morning and found you semiconscious, burning up with fever. She stayed with you all day and all night. To be honest, you might have ended up in the hospital if it weren’t for her. You’ve had it rough.”
“Damn.” It was the best response Case could summon, and the most articulate. With a sinking feeling in his stomach, he remembered someone helping him into and out of the bathroom. Mellie Winslow? Good Lord. “Where is she now?” he asked hoarsely.
“I sent her home so she could change clothes and get some rest.”
“Is she coming back?”
“I’d say that’s up to you. Mellie knows you like your privacy.”
Case winced. “Yeah, I guess she does.” He’d certainly hammered home that lesson when he hired her. “I don’t know why she stayed with me. I haven’t been exactly cordial.” In fact, he’d been a bit of a jerk the last time he saw her.
Parker shrugged. “I can hang around until midday. That gives you some time to think it over.”
* * *
By the time noon came and went, Case had managed a shower with only a little help, had consumed a modest breakfast and lunch, and had realized with no small dose of humility that he had a lot for which to be thankful. Maybe he could salve his conscience concerning Parker by writing another large check to the hospital. Parker got absolutely giddy when he talked about upgrading technology in the NICU.
But what about Mellie?
Parker was on the way out the door when his phone dinged. Case saw his buddy glance down and then look at him.
“What?” Case asked. “Who is it?”
“Mellie wants to know if she needs to come back. What should I tell her?” There was no judgment in Parker’s steady gaze.
“I barely know her,” Case muttered. “She’s not under any obligation to take care of me.”
“She’s a nice woman. You could do worse.”
“Nathan says Amanda will hunt me down and neuter me if I trifle with her friend.”
“Trifle?”
“You know. Play around with her.”
Parker shook his head in disgust. “I know what the word means. Are you tempted to trifle?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. She’s seen me at my worst.”
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“I’m pretty sure Mellie Winslow isn’t interested in my money.”
“We were talking about you and the flu. Have you changed the subject?”
Case leaned against the doorframe, his knees the consistency of spaghetti. “I need to get back in bed.”
“Yes, you do. Your color is lousy.”
“Tell her I’ll call her after I take a nap.”
“You sure?”
Case nodded. “Yeah. Maybe by then I’ll have had an epiphany.”
“Sounds painful.”
“Very funny.” Case held out his hand. “Thank you.”
Parker returned the handshake. “Glad I could help. If you get worse, don’t hesitate to call. Men make lousy patients. Being a hero in this situation is the worst thing you could do.”
“Duly noted.”
With Parker gone, the house was quiet again. Case stumbled back to his bedroom and fell facedown on the bed. Parker had made him swear to take medicine on schedule. Case intended to keep that promise, but first he had to sleep.
* * *
Mellie paced from one side of her smallish living room to the other. Dr. Reese had said that Case would be in touch. But Reese had contacted her right after lunch, and it was now almost five o’clock.
In the interim, she had put together a dish of homemade lasagna and baked that, along with some oatmeal cookies. The house smelled wonderful, but it looked as if she was going to be eating alone.
She could hardly expect Case to be grateful for her help. Men hated feeling vulnerable. Case probably loathed the realization that Mellie had played nurse. Besides, there was a chance he didn’t even remember her being there.
But Mellie remembered. Wow, did she. In the middle of the night when Case had finally stopped shivering and his temperature had moderated, she had relaxed enough to doze with him in her arms. She didn’t sleep deeply. But when she roused again and again to check on her patient’s condition, it had been a shock to find herself entwined with him in a quasi-intimate position.
Gradually, as the night waned, she’d felt something shift inside her. No matter how much she wanted to maintain boundaries for her own emotional protection, after this weekend she would never be able to look at Case the same way again.
The fact that he hadn’t called or even sent her a text this afternoon told her he wanted her to stay away. The loud silence hurt. Even though she thought she understood why he hadn’t made contact, her feelings were bruised. In truth, she might have to assign someone else to continue cleaning Case’s house. The situation was likely untenable.
Telling herself not to be maudlin and foolish, she wandered into the kitchen and found a paper plate and some plastic utensils. She was too tired to worry about cleaning up after herself, and since she had unloaded the dishwasher only an hour before, she didn’t want to make a mess.
She was moments away from scooping out a small serving of pasta when her phone made a quiet noise. Her heart pounding, she wiped her hands and glanced at the screen.
Are you busy?
It was Case.
No. Are you hungry?
She told herself she was only being a Good Samaritan. That she wasn’t throwing caution to the wind and launching herself willy-nilly into a situation that was wildly inappropriate. Feeding a neighbor in need was a Texas tradition.
Her phone buzzed again.
I’m starving.
I made lasagna. Would you like me to bring you some?
I don’t want to interrupt your evening.
She smiled in spite of herself.
It’s no trouble. See you soon.
Working rapidly, she covered the casserole dish and wrapped it in towels to keep it warm. The loaf of fresh bread from the bakery in town could be heated in Case’s microwave. Even if Dr. Reese had provided lunch for his friend, that was a long time ago. She didn’t want Case to wait any longer than necessary.
On the way out to the ranch, she lectured herself. Stay
