by Jeannie Moon
But the Gertie was only the half of it. Just as he was about to say something, Jordan, with her mussed hair and droopy eyes, smiled up at him. It was wide and warm, and her whole face lit up.
It was at that moment Nick realized he was toast.
*
When Jordan woke up, she was no longer in a blanket fort on the floor. She was tucked in her bed. And she had no idea how she got there.
That wasn’t true. Of course, Nick had put her back in bed, but she didn’t know when. Jordan had no recollection of being walked or carried anywhere. Which was proof she was still pretty sick.
She felt it too. Her chest wasn’t as tight, but she was so tired. And her entire body still hurt. Looking at the clock on her dresser, she could see it was past nine in the morning, but outside it was still gray and dark. It was like the end of days.
When was the storm going to end?
Jordan had been through her share of storms. Long Island was not immune to blizzards and hurricanes. However, it was the coastal storms, like this one, that tended to cause trouble every March.
But the last two days felt different. It was like the rain and wind had swallowed them whole. Moving to turn on her bedside light, she clicked the switch, and nothing happened.
She tried the other lamp. Nothing.
The power had gone out.
“It’s not going to work.” Nick was standing in her bedroom doorway.
“When did this happen?”
“Couple of hours ago. After all the trees had come down. It was dead quiet outside, and then pop. No power.”
“That figures. Why didn’t you wake me?” Jordan noticed Nick had donned a heavy blue sweatshirt.
“I figured you’d be fine under the covers, but it’s getting cold. We have to head over to the big house while there’s a break in the storm.”
A break? What was he saying? “It’s not over?”
“Not yet. Another system formed and we’re going to get hit again. It’s gotten cold though, so we’re probably looking at snow.”
Jordan pulled the covers over her head. “Ugh. Mother Nature hates us.”
Feeling the tug at the bedclothes, Nick yanked them down and pulled Jordan to her feet. “Come on. Even if she does, we have to go. The dog is packed up. Bowls, bed, toys, and kibble. I found a tote in your closet and packed your meds, hair goop, those elastic things… what else do you need?”
It took a second for what he said to sink in. “You went in my closet? And my bathroom cabinet?”
He was moving around the room at a good clip, unplugging chargers and collecting electronics. Jordan would have said something, but her brain was fuzzy, and Nick was a man on a mission. Until he opened her panty drawer. That got her attention.
“Whoa. Okay. Stop now.”
Nick closed the drawer and turned to face her. “Sorry. I want to get you settled in the big house, with heat, before the weather turns. Do you want me to grab a couple of those books?”
“I know, but slow down for a second. Let me grab my underwear. You can go in the other dresser and pull some pajamas, T-shirts and yoga pants. And socks. Thick ones.”
“Got it.” He opened a drawer and grabbed three pairs of pants and two hoodies. “How are you feeling?”
“Crappy. I’m so tired.” Climbing from bed was the last thing she wanted to do. The thought of going outside was almost driving her to tears. But he was right. She couldn’t stay, especially if it was going to snow.
“How much snow are they forecasting?”
“It’s vague right now, but I have a buddy from the Navy who works for the National Weather Service. He’s saying one to two feet.”
Jordan froze. “Feet?”
“Feet. Which means the power company won’t be able to get anyone out to fix the lines.” He stopped and thought. “I’d better take more clothes.”
Jordan was going to be there for a week. Jesus. She grabbed three more pairs of panties, thankful she’d done laundry two days ago.
Once her tote was packed, she sat on the edge of her bed and thought about how many things had gone wrong in the last year. With her father in hospice care, her broken engagement, her car, being so sick she could barely function, she had to wonder why the fates had it out for her.
She was lucky in so many ways. She had a job she loved, great friends, a wonderful place to live… but the other things were starting to pile up and wear on her. Jordan was just about at her breaking point.
Nick returned with her big parka, a hat, a scarf and her boots.
Crouching in front of her, he leveled his gaze. God, this man was gorgeous. From his strong body, to the gorgeous planes of his face, to his slightly crooked nose, he was the epitome of handsome. His hazel eyes were bright and knowing, but there was a little bit of sadness laced through the depths.
“I’m going to walk you and Gertie over first. Nona has a room all ready. Then I’ll come back, get all the bags, and once I get the house closed up, I’ll be there.”
“Okay.” She smiled weakly as Nick pulled the knit hat onto her head. “Thanks. I’m sure I look fantastic.”
He grinned, and her stomach quivered. “You look fine.”
He helped her on with her boots and coat, made sure she was totally bundled up, and then attached Gertie’s leash.
“You’re still weak, so lean on me, okay? It’s slippery.”
Jordan nodded and wondered how she was ever going to thank the Rinaldis for taking care of her like this. They’d been wonderful when her wedding was called off. Lina had brought her food for a week and let her know she could stay as a tenant for as long as she wanted, even though she’d given her notice. They hadn’t rented the cottage, and they were happy to have her stay. Just knowing she wouldn’t have to move was a relief. Now their grandson, who was movie star gorgeous, was her personal physician.
