Dance for Me

Chapter Ten

"You didn't have to do this." Annie steps back to allow me inside her apartment.

When she texted me early this morning telling me not to wait for her before class, I panicked. The idea of going in alone gave me hives. So I did the only thing I could think of—ransacked the kitchen cabinets for a can of Campbell's Chicken Noodle and showed up on her doorstep an hour later, fully prepared to play nursemaid.

"You're sick. I bring soup." Heading straight for the kitchen, I pour the chicken noodle soup from the container into a soup cup made by the same company, nuke it in the microwave, and return to the living room where I find her curled up in a corner of the couch. "You look like death warmed over," I say as I hand her the bowl.

She looks at it with a mix of longing and repulsion, and then takes a tiny sip. "Campbell's, Joe? You shouldn't have." The mirth in her eyes gives me a chuckle.

"It's double noodle, too," I point out as I take a careful seat across from her. After spending the night with Ransom, it's a miracle I can even walk. I count my blessings, because that man is unequaled when it comes to his skills in the sack.

After taking a couple more bites, she sighs, sets the bowl on the table, and curls back under the blanket draped around her shoulders.

"So, what's going on with you? Flu? Bad breakup?" I ask hopefully. I haven't forgotten about Jason's inability to show up at the bar last week, and I am holding firm to my conviction that she needs to drop him on his ass, and fast.

Annie rolls her eyes. "You wish."

"I really do."

"It's complicated," she says softly, then burrows deeper into her blanket.

"What's complicated about saying 'Hey, we should see other people'? The guy is a douche. Do you have any idea how many guys at school would kill to go on a date with you?"

I'm not even exaggerating. Annie is the kind of girl that sparks men's primal instincts. She's got that whole cute and innocent vibe about her. Hell, most days, even I want to wrap my arms around her and shelter her from the world.

"It just is, Joe, and I don't really want to talk about it right now. What's up with you?" she asks, changing the subject. I let her, only because I don't want to fight when she clearly needs her rest. "Don't think I didn't notice you limping in here."

Shit. I thought I had done a pretty decent job of masking the Quasimodo routine. That's what I get for letting Ransom use me so hard last night. My only solace comes from knowing that I used him just as hard. With any luck, he's feeling it too this morning. I scoff, waving her comment off. "I was not limping. I just strained a muscle is all."

"Mmm hmm. Let me guess, yoga really kicked your ass this morning?"

Not yoga, I think to myself. I can tell by her amused expression that she isn't buying my excuse. She's always been able to see right through me, so I don't even know why I bother trying to lie.

I feel a sudden wave of doubt slam into me. She doesn't have it together any more than I do, but I still consider asking her for advice. It's selfish of me, and yet, maybe it will make her feel better to focus on something other than her screwed up love life.

"Annie..." I hesitate. How to form this question? "Assume you know someone who is involved with someone that they probably shouldn't be."

Perking up, I now have her full attention. "Is this someone I know?"

"Purely hypothetical."

She purses her lips. "Okay, I have no idea who these fictional people are, but they're in a relationship?"