Page 26 of Magical Midlife Conclave

Drawers opened and closed, and this time, she let her eyes stay closed.

“Do you have a neck pillow?” he asked.

“No. I should get one, though.”

The hot and cold water knobs squeaked as they were turned.

“Please don’t tell me you’re going to put salt in here,” she said, sleep dragging at her.

“I’m going to put salt in there.”

But as the warm water filled the tub, the stinging/burning sensation of salt didn’t come. He was poking fun at her.

A thought belatedly occurred to her, but before she could ask it, she’d drifted too far to pull herself out of the fog of sleep.

Running water lifted her out of sleep. She opened her groggy eyes as warmth swirled around her mostly healed legs. Sue sat beside the tub in one of the dining room chairs, head tilted forward, looking at his phone.

“Hey,” she said, and then cleared her somewhat scratchy throat.

Without glancing at her, he leaned down on his other side and came up with a water bottle. He balanced it on his lap to switch phone hands before holding it out for her.

She furrowed her brow in confusion but chuckled a little at the absurdity of the situation.

Also without ripping his eyes away from his phone, he turned off the water.

Wondering what on his phone had him so engrossed, and also why he was still here, she took a swig of her water…and then emptied it. She was dying of thirst. Healing always had that effect.

She set the water bottle down on the little band of tile circling the side of the tub. He took it, shook it, and finally looked up from his phone.

“Need more?” he asked.

Yes, but it wasn’t like she was going to ask the beta of the pack to go get her some.

“No, I’m⁠—”

He got up without a word, slipping his phone into his pocket as he did so. The man was a little too good at reading body language. She’d have to work harder to keep her tells hidden.

With a sigh, she dunked herself into the warm water, dragging in all her hair. When she’d surfaced, he was sitting down again. He held out the water bottle.

“Thanks.” She unscrewed the lid and drank half before putting it down again. “You told Jessie to start healing me early, didn’t you?”

“Yes. If she was going to heal you anyway, there was no point in waiting.” His body flared in ways that indicated slight annoyance.

“What?” she asked.

He didn’t respond.

“What?” she pushed.

“Jessie is not happy with how your training is going. She doesn’t like feeling you in so much pain so often.”

“Jessie isn’t happy with anyone in pain. She’s supposed to close the connection. Uncle Auzzie has sat in on a few trainings. He’s given his approval. He knows how it goes.”

“I know, which is why I didn’t say anything.”

“Just thought it.”

“Can’t help thoughts. Can’t help that you can read those thoughts. I’m working on it.”