Don't Call Me Sweetheart

by Codi Gary

  He’d texted Marley this morning about sneaking out on him last night, and she teased that she’d be happy to make it up to him later.

  He decided to make later a little sooner by taking her to lunch.

  A curvy brunette in a black and white striped dress came down the long hallway to the right. “Can I help you?”

  “Yeah, I’m looking for Marley Stevenson.”

  “And who might I say is asking?”

  “Luke Jessup.”

  Her brown eyes widened and she snapped her fingers. “Oh! You’re the best man for the Harwood/Star wedding.”

  That was a weird way to say it. Maybe Sonora had hired Something Borrowed to help with the wedding details. Or Marley had mentioned him.

  That last thought brought a wide grin to his face. “Yes, I am.”

  “Hang on.”

  She hurried out of the lobby and Luke frowned. Was it just him or did she look a little panicked?

  His suspicions were confirmed when Marley practically skidded into the lobby, looking drawn and pale.

  When she grabbed his arm, and started pulling him toward the door, he was completely baffled.

  “Hi, what are you doing here?” she asked.

  “I thought I’d take you to lunch—”

  “Sounds good, let’s go.”

  Luke wasn’t a fan of being dragged around, or made to feel like he was an embarrassment, so he dug in his heels. “If I’ve come at a bad time, I can stop by later.”

  Rylie stood off to the side, watching them with slack-jawed surprise.

  Marley shook her head vehemently. “No! I mean, now is fine. Let’s just talk out here.”

  They walked outside and down the street before Luke finally got a reign on his temper and could speak. “Seriously, Marley, what the fuck is going on?”

  “Nothing—”

  “Bullshit it’s nothing! You just shoved me out of your work like you didn’t want anyone to see me. At first, I thought this whole will she-won’t she, sneaking around drama was cute, but enough is enough. Now, what is up?”

  Marley was biting her lip so hard the area around her teeth went white. Finally, she took a deep breath. “I can’t. After the wedding, if we’re still a thing, I can tell you, but until then, I just need you to trust me.”

  Luke shook his head. He wanted like hell to accept that she had a good reason for all of this, but it was exhausting. He liked her. He wanted to be able to enjoy time with her, take her to lunch and dinner and not have to stress about someone seeing them or the town talking or whatever her trip was.

  He needed a break.

  Handing her the flowers, he said, “Sorry, but I’m suddenly not hungry.”

  “Luke, please…”

  “Unless the next words out of your mouth amount to a reasonable explanation, don’t bother.”

  Her mouth snapped closed and with a heavy sigh, he got into his car and drove. After the fair and last night, the way they talked about dates, he actually thought they were just playing at sneaking around. That they were finally taking a step in the right direction.

  Clearly he’d been wrong. There were three weeks left until the wedding. Did he give her the benefit of the doubt and see what she had to say after the ceremony? Or just try to distance himself and hope he could resist her?

  When no sign appeared, he groaned.

  Why was it so hard for the universe to give him a straight answer?

  Chapter 15

  Two Saturdays later, Marley felt like a tractor had run over her head several times and her brain was exposed to an ice pick wielding maniac. God, she hated summer colds. They were always so much worse than winter colds. She’d had the chills for a day and a half, a 101.2 fever, and her nose would not stop oozing. God forbid she sneeze; if she didn’t grab a tissue fast enough, it was like a missile of germs exploded from her nose and mouth.

  She should have known she was going to get something when one of the groomsman at the Vaughn wedding last Sunday had asked her to dance, then proceeded to sneeze the entire time.

  Allergies her great Aunt Petunia!

  Snuggling into her down comforter, she opened one eye when something gently nibbled at her hand. Butters watched her with dark brown eyes, his little nose twitching rapidly.

  “This is what we humans call a sick day, dude. That means that we sleep a lot and do not want to be disturbed until at least ten.”

  The stubborn bunny nudged her hand with his soft head, and his ears flicked forward, as if to say, no excuses, woman. Feed me.

  With a frustrated groan, Marley extracted herself from her cocoon, her head swimming and her nose dripping as she made her way to the bathroom first, and then the kitchen to feed the annoying beast.

  She’d just finished putting a kettle of water on when there was a knock at her front door. Kelly knew she was out sick today, and her mom would be at the diner by now. She wasn’t close enough to anyone else for them to stop by and see her.

  Marley walked across her dining room to the front door. She looked out of the peep hole and backed up with a gasp.

  Luke was standing on her door step, looking absolutely healthy and gorgeous, if a tad disproportionate thanks to the glass. They hadn’t talked since he’d taken off on her, and she’d been sure he was done with her.

  So what the hell was he doing here?

  Oh God, her teeth weren’t brushed and her hair was a mess and there was probably snot everywhere.

  “What are you doing here?” she hollered nasally through the door.

  “Checking up on you. Sonora said you were sick.”

  Marley snorted. When she’d told Sonora she felt like she was coming down with something, the other woman practically sprinted out of the room. She told Marley to get the hell out and get well before she came near her again because the last thing she needed was to catch something.

