Chapter 16

In pain, I rested my forehead against the surface of my desk at the mud racing track. My head throbbed and my mouth was drier than a desert. I suffered from the hangover from Hell.

“I’m never drinking again,” I mumbled.

Eric laughed and shouted, “I've heard that before!”

Okay, maybe he didn't shout, but that's how it sounded to me.

“Shhhh, you're too loud,” I hissed.

“You're going to be useless today!”

“Shhh,” I urged again. More laughter. Asshole.

I heard the door open, but didn't move from my position.

“How can I help you?” I heard Mark say.

“Can I see Zion, please?” a soft voice asked.

Slowly, I lifted my head and squinted through the bright lights at who stood at the counter.

My eyes adjusted, and I saw that Amantha stood there. She looked like an angel in a simple white shirt with her pink hair loose in waves. Did she have her cane ? I worried absently.

Amantha saw me and smiled. I hadn't seen or spoken to her since I put her to bed on Thursday. Seeing her was like receiving a breath of fresh air.

Mark laughed. “If you can get him off that desk, you can have him.”

She raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Promise?”

“Promise. He's no good here today.”

Well, Hell, if he thought that then I was out of there no matter what. Good riddance. I wanted to go back to bed, anyway.

“Okay,” she said.

She disappeared as she bent behind the counter, presumably setting a bag on the floor and digging into it. I couldn't see behind the counter from where I was, but I heard something rustle.

She stood back up and grinned at me. “How's this?”

A hand stretched over the counter holding a package of Reese's cups.

My eyes widened. Yes.

I stood from the desk.

“He's all yours,” Mark joked.

“Fuck you, Mark,” I grumbled.

I moved forward and walked through the gate on the counter. I stopped in front of Amantha.

She stood there holding her cane in one hand. A small paper bag with handles sat by her feet.

Amantha passed me the package of Reese's.

“You're wonderful,” I said.

She smiled. “Let's get out of here,” she said.

I winced at the volume of her voice, but I knew the volume was in my head.

She bent down to get the bag, but I intervened.

“Uh, uh. I've got it.”

I grasped the handles and picked the bag up before Amantha could.

Eric crossed the room to the counter. “Amantha?” he asked.

I cringed at the volume.

She looked surprised. “How'd you know?”

“Zion’s talked about you. I'm Eric. His best friend.” He extended a hand across the counter, which Amantha shook.

“It's nice to meet you,” she said.

“You, too.”

I couldn't take any more. “Okay, it's too loud in here. We have to go,” I said to Amantha.

She smiled at Eric and shrugged before we headed toward the door.

Eric flashed me a thumbs-up. I flipped him off. His responding laugh made me cringe at the noise.

I walked beside Amantha as she slowly maneuvered with her cane. We made it through the door and down the building's ramp.

I squinted in the bright sunlight.

“Where's your car?” she whispered.

There was no end to my appreciation for her quietness.

“Not here. I had Eric pick me up because I wasn't safe to drive. ...And I'm not sure where I put my keys.”

She nodded and whispered, “Okay. Get in the car. I'll drive.”

Still squinting, I gave a single nod, afraid that nodding my head like normal might make me queasy.

We both climbed in the car. I put the bag on the floor between my feet and opened the Reese's package. I unwrapped a piece and when my teeth sank into the candy, I closed my eyes and moaned (quietly) with pleasure as I chewed the bite.

Once Amantha was seated, I opened my eyes to watch as she twisted around to put her cane in the backseat.

When she was done, she turned to me and whispered, “Jailbreak successful.” The wicked smile on her face was contagious.

She started the engine and turned the radio off. Bless her.

“That bag has stuff for your hangover,” she whispered, then she turned her head to back out.

I perked up. “It does?”

She backed out of the spot and pulled forward onto the road.

Intrigued, I pulled the bag up into my lap and looked inside. A bottle of water, a bottle of ibuprofen, sunglasses, a ziplock bag of toast, and another pack of Reese's. The sunglasses weren't even goofy or embarrassing, simply regular men's sunglasses. I could've kissed her.

I stuffed the uneaten Reese's cup inside the bag and put the sunglasses on my face. They dulled the light immediately, and I breathed a sigh of relief. Then I opened the water and used it to down two ibuprofen. The cool liquid on my throat brought intense comfort. I gulped it all down.

But wait... How did she know?

I capped the empty bottle, turned to look at Amantha, and asked, “What are you doing here?”

She spoke quietly. “I'm off work. I came to get you. Figured you weren't up to working today.”

That didn't answer what I wanted to know. I simply asked her. “How did you know I'd be hungover?”

Amantha glanced at me and smiled. “You called me last night.”

I frowned. “But I don't have your number.”

“Yeah, I got your number from Joey to thank you for whatever you said to Neo. I texted you, then you called me because you were too drunk to read the text. I figured you'd have a hangover today.”

Made sense. But...

“I didn't say anything embarrassing, did I?”

She held back a grin. “Nope.”

Ah, fuck. I covered my face with my hand.

“Liar. I'm sorry,” I muttered into my palm.

Amantha laughed and patted my arm. “You were fine. What do you want to do today?”

I groaned. “Go back to bed.” I moved my hand away from my face.

She clicked her tongue. “Sounds like a wasted day to me.”

I would've rolled my eyes at her but my head hurt too much. “Well, what would you suggest?”

“You can spend the day with Neo and me.”

I thought about it for a moment. “Do you expect functional?”

“Nope,” she said cheerfully. “As you are.”

I could do that.

“Fine.”

“Awesome.”

All I wanted to do was shut my eyes.

“Can I please take a quick nap?”

She smiled. “Sure.”

Yes.

I sighed and leaned my head back against the seat. I fell asleep almost instantly, the sunglasses holding back the light.