Stepping outside, with Nick’s arm securely around her waist, she took her first deep breath in days. She coughed, but it wasn’t crippling like the day before. It had gotten colder, though. There was a layer of ice forming on the wet ground, and she wondered how the few remaining trees would hold up under the weight of the snow.
Looking out toward the road, all she saw were uprooted or broken trees. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think a tornado tore through here.”
“That’s been floated as a possibility. There’s a house on the other side of my grandparents’ that was hit by a big maple. The family isn’t hurt, but the garage is trashed.”
A shiver ran through her body and Nick pulled his arm around her a little tighter.
“Almost there,” he said. “There’s a bed and warm comforter with your name on it.”
Listening to him talk about beds made Jordan’s poor sick insides tingle just a little bit. Was she so in need of a good tumble that nothing mattered? Not even pneumonia?
She had, indeed, hit rock bottom.
But she didn’t respond, only nodded, because she was terrified of what would come out of her mouth. Jordan could be snarky, and sometimes she was a little inappropriate. The last thing she needed to do was sass the guy who had pretty much saved her life.
Jesus. He’d saved her life.
That blew her mind more than a little bit.
Guiding her up the porch steps, Nick opened the door that led to the big mudroom. Lina rushed in from the kitchen to greet her. “You poor thing. Let me take your things.” Without much ceremony, Lina nudged Jordan onto a bench. While she wrestled off her coat and hat, Nick took off her boots. It was an odd scene—no, scratch odd—it was weird. The grandmother and grandson undressing her like a toddler was weird, but Jordan was just too tired to fight.
Lina Rinaldi was a true Italian matriarch. Just past eighty, she was as spry and active as women half her age. Maybe five-two, she was what Jordan would call comfortably curvy. Her long, jet black hair was streaked with silver, and twisted into a loose bun. But it was her eyes that told you all you needed to know about Lina—she was formidable.
/> Once her coat and boots had been stored, Lina took her by the hand and led her into the kitchen, where her husband, Angelo, was already making friends with Gertie.
“Lina, would you look at this little mooch of a dog? She already knows how to beg for biscotti.” Leaning over, he cooed. “You’re a funny looking little thing, but you’re smart.” He looked up and gave Jordan a good once-over. “Wow, you look like hell, kid.”
“Angelo,” Lina snapped. “Be nice. Can’t you see how sick she is?”
“Yes. I just said that.”
“No, you insulted her. Have some manners.”
“Jordan, were you insulted?” The older man grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
Before she could answer, Lina went to her husband and the bickering continued. They didn’t give one thought to the fact that she was standing in their kitchen in her rattiest pajamas, feeling like she was going to keel over. Nick came to the rescue again, putting his hands on her shoulders and guiding her toward the stairs.
“I love them both, but they’re insufferable,” Nick grumbled.
“Most of the time, I think it’s cute. But not today.”
“I get that. Let’s get you settled and I’ll go back and get your things.”
Gertie followed them through the house and up the stairs.
She loved the Rinaldis’ house. It was beautifully decorated, but it also held a special warmth you only found in family homes. The original frame house was built at the turn of the last century, and had been expanded over the years, adding wings and extensions. As the story went, Mrs. Rinaldi was so angry about their last son moving away ten years before, she had the house gutted and redone. She hired everyone herself, from the architect, the contractor, the plumber…everyone. One day, Angelo came home and found his house under construction.
Without missing a beat, she’d moved the two of them into the small cottage, and that’s where they stayed for nine months while the renovation went on.
The woman got shit done. At least, when she wasn’t arguing with her husband.
At the end of the hall, Nick opened a heavy paneled door and let Jordan walk into the guest suite.
It was beautiful. The walls were painted a soft gray green with bright white trim. Three large windows faced Jennings Bay, giving her spectacular views. With high ceilings, a stunning metal chandelier, and weathered wood furniture, Jordan couldn’t believe this wasn’t the master suite.
A large bed with an upholstered headboard dominated the room, and it was covered with an elegant paisley coverlet that coordinated with the color on the wall.
The final piece was the plush chaise sitting next to the windows. It was draped with a soft throw, and Jordan could have happily curled up right there. The room was beautiful.
Nick smiled. “Your bathroom is over here, if you want to… well, whatever. Um, the dresser is empty, so your clothes can go in there.”
Jordan fixed her eyes on his. “This is a beautiful room.”
“It’s all yours. I’m right down the hall.”
“I’m so tired,” she croaked. “Why am I so tired?”
“Pneumonia is debilitating, and deceiving. You’ll feel fine for a while, then you want to pass out. Give it time.”
Wanting to say more, Jordan found herself frozen in place. That’s when Nick took her by the shoulders and directed her to the bed.
All she could think was that if she weren’t sick, this scenario—Nick, her, and a big bed—would end with a lot of tangled body parts and heavy breathing. She could imagine it all too clearly. And that was why it was a good thing she was a hot mess of germs.
Her pneumonia was the only thing that kept her from doing something really stupid, like kissing him.
Nick tossed back the covers and when Jordan climbed in, she made the mistake of looking at him. God help her. When his hand brushed against hers, when she picked up his fresh scent, heat shot through her body, and Jordan knew it wasn’t her fever.
