24. Olivia

The migraine hit full force as Olivia stepped out of the woods. The pressure had been building for hours, and she'd waited too long to take her medicine. Hopefully, it would kick in soon and she'd get some relief.

Betsy's sharp barks pounded in Olivia's head. She pressed the heel of her hand against her temple.

Dawson stood as she approached the campfire. His arm wrapped around her waist, anchoring her as her world swayed. He always found her, no matter the size of the crowd.

"What's wrong?" his deep voice penetrated the crushing fog surrounding her.

"Migraine." It was all she could do to push the word out with the invisible knives stabbing into her skull.

Dawson sat back down and gently maneuvered her between his knees before guiding her to sit on his thigh. The warmth of his arm around her back was the only awareness that stood out amongst the pain.

Her head was too heavy, falling to one side, then the other.

"Is she okay?" Maddie asked from somewhere nearby.

Dawson wrapped his other arm around her, guiding her head to rest against his shoulder. "She said it's a migraine."

"I'll get her some water." The sounds were farther away now–too muffled for Olivia to tell who was speaking.

"What do you need?" Dawson whispered against her hair. The vibrations of his deep words reverberated through his chest and into her body.

"I've got water!" Lauren said.

"Water." Olivia lifted her head slowly, pushing against the crushing weight.

Dawson's big hand lifted hers and pressed the water into her hand. She didn't even have to open her eyes as the bottle lifted to her lips. She flinched at the freezing water as it slid down her throat.

Pulling away, she slowly shook her head. Pressure built at the nape of her neck, and the dinner she'd just eaten bubbled in her gut.

"It looks like she can't drink any more," Maddie said.

"Sick," Olivia mumbled as her head lolled again. She'd experienced a wide variety of migraine symptoms before, and vomiting was her least favorite.

Dawson wrapped his arm tight around her back and shifted to hook his arm behind her knees. "Let's get you to bed."

"I'll take care of Betsy," Levi said.

She was thankful for Levi's help but couldn't voice the words. Taking care of herself was more than she could manage.

"Thanks, buddy. You're a big help," Dawson said as he stood and started walking.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Levi asked, trailing along behind them.

"Don't you worry. I'm going to take good care of her."

"I know. Like Dad does for Mom when she's sick," Levi said.

"Just like that. Can you get the door?" Dawson asked.

Levi's footsteps pounded against the wooden porch. "Got it!"

"Shh," Dawson whispered. "Miss Olivia's head hurts really bad."

"Oh, sorry," Levi said lower.

"Can you grab her water and find a bucket?"

"Be right back." The kid's quick steps retreated, leaving only the rumble of Dawson's breaths beneath her ear where it rested on his shoulder.

"You still with me, Liv?"

"Yeah," she whispered, thankful for every movement Dawson made for her.

He stopped and lowered her to the bed. When the fluffy mattress cradled her back, she released her hold on his neck and let her body sink into the bed.

Olivia opened her eyes, thankful for the low light of the lantern. Dawson hovered over her, shielding her from the entire world.

Hadn't he been doing that for a while without her asking? Dawson was her first line of defense–a sturdy mountain that couldn't be moved unless he allowed it.

"What can I do?" he whispered. The sweet words warring with the formidable man protecting her from unseen enemies.

His brows pinched together, and his lips pressed into a flat line. When his hand brushed over her forehead, then her hair, there was a moment of relief before the pressure returned.

"I took some medicine. It needs half an hour to kick in."

Dawson reached for the blanket at the foot of the bed and spread it over her. The fuzzy softness was brand new, and the freshness calmed her as she breathed it in.

"Got the stuff," Levi said as he tiptoed into the cabin.

Dawson turned and took the things from Levi. "Thanks, buddy."

Levi let his arms fall to his sides with a slap. "What else can I do?"

Olivia did her best to smile as she reached for the kid. "Nothing. Thanks so much for your help."

"Are you gonna be okay?" Levi didn't even try to mask the worry in his words.

"I'll be okay really soon. I'll probably feel better before you go to bed tonight."

"Really?"

Olivia nodded slowly. "Really."

Dawson clapped a hand down on Levi's small shoulder. "Can you go tell everybody what Olivia said? Tell them not to worry."

"Okay." Levi darted out of the cabin, closing the door behind him with enough force to rock the old cabin walls.

As soon as they were alone, Dawson walked to the door and toed his boots off. Seconds later, he was crawling onto the other side of the bed.

"You don't have to stay. I'll be fine in a little bit."

"I'm not leaving you."

He settled onto his side, and she turned to face him. Pulling her knees to her chest, she bunched the blanket in her fists and tucked it under her chin.

Dawson gently skimmed the pad of his thumb over her temple before rubbing over her hair. The touch forced her eyes to close, and any willpower she had to open them again dissipated.

Dawson started talking, but the words were barely more than a whisper. She wasn't sure when he stopped, but the next time she opened her eyes, the morning sun streaked through the windows, filling the small cabin.

She lay on her other side facing the room and blinked until her eyes adjusted to the light. The pounding in her head was gone. The air mattress was inflated on the floor beside the bed, but the blankets were neatly folded on top of it.

