The Seacroft: a love story (Paines Creek Beach Book 2) by Aaron Paul Lazar Page A

part—while he dozed and woke repeatedly. He felt cooler now, and his cheeks showed more color.
    “How about a little soup? Think you could handle that?”
    He tried to sit up and opened one eye. “I’d rather clean up first. I feel so gross.”
    “You’re still weak, Cody. How about I bring you a damp towel? We can give you a little sponge bath in bed.”
    He closed his eyes again and flopped back on the pillows. “Okay.”
    She took two clean facecloths from the bathroom, wetted both with warm water and one with soap, and brought them along with a dry bath towel into the bedroom. “Here we go.”
    Memories of her brother lying in bed flooded back to her, and it was all she could do to keep from crying. She was thankful that Cody was so out of it, and busied herself wiping down his face, chest, arms, and legs. It wasn’t his whole body, but she didn’t want to overstep her bounds.
    Suddenly, he clutched one of her hands. “Thank you,” he murmured, as if she’d just saved his life.
    “Would you like to brush your teeth?” she asked. “I can bring you a basin.”
    He shook his head. “Can you help me to the bathroom? I’d rather do it there.”
    It took them ten minutes to get him sitting up so the room didn’t spin, and to shuffle across the floorboards to the bathroom. She set him up with his toothbrush with toothpaste already squeezed onto it, and left the room to give him a little privacy when he indicated he needed to urinate.
    “You okay in there?” she asked when he’d been quiet for a minute.
    No answer.
    She gently opened the door, and found him sitting on the closed toilet seat leaning against the wall. He’d fallen asleep again.
    “Come on, big guy.” Slowly, they walked back to his room, and she gently lowered him onto the fresh sheets.
    “Thank you,” he said again.
    She leaned over to kiss his forehead, without realizing what she was doing. He smiled, and she relaxed. He wouldn’t take it the wrong way. It just seemed like the thing to do.
    “I’m going to throw your stuff in the wash,” she said, gathering up everything, including the comforter. “I’ll bring back a clean blanket for you, and whatever else you need. Back in a jiffy.”
    “Mmmff.” His head lolled to the side and he began to breathe regularly.
    She covered him with a sheet, smiled at her patient, and quietly backed out of the room.  

Chapter 15
     
    Cody woke in his bed, inhaling the aroma of outdoors on his pillow. It reminded him of his childhood, when his mother would hang the sheets on the clothesline. He loved that smell. Rolling over, he pulled the covers higher and suddenly frowned.
    Wait a minute. How did the sheets get changed?
    It came to him in a flash.
    Vivian.
    That sweet girl had been tending to him all day. He heard rummaging in the kitchen, the clang of a pan, and running water.
    “Viv?” he said, propping himself up on his pillows. “Is that you?”
    She poked her head into the doorway with a smile. “It’s not the Easter Bunny.”
    He choked a hoarse laugh, groaned, and grabbed his ribs, flopping back on the bed. “Oh. Please. Don’t make me laugh.”
    “I’m sorry.” She walked to his side and fussed with the bedclothes. “Your soup is ready when you are. Just give me the heads up and it’ll be hot in a few minutes.”
    “Wow. I don’t deserve this,” he said, watching her move skillfully around the bed to tuck in the corners. “Why are you so good to me?” The room seemed to swim, but he tried to stay focused.
    “I couldn’t let you die in here. You were a wreck, Cody.”
    He chuckled again, wincing. “Ow. That hurt. But you’re right about one thing. I felt like I was gonna die. For real.”
    “Your fever’s down a bit,” she said, leaning over to lay her hand over his forehead. “I think the Tylenol helped.”
    “My throat’s so dry,” he said, reaching for his glass of Sprite.
    She grabbed it and brought it to his lips before his quaking hand could achieve the