  As if Marley wanted to be sick.

  “Yes, I’m very contagious, so you should get out of here before you contract it.”

  “Just open the door, Marley, I’m not worried about getting sick.”

  A rush of wooziness overcame her and she pressed her hot forehead to the door. “Please, just go away. I don’t want you to see me like this.”

  “You have two choices. You can either let me in, or I’m going to sit out on this porch all day, singing your name until your neighbors call the cops.”

  Odious man, he probably would do that.

  “Fine, but I warned you.”

  She opened the door, and waved a hand. “Well, come on in.”

  As he stepped past, she noticed the two grocery bags and the bouquet of summer flowers in his hand.

  “What are those for?” she asked.

  He shook his head and held them out for her. “For you, dummy. To make you feel better. I remembered you telling me you liked bright colored flowers instead of roses because the roses always seemed depressed.”

  She’d told him that when Sonora had been ranting and raving a few weeks ago after Marley had suggested something other than white roses in her bouquet and centerpieces. Marley had backed off, and let her order what she wanted, but she was still convinced the wedding could use some more color.

  She tried to ignore the squeeze in her chest because he remembered something so obscure about her. “Thank you. They’re lovely.”

  “Good. Now, where can I set up?”

  “Set up?”

  “Yes, I brought all the provisions you need to kick this cold’s ass, along with some comfort items.” Luke headed for her kitchen without her permission, slowing a bit when he spotted Butters eating breakfast. “Whoa, you have a rabbit?”

  “Yeah.”

  “And he just runs around your house? Where does he shit?”

  “In his litter box. You can train rabbits, you know.”

/>   “Huh. Didn’t know that.” He set his bags on the counter and squatted down. “What’s up, bunny?”

  His voice had taken on a creepy, high quality and Marley cringed. “Don’t do that voice.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you sound like a serial killer.”

  To her astonishment, Butters hopped closer and butted Luke’s hand with his head, encouraging pets.

  “He seems to like it.”

  Suddenly too weak to stand anymore, she lay down on the couch. “Only because he is a whore.”

  “That’s not very nice thing to call this cute little guy.”

  “Why are you tormenting me?” she groaned. God, she was tired, and sore, and just wanted to sleep.

  When a cool hand pressed against her forehead, her eyes flew open. Luke leaned over her, a concerned look on his face.

  “You’re burning up. Have you taken any Tylenol?”

  “No, I hate cold medicine. It makes me feel drunk.”

  “Where’s your thermometer?”

  “In the pink basket in the kitchen cupboard on the far end.”

  He left her in peace for a few minutes, and came back, pressing the tip of the thermometer to her lips. “Hold this under your tongue.”

  “I’m not a child.”

  “You act like it.”

  “And your bedside manner sucks.”

  He gave her a dark scowl and she stuck the tip under her tongue, shooting daggers at him as she closed her lips around it. When it beeped, he snatched it from her and his expression darkened.

  “Damn. 103.2.” He stood up, and pointed his finger at her. “I’m getting you some medicine, and you’re going to take it. Then, I’m carrying you back to bed to sleep, and I better not hear any arguing.”

  “I was trying to sleep when my demon bunny woke me up, and then you knocked on my door and—”

  He covered her mouth with his hand. “I don’t want to hear excuses.”

  Her eyes arrowed when she saw his mouth twitch, as if he wanted to smile. When he removed his hand, she said, “You’re enjoying having me at your mercy, aren’t you?”

  “How can you say that about me? I am selflessly sacrificing my own health to care for you in your time of need. I’m a hero.”

  “Ha! You just want me in your debt.”

  “Nothing so nefarious. I figured you needed somebody to take care of you.”

  Marley closed her eyes again, his words hitting her hard. When she moved to New York, her mom would be across the country, and so would her friends. The people who had known her all of her life. She would truly be alone for the first time.

  Maybe it was the fever, but it sounded really lonely now.

  Luke sat on the couch next to her. “Okay, I’m gonna need you to sit up and take this.”

  Opening her eyes suspiciously, she saw him holding out a handful of pills and a glass of water. “What’s that?”

  “Tylenol, just the regular kind, Echinacea, barley green, and elder berry zinc. My mom used to give it to me when I got sick.”

  “You want me to take all those pills? There’s like thirteen of them.”

  “Don’t be a wuss. I’ve seen you take bigger bites when you eat.”

  Well, that was a tad insulting, but she still took the pills from him, tossing two into her mouth at a time and swallowing them down with the water he offered. When she finished, she opened her mouth wide, as if to show him she really swallowed and then snapped it closed. “Happy?”

  “Yes.” He set the glass down on the end table behind her and without preamble, lifted her up into his arms. She turned her face away, conscious of the fact that her breath probably smelled atrocious, and laid her head against his solid chest.

  “I hate being sick.”

  “I don’t know very many people that like it.”

