Whiskey River, Drown my Soul

Chapter Forty-Eight

Steph was not doing well. Her leg was hurting something fierce, she was having difficulty getting around, and she was feeling guilty as hell that Steve felt like he had to take care of her.

She didn't get discharged from the hospital until one in the morning, and Steve staunchly refused to leave her alone. Try as she may, she couldn't dissuade him from staying, so he slept on her couch.

She was absolutely mortified.

Steve had called in to work the next day, giving a brief synopsis of what had transpired to his boss, who pushed him to take the rest of the week. The meaning behind that didn't go unnoticed by her. Clearly, Steve was a valued employee and didn't typically ask for time off, or that wouldn't have been his boss' response.

Steph hated to admit it, because of the situation Steve was wrapped up in, and because she hated to admit soft feelings of any sort, but she was sorta impressed by this man's character. She respected him, admired him, and possibly liked him.

She knew why, she knew how, but she was still surprised. She loathed men. Hated them. Despised them. Then she met LoLo and suddenly was seeing good guys everywhere.

She didn't buy it. Something had to be wrong with him.

Wait, yeah, there was. This towering blond sweetheart was married with four kids. That's what was wrong. The first decent guy she'd liked since Danny (who actually wasn't decent) was currently unavailable, possibly never available.

Story of my motherfuckin' life...

After she had used the bathroom, which roused Steve and set him off fretting about her not calling him for help when that's what he was there for, Steph had been lying in her bed staring at the ceiling for an hour. She was waiting for Danny to call her back so she could debrief, didn't feel like eating, and wasn't sure what to do that wouldn't make Steve hyper.

A light knock on her door alerted her to his presence.

"Come in", she called out.

"Are ya feelin' hungry at all?", Steve asked, opening the door slowly. "You should really eat somethin'. It's been a long time since ya ate".

He set a glass of juice on her nightstand then sat on the side of her bed, offering her a plate of steaming fried eggs, toast, and sausage links.

"I figured if ya had this stuff, you ate it", he said uncertainly, "but if you want your eggs done different, I can do that for ya real quick".

His blue-green eyes looked hopeful, his sweet face a little nervous. She could tell he was really hoping he had done the right thing and worried that he hadn't. Overall, the entire effect was so sweet and unexpected, Steph teared up before she caught herself.

Stuffing any and all feelings down deep where they wouldn't escape, she gave him a half smile and said quietly and haltingly, "This is...perfect. So thoughtful of you. I'm...very grateful. Thank you".

Steph took the plate from his massive hands, avoiding eye contact and blinking those tears into submission until her eyes cleared.

He reached into the front pocket of the security guard uniform he was still in from yesterday and pulled out a fork and napkin. He was really too cute for words.

She accepted those with another smile.

"You need anything else?", he asked. "Coffee? Pain killer?"

"Coffee yes, but no, I don't take that stuff. Throw it away. I will take some ibuprofen. I have those in the top drawer in the bathroom, if you don't mind?"