“Really, you don’t have to do this,” Eve told Camille again.
Eve had been home for nearly two hours, and Camille had been waiting on her hand and foot every moment.
“Doug’s a great guy,” Camille said, “but, he’s terrible when it comes to taking care of the infirm. When Thad broke his foot—well actually when I broke Thad’s foot—Doug was completely useless.”
“Wait, wait, wait.” Eve held up a hand. “How on earth did you break Thad’s foot?”
Camille sat on the bed next to Eve and laughed. “I tried to tell him I wasn’t athletic. He just wouldn’t listen.” Camille shook her head. “He made me go bowling and I accidentally dropped the ball.”
“On his foot?” Eve’s eyebrows raised in disbelief.
“Hey, I warned him.”
“Yes, but bowling? You hardly need to be athletic to bowl.”
“My hands plus any kind of ball equals bad news,” Camille said. “Thad had to learn the hard way, that’s all.”
“You’re something else,” Eve said, laughing lightly.
“Yeah, but I’m something good, right?” Camille’s smile faltered. “Eve, about Thanksgiving…”
“Don’t,” Eve said. “It’s over and done. I’d like to think we’ve moved beyond it.”
“I need to apologize, though,” Camille said. “There really is no excuse for the way I behaved. You were a guest in my home, and I insulted you and was rude.”
“Apology accepted.”
“But I haven’t—”
“Close enough,” Eve interrupted. “Besides, you’ve been here for two hours making sure I have food and that I’m comfortable. I feel fine, and the doctor said as long as I’m careful for a few days, I shouldn’t have any problems.”
“It’s still several weeks’ of recovery,” Camille said. “And it’s more than just being careful. You can’t lift anything. You need to move slowly and take care when you bend and straighten. Plus you only feel fine because that lovely painkiller is doing its job.”
“Pfft,” Eve blew out dismissively. “I’ve been taking care of myself for years. I’m not working, and I’ve been bored as hell. I’ll be careful, but I’m not spending weeks in bed.”
“A little time in bed won’t hurt,” Camille said. “And I brought you some of my books to pass the time. They’re in the hallway, though. Doug had a fit when he saw me carrying the bag.”
“How many books did you bring?”
“Only about thirty,” Camille said. “And I’ll warn you now, some of them I haven’t read. They’re the really dirty ones Thad bought for me.”
YOU ARE READING
His Appeal
RomanceCan he overcome his bitterness from the past to save the family he's always dreamed of? Doug Masters has watched his best friends, Thad and Camille, struggle their way to happiness and finds himself wishing he had a small piece of that for himself...
