Page 34 of Whisper Sweet Nothings
She shook her head and sniffed several times. “No. My tummy feels a little better.”
A tear ran down her face, and I set her down on the counter and grabbed a washcloth to get her cleaned up.
“I’m going to order some ginger ale and see if they have some crackers they can send up,” Winnie said as she left the bathroom.
I hung my jacket up on a hook and quickly got Melody undressed. I checked the temperature of the water before helping her into the tub. Her hair was already tied up in a bun, and she sank down and rested her back against the cool porcelain.
Melody had only been sick a handful of times in her life, but it always scared me.
I hated to see her suffer.
I turned off the water when it was halfway full.
Winnie walked in with Melody’s favorite plastic pink cup, then held the straw to her lips. “Take a sip, sweets. It’ll help your tummy.”
Melody took a small drink, and Winnie set the cup on the side of the tub.
We sat there quietly as my daughter held her arms up. “I’m ready to get out.”
While Winnie left to get her jammies, I grabbed a towel, lifted her out, and wrapped it around her. Between the two of us, we had her dressed, teeth brushed, and tucked beneath the covers in a matter of minutes.
“I’m going to set these crackers on the nightstand in case she wakes up during the night and she’s hungry,” Winnie whispered to me. Melody had already rolled to her side and was sound asleep.
I nodded and motioned for her to follow me out of the room.
“You should go back down to the wedding. I can lie in there with her,” Winnie said.
“No. I’m not going back downstairs,” I said. I typed out a text in the family group chat to let them know where I was.
“Archie, this is the reason you brought a nanny with you to Paris.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “Plus, I think Sabine might gouge my eyes out if you don’t go back down.”
“First of all, I didn’t bring you to Paris so you could sit with my daughter when she was sick. Secondly, I want to be here,” I said, my gaze locking with hers. “And Sabine should not have spoken to you like that, so I have no desire to go back down and meet up with her.”
She blew out a breath and chuckled. “You don’t need to protect me from your French lover.”
I didn’t find it funny. Sabine had been rude, and that wasn’t okay with me. “If someone disrespects you, I’ll damn well say something. So I suggest you get used to it.”
“Trust me. I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it for a very long time.” She glanced in the bedroom. “Do you want me to go lie in there with her for a while?”
I want you to stay out here with me.
But I didn’t say that.
“No. I’ve got it. You go get some sleep.” I took a step back, because her lavender scent was doing fucked-up things to me.
“All right. Let me know if you need anything.”
“I will.” I cleared my throat. “Did you block that asshole ex-husband of yours?”
She appeared surprised that I’d remembered, arching an eyebrow as she turned around to look at me. “Yes. He’s blocked.”
Good girl.
I nodded. “Glad to hear it. Good night, Winnie.”
“Night.”
I was both relieved and bothered when she disappeared into her room.
