Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 103918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 520(@200wpm)___ 416(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103918 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 520(@200wpm)___ 416(@250wpm)___ 346(@300wpm)
"How are you feeling?" I finally found the wherewithal to ask.
"Tired," he admitted.
"Yeah," I responded. "You're going to feel that way for a while." When I found myself doing the weird staring thing again, I said, "How about I go look for something for you to eat?"
I didn't wait for Lex to respond because I was already on my feet. As I made my way back to the kitchen, I glanced over my shoulder to see Brewer nudging Lex's hands with his nose. Lex pulled his hands back at first, but then tentatively reached forward. My dog was a smart cookie and learned things quickly, so this time he waited for Lex to come to him and when he did, Brewer didn't move. That seemed to give Lex the courage to run his hand over the top of Brewer's head. My dog's tail flipped happily back and forth as he reveled in Lex's touch. I nearly stumbled when I realized I was actually jealous of my own dog.
What the hell is wrong with me?
I sought sanctuary in the small kitchen and took several minutes to find Lex something to eat. I settled for a granola bar I found in the cupboard. I also grabbed the orange juice container and a bottle of water before returning to the living room. Brewer had his head completely on Lex's lap. The husky was in seventh heaven as Lex's long fingers stroked over his soft fur. I found myself standing at the end of the couch staring at the pair. Why in the world was I wishing I could somehow trade places with my damn dog?
Lex looked my way, which got me moving. "I've got some OJ and some water," I mumbled. "Which do you want?"
"The water, please," Lex responded.
I stepped toward him and said, "I'd like to test your blood sugar again. If it's still low, you can drink some more juice and that should help get it up."
Lex nodded. I handed him the bottle of water but he didn't reach for it. "Here you go," I said. I had no particular desire to get too close to him until I figured out what the hell was going on with me. Something about the guy clearly just rubbed me the wrong way. While I was glad I'd been there to help him out, I was eager to get out of there so I wouldn't have to dwell on why it was so damn hard to keep my feet rooted in the same spot.
I was so caught up in my own thoughts that it took me a moment to notice Lex's hesitation to reach for the bottle I'd extended to him. I stepped closer, thinking he couldn't reach it, but then he stuck his hand out straight in front of him.
Problem was, I wasn't in front of him. I was a good two feet to his right. But his hand made no move in my direction or that of the water bottle. Heat traveled along my nerve endings as the ugly truth settled in my bones. I stepped forward and made sure to put the bottle of water in Lex's hand. He took it and murmured what I assumed was his thanks. I didn't want to believe what my mind was telling me, so I extended the granola bar and said, "Here's a granola bar. Should help you get your strength back and stabilize your blood sugar."
This time, I stood directly in front of Lex. But just like before, when he reached for the snack, his hand came nowhere near it.
It took every ounce of self-discipline I had to not make a sound. I placed the granola bar in Lex's hand and then stumbled over my next words. "I'm just going to go check the generator. I'll be back in a sec." I turned away before even giving Lex a chance to respond. I was sure he murmured something that sounded like "Okay," but I just kept moving because I was in too much of a state of shock to do anything else.
The truth hit me like a ton of bricks when I stepped outside. A cornucopia of emotions ran through me all at once. Surprise, pity, shock, and ultimately, sadness. The first three emotions made sense because anyone making the discovery I'd just made would feel the same. But the sadness I was feeling was so much more than that. It was bone-deep regret for the man inside the little building. The man who was not only dealing with a terrible disease with lifelong consequences, but who was also condemned to do it in the solitude that came with being blind.
I was on autopilot as I got the generator going, though I wished I wasn’t because it meant all my thoughts were on Lex and his situation. I wanted to ask him what he’d been thinking coming to a place like Fisher Cove with no one to support him, but it wasn’t my place. But I also knew I couldn’t just walk away from him. As I re-entered the cabin, I began preparing my argument for why the man should just go back to wherever he’d come from but as soon as I reached the living room and saw Lex lying on the couch with eyes closed and a soft snore falling from his lips, I knew I wouldn’t be making any speeches about being reasonable. Instead, I moved back to the couch and sat down next to his hip so I could test his blood sugar again. It was stable enough that I knew I could leave him and he’d be okay.