations guys over and sent him up to his secretary to call the private doctor Nick used. If he wasn’t available, Nick would take her to the emergency room at the hospital, but he preferred to avoid that. Someone brought