The Heart Left Behind (Cole and Yvonne) novel Chapter 51

Jonas was sound asleep on the bed by the time Lorraine emerged from the bathroom. Only the two of us were awake in this spacious room, and the quiet made the air feel oddly tense.

"You've finished washing up?" I asked, keeping my gaze respectfully averted. As a normal guy, I figured it was a decent thing to do.

She was wrapped in a bathrobe that wasn't from the hotel—it looked like something she had brought herself.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught her soft laugh. When I looked back, she was kneeling in front of me with a first aid kit in her hands.

"Let's get that cleaned up," she said, her tone gentle.

I'd almost forgotten about the scratch on my face from Yvonne's slap, but now that she mentioned it—and now that it had been exposed to water—it stung a little more than I cared to admit.

"Thanks," I said, leaning forward slightly.

Lorraine's touch was feather-light, and she moved so carefully that even her breathing seemed softer.

"You don't have to be so careful. It doesn't hurt much," I said, trying to put her at ease. I didn't want her to lose sleep over something this minor, especially since we had planned a full day tomorrow.

"If we don't treat it properly, it could scar," she replied, clearly more worried about it than I was. By the time she finished, fatigue had begun to creep over me. I stifled a yawn, feeling my resolve to stay composed start to slip.

"How about we call it a night?" I suggested.

I had already prepared my spot on the floor earlier while she was in the bathroom, figuring it'd save us both some awkwardness later.

"Are you sleeping on the floor?" she asked, glancing at the bed where Jonas had already claimed his territory.

I nodded, looking at Jonas taking up half the bed. "Yeah."

I wasn't about to squeeze in with them—it didn't seem right.

"Why do you care?" he snapped, his face turning red as he pursed his lips.

I could tell he wasn't going to admit the real reason for coming out here—that he wanted to check if we had left without him. He didn't want to be left behind, even if he didn't like me.

"You're carrying way too much. Aren't you worried about not being able to finish them all?" he muttered, eyeing the food in my hands.

The look in his eyes gave him away—he was hungry. "Do you want to join us?" I offered, holding the bags up.

Xavier hesitated but nodded, his stubborn pride giving way to his empty stomach. I led him back to Lorraine's room, figuring it was easier than dealing with Yvonne. Lorraine didn't seem fazed by the extra company, but I still felt a little guilty for bringing him along.

"This kid—" I started, but Lorraine interrupted with a warm smile.

"Let's all eat together."