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.

he wasn't going anywhere. She knew full well that wherever she

how

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

Jarrod grabbed her

tumbled right

not to land on his injured side, but she

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

a quiet hiss escaping him. But he recovered quickly, wrapping an arm

tonight, aren't you,

his eyes, he cut ber off with slow, deliberate ease. "If you move again, I swear my

a loss for

how he still had so much strength in him, injuries

Was he faking it?

suspected as much, she didn't dare move-worried she might actually hurt his back or

position that was

"Jarrod?"

used to

apart for so long. During the worst two years, they'd barely touched, except for gccasional obligatory

eyes. "Is that so? Because I'm perfectly

at

Was he serious?

a smirk, even with his eyes closed. He patted her back lightly