CHAPTER SEVEN
Georgia stepped into Deanna’s room and found her face down on her mattress, bundled beneath the covers. She must’ve heard her come in, because she rolled over to face her.
“Jeez, you still look like shit. You’re not feeling any better?”
“Not at all, but thanks for that.” Her voice was weak and her coloring remained sallow.
“I’m sorry. You know that’s not what I meant.”
“I know,” her friend groaned.
Georgia stepped forward to approach the bed, but her friend raised her hand.
“Stay there. Trust me. You do not want this.”
Georgia laughed. “Is that why Lucky’s been on the couch the past couple of nights? Thought maybe he was in the doghouse.”
“I made him sleep there. I’ll feel terrible if he catches it.”
Deanna was being put through the wringer with this virus. Georgia felt awful for her friend and wished there was something more she could do to help.
“I’m off to my interview. Is there anything I can bring you before I go?”
She shook her head. “Not unless you know of some alien technology where you can harvest a new body for me to use for the next few days until I’m feeling better.”
“Sorry. I’m rusty on my alien technology.” She laughed. “You sure you don’t need anything? Meds, a bowl of soup, anything?”
“No. Honestly, I’m fine right now. I feel bad, though, that you’re here in part to visit me and I’ve been holed up in bed.”
“Don’t you dare apologize. It’s not like you planned this or even wanted to be sick. Besides, it’s given me a good chance to explore the town on my own, get a feel for things, see what Hope Falls has to offer.”
“What did you end up doing yesterday?”
Deanna had already been asleep when Georgia had arrived home last night, even though it had still been early. She wasn’t sure how much to tell her friend about her time with Everett. Should she mention running into him at all?
“I went skiing over at Mountain Ridge. Well, correction—I attempted to go skiing at Mountain Ridge.”
Deanna let a small chuckle escape and then grimaced. The poor thing couldn’t even laugh without suffering.
“Did you see Everett?”
Does she know something? Why would she ask that? She didn’t want to lie to her friend, so she opted for a vague recollection of the truth instead.
“I ran into him. He helped me make it to the bottom in one piece.”
“I’m glad he was there to help you. What did you do afterward?”
Georgia shifted on her feet. “Um…Everett was nice enough to make me some hot chocolate to warm me up before I went on my way. No biggie.” She shrugged, hoping it would help pull off the it’s-no-big-deal vibe she was going for.
Deanna’s eyes narrowed slightly, so she wasn’t sure she was successful.
Before her friend could continue with her interrogation, she blurted out, “I’m going to stop by Lucky’s gym for a workout after my interview, but I’ll be back after that. If you want me to stop and bring anything back, text me.”
Deanna studied her for a moment. “Will do. Good luck today.”
“Thanks. Let’s hope some of Lucky’s essence has rubbed off on me while I’m here and I land the job. Of course, you share a bed with the guy, and based on what you’re dealing with right now, it doesn’t really seem to have worked out for you.”
Deanna weakly tossed a pillow at her. It fell no more than a few feet from the bed.
“See what I mean?” Georgia said, laughing as she exited the room.
Relief didn’t set in until she’d reached her car and closed the door. That was close. She’d almost been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Or in Everett’s drawers, to be more precise. But that hadn’t happened yet. Wait, no… That wasn’t going to happen. Ever.
Right?
She sighed and dropped her head to the steering wheel.
How would her friend feel if she knew she’d made out with her cousin? Georgia couldn’t say, but she’d rather not find out. She was hoping to start over in Hope Falls, and making a mess of things and tangling herself up in a complicated situation was not the fresh start she needed.
True, she was more attracted to Everett than she could remember being to a man—ever. Regardless, nothing could ever happen between them. From now on, she had to limit her time with him because she couldn’t be trusted to do the right thing where he was concerned.
Operation: Avoid Everett was a go.