Chapter Three
When Jordan woke, the only thing she could see outside the window was white. The rain had been replaced by snow and based on the color of the sky and the way it was coming down, there was going to be a lot of it.
Acclimating herself to her surroundings, she sat up in the king-sized bed and wondered how long she’d been out. It was daylight, but she had no sense of time, or date. It felt like she’d been asleep for days.
Someone had plugged in her phone and tablet, and both sat on the nightstand fully charged. There was also a glass of water, and two new meds from the local pharmacy.
It seemed Dr. Rinaldi had called in a few prescriptions for her.
And picked them up.
Grabbing her phone, she looked at the time.
Eight thirty a.m.
That couldn’t have been right. They’d walked over about ten this morning.
She looked again.
Eight thirty-one a.m. No. That was impossible. Combing her memory, she had little flashes of awareness, most of them involving Nick. His hand warm on her back as he helped her sip some water. Taking her temperature. Reading in the chair by the window.
Oh, God. Reality seeped in. Twenty-two hours. She’d been asleep for over twenty-two hours.
Damn.
There were a dozen text messages, most of them from Lilly and Mia, some of them growing frantic when they didn’t hear from her.
The most recent one from Lilly, however, let Jordan know that Nick had filled in her friend. Filled her in about what exactly, she didn’t know.
The man was too good to be true. Kind and gentle to a fault, he was also way up in her business.
Easing herself into the pillows, Jordan couldn’t imagine how she would have managed if Nick hadn’t muscled his way into her house two days ago. Granted, the Rinaldis wouldn’t have let her freeze once the power went out, but she’d have been so much sicker.
Now, even though her chest still rattled when she coughed, she was able to catch her breath. After feeling like she was going to faint after making the short walk from the cottage, Jordan was relieved.
The other bit of good news was that her fever had broken. She’d been sweating under the blankets, soaking her T-shirt, which made this a good time to take a shower. Knowing she had to take it slow, Jordan threw back the covers and planted her feet on the lamb-soft area rug that covered the wood floor. She sat for a minute to make sure she had her bearings. After being prone for so many hours, she was surprised she wasn’t dizzy.
No, Jordan was happy to find she actually felt like a human being for the first time in almost a week.
The amount of snow coming down was crazy. Going to the window, she looked out and was shocked at the accumulation. Obviously, it had gotten cold overnight. The snow was so light it was being blown around, causing huge drifts. Looking down, Jordan could see spots of lawn that were almost bare compared to walls of white that almost obscured the garage doors. “Damn,” she muttered to herself. “What a mess.”
“Mess is an understatement.”
Jordan turned, and Lina approached from the door.
“You look a little better.” Her landlady smiled softly. “How do you feel?”
“Like my fever broke. I was thinking about taking a shower.”
“Good idea! There’s plenty of hot water and fresh towels in the bathroom. Nicky put your toiletries on the counter.”
“Thank you, Lina. I appreciate this.”
“Aw, honey. You don’t need to say thank you. You’re like family, and I feel horrible about the car. Whatever happens, we’ll cover it.” As she spoke, Lina pulled the covers off the bed and tossed the pillows on the chaise. “I’ll freshen this up for you.”
Fairly sure her insurance would cover the car, Jordan nodded. She didn’t doubt the Rinaldis felt terrible about everything that had happened, but who could have known?
Freshen up meant stripping the bed right down to the mattress pad, which Lina then flipped over like a professional wrestler-in-train
ing. Jordan stepped out of the way as Lina tossed all the linens in a basket.
“You shower, and I’ll finish up in here. Oh, Nicky put your clothes in the dresser. He brought your slippers over, too.” Lina pointed and grinned at the bunny slippers staring at her from below the night table. They were a gift from one of last year’s students, and Jordan adored them, even though they were silly. “Oh, there’s a terry robe in the bathroom.”
“Thanks,” she said. Opening a drawer, Jordan saw her yoga pants, pajamas and shirts neatly organized. In another drawer were her unmentionables, in another her socks. It appeared the doctor was a neat freak.
Yoga pants were looking good, so she chose a pair along with a soft, long-sleeved T-shirt. With any luck, the shower would be the first step in feeling like herself again. She needed to shake off the sick and start moving around. Jordan needed to take her life back.
If she thought about it, it wasn’t the way Nick took control that bothered her; it was the way she’d let him. After everything she’d gone through with Chase, almost abdicating her life in favor of his, Jordan had vowed never to give up her independence. If she were ever to get involved with anyone again, they would have to be equal partners and there could be no secrets.
Jordan was grateful to Nick and the Rinaldis for everything they’d done. There was no way she could ever repay their kindness. But the sooner she was back in her own place and taking care of herself, the better it would be.
Taking a shower was a start.
The bathroom was to die for. Jordan thought she had it good in the cottage, but this guest bath was straight out of a designer magazine. The soothing coastal palette from the bedroom continued in here, giving it a spa-like feel. It had a six-head shower and a whirlpool tub, both lined with glass tile. High-end fixtures, coupled with wood and a selection of soft linens made her sigh. The final piece: the floor was heated. If bathrooms could be boyfriends, this one would be hers—no detail was ignored.