Hope on the Rocks by Annabeth Albert

Twenty-Nine

Adam

“You’re going to hate me.” It wasn’t the best opening for a phone call, but it was all I had.

“I could never hate you.” Quinn’s voice was sunny, matching the too-bright glow of that Sunday afternoon. Thanks to the doctor whom he’d covered for on Wednesday, he had his first day off after working a bunch of days in a row. He deserved to be in a good mood, and I could tell from the soft clinking noises that he was likely already cooking.

Damn it. Now I felt even worse. “Ha. Don’t be so sure. I’ve got to take a rain check. Again. I know.”

I’d offered to take the evening off as well so we could have some time together, and I’d been truly looking forward to Quinn’s cooking, mountain of vegetables and all.

“It’s fine.” Quinn’s tone didn’t lose much brightness, which perversely made me feel worse, not better. “What’s up? More babysitting?”

His voice took on a cautious edge, same as it did every time the subject got too close to Ramona the past few days. I was frustrated at the lack of information, but I wasn’t such a jackass that I didn’t understand confidentiality. Me wishing my sister would tell me what the heck was going on wasn’t a reason for him to chuck his professional code of ethics. And something was going on, that much was clear. Ramona had been unusually evasive in addition to still seeming run down, and Quinn was too damn tense at every mention of her for it to be nothing.

“No, nothing to do with Teddy. Or Ramona.” I groaned and stretched my legs out in front of me, trying to find a position on the couch where it didn’t hurt so much to think. “My head. I must have screwed up taking the prevention med.”

“Or maybe you’ve been pushing yourself a little too hard.” His tone was kind rather than pointed, but I still felt the pinch.

“Probably that too. Damn it.” Head throbbing, I punched the throw pillow next to me. “I hate this. There’s too much that needs doing. Not enough hours in the day.”

“I feel that. And don’t feel like I’m another item on your list. I’m okay with the reschedule.”

“Thanks.” Maybe he was okay, but I wasn’t. He’d been distant ever since I’d brought Ramona to urgent care, and I’d been looking forward to reconnecting on multiple levels. Late-night visits and calls could only take us so far. I needed to kiss him, cut through all the tension and remind both of us how good we were together. Except now my body wasn’t cooperating, so the kissing would have to wait that much longer.

“What do you need tonight though?” Quinn asked. The metal clinking noises had switched to chopping sounds, each one making my skull hurt, but I liked his soft concern too much to end the conversation yet.

“Not sure.”

“Have you taken your rescue med already?”

“I’m out of the med.” I briefly considered lying, but that was a shitty precedent to set. Quinn deserved my honesty, even if I was more than a little mad at myself. “I was waiting to get a refill when I refilled the prevention med, and then I finally remembered to call both of them in only to forget to pick them up.”

“Which pharmacy? Here in town? They close early on Sundays, but I think they’re open a little longer.”

“Yeah. But I’ll cope with over-the-counter stuff. My vision is doing typical migraine funky things. Probably shouldn’t drive.” I put an arm over my face, blocking most of the light, but the aura I’d had most of the day persisted.

“That’s smart. Don’t drive. I’ll pick it up for you.”

“You don’t have to do that,” I protested. I wasn’t surprised he offered, but I couldn’t keep letting him do favors for me. “You’ve helped so much lately.”

“And I like helping, Daddy.” Quinn was all playful, but I wasn’t sure I was worthy of the title after the last week with all the rescheduling and tension.

“I’m doing a crap job as Daddy. I should be taking care of you, not the other way around. Damn it. I really wanted to give you some quality Daddy time tonight.” My voice was borderline whiny, but I was legit worried. He’d wanted a summer adventure, a chance to explore his kinky fantasies. If I couldn’t be Daddy for him, would he have enough incentive to keep me around longer like I wanted?

“I know you wanted the time together,” Quinn soothed. The sound of keys rattling said he was already getting ready to leave. “You’re a good Daddy. We don’t have to be rattling the bed frame for me to enjoy being around you. I liked our movie time with Teddy the other night, and I like taking care of you when you need me. Let me help. I’ll pick up your meds and bring them by, along with some of the food I made for when your stomach lets you eat.”

“Thanks.” I wasn’t stupid enough to turn Quinn down. “I’m going to unlock the side door by the kitchen in case I fall asleep here.”

“You lay down. Rest. I’ll let myself in.”

I ended the call with a promise to rest, then went and unlocked the kitchen door. Shortly after I darkened the lights in the bedroom and stretched out on the bed, my front bell sounded.

Damn it. No rest. I hobbled my way to the front hall, where I discovered my mom waiting on the front stoop.

“Mom? Everything okay?” Slightly dazed, I let her into the house and went to sit on the couch before I toppled over.

“I called your cell. You didn’t answer, but I saw your truck in the drive, so I decided to walk over.” Reasonable enough, and something she’d done plenty of other times, but a chilly breeze still seemed to accompany her into the living room and the hair on my arms prickled.

“Sorry. I was resting.” Sighing, I touched my pounding head.

“Oh, sweetie. I didn’t know.” Sitting down next to me on the couch, she rubbed my arm. “Your head?”

“It’s fine.”

“You don’t look fine. I can go—”

“You’re here now. What’s up?” I asked, praying it wasn’t some emergency repair job that needed me to be functional.

“It’s Ramona.”