How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Of course Elodie could tell Jarrod was doing this on purpose.

He'd just disrupted her meeting, too-clearly out of spite.

With no other choice, she rose to her feet and strode over to the bed, ignoring Jarrod's antics entirely. Leaning over, she pulled back the collar of his shirt to check his wound.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. At this stage, he didn't need his dressing changed so often anymore-just some scar cream from here on out.

"Aren't you the one who wanted a shower?" Her expression didn't even flicker; she showed no trace of embarrassment.

Jarrod narrowed his eyes, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "You really think I want a shower right now?"

"Weren't you the one who asked?"

He ran his tongue along his teeth, still lounging back against the pillow as if he owned the place. "You really think I'm that much of a brute? I'd make you, fresh out of the hospital, help me shower? I just wanted to remind you to take it easy. You're barely recovered, Elodie. Don't run yourself ragged with work."

He said it so matter-of-factly, Elodie couldn't help but accept that he meant it, at least in part.

She glanced at the clock, then tipped her chin at Jarrod. "Well, if you're done, maybe you should get some rest back in your own room."

Jarrod put his book aside and lay back, making himself comfortable. "I know you mean well, but there's no need. I'll just rough it here with you."

...Honestly, the nerve.

knew full well that wherever she settled tonight,

never realized how stubborn he could

already exhausted. But now, with him here, there was a strange, awkward tension in the

suddenly, Jarrod

tumbled right onto the

on his injured side, but she

a little aware that you're the patient here?" she snapped, pushing herself up with both

his lips thinned in pain, a quiet hiss escaping him. But he recovered quickly, wrapping an arm around Elodie's waist and pulling her firmly against

aren't you,

give her a chance to answer. Closing his eyes, he cut ber off with slow, deliberate

at a loss

idea how he still

Was he faking it?

she didn't dare move-worried she might

stayed there, caught in a position that was neither comfortable nor awkward-just

"Jarrod?"

not used to

they'd been living apart for so long. During the worst two years, they'd barely touched, except for gccasional obligatory "marital duty."

open his eyes. "Is that so? Because

scowled at his

Was he serious?

into a smirk, even with his eyes closed. He patted her back lightly Get some sleep. Tomorrow, show you