  “It makes me feel weak.”

  He squeezed her to him. “Which way?”

  “My room is past the kitchen. It’s just a one bedroom.”

  Before he lay her down on her bed, she mumbled a half-hearted thank-you.

  “If you really don’t want me here, I can go,” he said.

  Embarrassed for acting like a brat, she put a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry. I’m just so used to taking care of myself and everyone else I don’t know how to let someone do it for me.”

  “Maybe because you don’t like to let your guard down and trust people.”

  “I’m not guarded.”

  He pulled the comforter up over her, giving her a dry look. “Really?”

  Too tired to argue, she sank back into her bed. “Fine, but who said I trusted you?”

  He raised one eyebrow at her with a smirk. “The fact that you let me in the front door, or that you took pills from me without double checking what they were. Just accept it. You like me and feel safe with me.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Without a doubt. If it had been Dustin Kent at the door, you would have ignored him and gone back to bed.”

  “He’s a douche.”

  Luke chuckled and the sound gooified her insides. “Agreed. Now, do you need anything else?”

  “Are you leaving?” Why did she sound so disappointed? He had walked away from her without giving her the benefit of the doubt.

  I don’t know. If our roles were reversed, I might not have stuck around this long.

  “I wasn’t planning to. I was just going to sit out in your living room and watch football.”

  “Oh…I have a TV in here.” Now why in the heck had she said that?

  Because I don’t want to be alone.

  He didn’t ask questions or tease her. “Where’s the remote?”

  “On the other night stand.”

  Luke kicked off his shoes and walked around to the other side. He didn’t get under the blanket with her, just fluffed the extra pillows and flicked on the TV. She liked that he kept the volume down, and when his hand reached out, rubbing over her sore back, she sighed.

  Her eyelids grew heavy to the sound of sports reporters and first and down, but before she drifted, she whispered, “Thanks, Luke.”

  “You’re welcome. Now sleep.”

  She did exactly that.

  * * * *

  Luke woke up to unfamiliar surroundings, his arms wrapped around another warm body…

  And shiny eyes in a furry face watching him from just a few inches away.

  Sitting up like a shot, he hollered, “What the fuck!”

  A flash of white streaked off the bed and out the door.

  “Was he watching you sleep? He does that. Total creeper.”

  Marley’s calm, sleepy voice brought everything back for him and he released a breathless laugh even as his heart threatened to pound out of his chest. “He scared the shit out of me.”

  “You get used to it,” she mumbled.

  Luke shook his head, wondering how anyone could get used to that.

  “Are you going to come back down here? I was all warm until you freaked out.”

  Luke realized she knew he’d been spooning her, and lay back down before she changed her mind, his heart racing for another reason. “How are you feeling?” His hand went up to feel her forehead and although she was still warm, she wasn’t burning up like before.

  “I’m still icky, but not as bad.” She took his hand from her forehead and laced her fingers through his, holding it around her waist in front of her stomach. “You’d make a pretty good doctor.”

  “Naw, I just had a good mom.”

  “Where is she now?”

  His throat lumped up. “Buried in a Texas cemetery.”

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s okay. I had her until I was twelve, so it’s been a while. It doesn’t hurt like it used to.”

  Marley was quiet f
or several moments and he thought she’d fallen back asleep.

  “It still hurts to think about Beth.”

  Luke was surprised she was willing to talk about her sister, considering how defensive she’d been before.

  “I think it always hurts, but it just hurts a little less.”

  “And the anger? Does that go away too?”

  Luke didn’t have a good answer. He’d spent many years angry, cursing God or fate or whatever was in control of their lives for taking his mom. When major life moments happened, he still wished she was there, but was that the same thing?

  “I think you’re always going to wish they were around.”

  “Yeah. After my dad died, Beth took so many pictures of the three of us. Even when she got sick, she was still snapping pictures and filling up photo albums. My mom and I hardly take pictures anymore.”

  He kissed the side of her neck. “I’m sorry.”

  “Thanks.” She hesitated, and he waited for what was coming. “I thought after last week you were done with me.”

  “Honestly, I thought I was too.” He paused, debating on how to continue. “But I figured if I’d been chasing you for four weeks, what’s three more?”

  “Gee, that’s sweet.”

  He squeezed her to him and placed his mouth next to her ear. “Besides, I’m really, really curious to figure out the secret.”

  Luke was afraid to push her too far and have her kick him out, so he asked, “Are you hungry?”

  “A little.”

  Luke sat up and swung his legs off the other side of the bed. “How does chicken noodle soup and a grilled cheese sound?”

  “Pretty good actually. My mom makes a great chicken noodle soup.”

  He stopped at the end of the bed and put his hand over her foot, shaking it with a grin. “I know. I went by the diner and asked her what you liked to eat when you’re sick. She hooked me up.”

  “Well, aren’t you spe—”

  A series of wet coughs exploded from her, and as she hacked and gagged, he backed up toward the door. “I’ll get you some water and warm up your food.”