"You okay, Liv?" Lauren asked softly.

Olivia rolled over to where her friend lay in the spot where Dawson had been the night before.

"I'm much better." She stretched her arms above her head and yawned. "What time is it?"

"Barely daylight. Maddie got up about half an hour ago."

Olivia searched the room, but there was no sign of Dawson. When had he left? How long had he laid beside her?

His sweetness from the night before had more than butterflies fluttering in her middle. He'd carried her to bed and given her everything she needed to wait out the storm of a migraine.

She loved helping others. Working for her community fed her soul and filled her cup, but she wasn't usually the one on the receiving end of the kindness.

Did anyone appreciate it when she helped them out like this? Gratefulness swelled inside her and pushed against the walls of her chest until she was afraid she'd burst open.

"Liv? What's wrong?"

Moisture stung behind Olivia's eyes, and she covered her trembling chin with her hand.

Lauren rubbed Olivia's shoulder. "What do you need?"

"Just…Thank you."

Lauren chuckled. "I just got you some water."

"And Dawson?"

Smiling, Lauren propped her arm up and rested her head on her hand. "He stayed with you a while. We switched places when it was time for bed."

Olivia swallowed, getting a grip on her raging emotions. "You think he's awake yet?"

"Yep. He texted me for an update on you about five minutes ago."

Olivia rubbed her eyes, trying to brush away the last of the deep sleep. "I'll go find him."

"He's a good one, you know," Lauren said. "He cares about you so much."

"I care about him too. We're just…It's all really new."

Lauren nodded. "And there's Anna."

Anna's feelings for Dawson weren't exactly a secret within their friend group. There'd always been an unspoken rule not to mention it to him or their guy friends, but it was obvious Anna wanted Dawson to notice her.

Olivia fidgeted with the hem of the blanket. "I don't know how to tell her. Or what to tell her. Where do I start?"

"I wish I could tell you it'll be easy to just share the truth, but I don't think it'll go over well. At least not at first. Anna is a little blind with a crush."

"It's not a crush," Olivia corrected.

"It is a crush. Anna might not agree right now, but it's not love. You and Dawson are complements. You understand each other. You work well together. There are dozens of reasons why you two make a better pair than Dawson and Anna. She's stuck in a fantasy that she's created. It isn't real."

Olivia groaned. "I want to believe that, but I've heard her talk about how she feels about him."

"I have too. She truly believes it, but there isn't a foundation. That's all made up. What you and Dawson have is real. There's a huge difference, but she won't see that easily."

"I know. She's going to be crushed. I don't even know a way to ease into the conversation."

Lauren clicked her tongue behind her teeth. "I don't know the answer, but I'll be praying you can find the words."

Prayer. Olivia was always first to pray for someone else, but she'd forgotten to pray for guidance in her own life.

"Thank you. I appreciate it."

Lauren smiled and rubbed Olivia's shoulder. "You'll figure it out. We're adults, and we'll all get through this."

"Not without a broken heart–one I care about."

With a heavy sigh, Lauren rested her head against Olivia's shoulder. "She's strong. She's intent on finding true love. I just think she's trying to force something that's not meant to be."

"You're a good friend," Olivia whispered.

"I try my best." Lauren lifted her head and sat up in the bed, stretching her back from one side to the other. "Now, go find Dawson and give him proof of life. He's probably pacing outside the door waiting for you to get up."

Olivia kicked the covers off. "Thanks for the pep talk."

"Anytime."

Grabbing her toothbrush, toothpaste, and hairbrush, Olivia darted out into the cool morning. She didn't spot Dawson as she grabbed a bottle of water from the cooler and headed for the creek. Navigating the hill was much easier in the daylight without a migraine threatening to crush her.

Continually scanning the creek bed around her for dangers like the wolves, she brushed her teeth and hair in record time. After splashing some water on her face and pulling her hair up into a ponytail, she trudged back up the hill toward camp.

She spotted Dawson the moment she crested the top of the hill. He had his back to her where he stood by the picnic table he was building with Aaron.

Dawson turned and locked eyes with her as she took her second step into the clearing. A boyish smile stretched over his lips, and a dark shadow of stubble covered his jaw, giving him an air of maturity that almost stopped her in her tracks.

What would Dawson be like in ten years? Twenty? Would she get to see that older, wiser man? Would they still be friends? Would they be married with kids?

Kids. The thought crashed into her chest like a freight train, knocking the breath out of her.

No. She didn't want to allow anything to steal this moment when he was finally hers–when she gave in and let the joy have free rein.

Her feet were moving before she knew what she was doing. She picked up speed as she ran toward him.

Dawson opened his arms, as she barreled into his waiting embrace, entwining her arms and legs around him.

All air left her body in a rush as they collided. She buried her face in his neck and breathed him in. Every bit of the campfire smoke, sawdust, and the basic smell that was simply Dawson filled her up, seeping into every crack in her heart until it was whole and perfect again.

His strong arms wove around her, crushing her to him. His deep whisper tingled against the shell of her ear.

"Good morning, my queen."

Those words crumbled every wall around her heart. Yesterday, she belonged to herself. Today, she was his.