Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 95756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
“What? You can’t ground me.” She looked from Doc to Clint. “Can he?”
“He’s Doc. Of course he can, if he thinks that’s what’s best for your health.”
“What does being grounded mean?” she asked. It was a first for her, surprisingly.
“It means you’re not leaving the house,” Doc told her, pointing at her. “You’re staying in bed for at least two days. I will visit again then to reassess. It means no phone. No computer. You can watch T.V. or read if you’re bored. But I want daily naps.”
She was expected to not only lie around in bed but be able to nap and sleep? What the hell? And she could watch T.V. or read? She was going to go insane. She had so much to do. She needed her phone. She had things to organize. And her bridal shower was in four days.
“I can’t do that,” she croaked. “The wedding is in ten days. I don’t have time to lie around in bed.”
“You’re doing what Doc says, Charlotte,” Clint told her firmly.
“But…at least…can’t I have my phone? I can do most of it from bed if I have my phone.”
“Nope,” Doc said. “I want total rest. You’re grounded because you haven’t been taking care of your health. If you’d told Clint that you were feeling dizzy or tired or ill then I would have just prescribed some vitamins and rest. But since I know you would keep going until you collapsed again, you’re grounded.”
“This isn’t fair. How am I supposed to get anything done? There’s still so much to do. I can’t manage it all if I don’t…have…access…” She suddenly found it harder to take in a breath. Her throat tightened, the room spinning dizzily.
“Whoa, little darling. It’s all right. Don’t panic. Hey. It’s okay.” Clint moved around on the bed so he was facing her, he took her hands in his. She felt so small. His big hands dwarfed hers.
“Calm down. Everything will be okay.”
“It won’t…it won’t be. It will all be a mess. I’ve got so much to do. I don’t…I don’t…”
“Easy. Just breathe. Just breathe, Charlotte.”
“Nice deep breaths, Charlie,” Doc coaxed calmly. “In. One. Two. Out. One. Two. That’s it.”
“Good girl,” Clint added, his gaze steady on hers. “I’m here. You’re fine. There’s no need to panic.”
Her breaths started to come more easily and the room steadied. A wave of exhaustion washed through her and she slumped back against the pillows behind her.
“Everything will work out all right, little darling,” Clint reassured her.
“How? How will I get it all done?”
“You won’t,” he told her simply. “I will.”
“What?” She gaped at him. What was he trying to say?
“I’ll take over organizing everything. Write me a list with details and I’ll do it all.”
“But you don’t even want any of this! You don’t even want the wedding!”
Clint reared back at her words.
Behind him, he heard Doc clear his throat. “I’ll get going. I haven’t brought any suppositories with me. I’ll bring some down. I’ll also grab some of the nutritional shake that Caley takes. Might be a good idea for Charlie to have it as well. Especially if her throat gets sore and makes it harder for her to eat.”
“Thanks, Doc,” Clint said quietly. He stared at Charlie, who was watching him with wide eyes. Tears welled and she blinked. They dripped down her pale cheeks, nearly breaking his heart.
“Little darling, what are you talking about? What do you mean, I don’t want this wedding?”
“I overheard you talking to Kent,” she told him with a sniffle. She reached up to wipe at her cheeks and he grabbed a couple of tissues from the bedside table, wiping her cheeks. “I know I shouldn’t have been listening. I just wanted to catch a peek of you in your suit. I heard you tell him how we should just elope. That you didn’t want any of this. Clint, I’m so sorry.”
He stared down at her then gathered her onto his lap as she started to sob in earnest. Shit. She’d heard him say that? He hadn’t really meant it. Well, he sort of had. But he’d never have said it had he known she was there. She knew better than to eavesdrop in on conversations. Part of him wanted to scold her. The other part wanted to get down on his knees and apologize for making her feel like he didn’t want this.
Damn it. He’d fucked up.
He rubbed her back. But her tears didn’t slow. Poor little darling.
“Charlotte, I need you to stop crying now. Come on, this isn’t good for you.”
No response. He knew her reaction was partly due to exhaustion. She’d worn herself out. He should have seen it before now. Bear had warned him. Fuck, could he have messed this up anymore?
How to get her to stop and listen, though? Well, he could think of one way. And it was probably something they both needed right now. For him to take control.