Summer Fever

number listed in his name. I didn’t call it.
    I wasn’t sure how I felt about this whole thing. I got the distinct impression that Russ wanted more than I could give, and I needed some time.
    On Saturday, the sound of the phone ringing every half hour eventually drove me out of the house. It was one of those grey days you get at the lake sometimes, when it might rain but it might not. I took the canoe out.
    I just needed a little time where the phone wasn’t ringing and Russ couldn’t pull his car into the driveway and take me by surprise.
    I’m not stupid. I knew this was about Allan.
    He was the first and only man I ever fell in love with. Let’s just say it ended badly, and it didn’t exactly inspire me to try it again. Whatever his shortcomings were, I was well aware of the part I’d played in the debacle.
    After all, I agreed to go out with him, and I did a sucky job picking him to say yes to, and then I kept hanging in there despite what happened between us.
    I just didn’t trust my own instincts any more. I was better off just fucking and not seeing a guy more than once or twice. I was good at cutting things off before it got heavy. And I had a feeling that it was time to cut Russ off at the knees. Otherwise things could get messy.
    A drop of water on my cheek made me look up at the sky. It had decided to rain after all. I turned the canoe around and headed back, but I was drenched before I reached the dock. I tethered the canoe and stowed the paddle in the boathouse before going up to the house.
    I took a long hot shower, hoping the water would drown out the sound of the phone ringing.
    45

    Summer Fever | Catt Ford

    I WOKE up with a quilt wrapped around me, feeling hot. I disentangled myself and threw the covers off, my head reeling when I sat up and I started shivering, even though I was still burning up.
    I staggered to the bathroom and peered at myself in the mirror. I looked like shit. I felt even worse.
    I managed to nuke a cup of instant chicken soup and swallow some before I hit the couch. No point going back upstairs. It was better to be close to the kitchen and there was a bathroom downstairs. I drifted off to the sound of the phone ringing.
    When I woke up again, Russ was bending over me with his hand on my forehead.
    “How’d you get in?” I asked groggily.
    “You didn’t lock any of the doors,” he answered. “Have you been sick all this time?”
    “All what time?”
    “I’ll take that as a yes.” He pulled a chair closer and sat down. “Do you think you should see a doctor?”
    “It’s just a summer fever.” I pulled myself up and leaned back against the couch when my head started to pound. “All a doctor could do is tell me to rest and drink plenty of fluids.”
    “Yeah, right. I could do that. Do you need anything?”
    “Like what?”
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    Summer Fever | Catt Ford

    “Ginger ale? Chicken soup? A backrub?”
    “I don’t know.”
    Russ smiled at me and it was like the sun coming out. I felt like I might live. I even hoped for it because maybe I’d feel well enough to mess around with him again. “I’ll check out the pantry.” I watched him get up and walk away. “Help yourself,” I called after him.
    He came back with a damp towel and a glass of ginger ale. He wiped my face with the towel, pushing my hair out of my eyes and then held the glass for me to drink.
    I took it from him. “I’m sick, not disabled.”
    “Sounds like you’re going to recover.” He smirked but kept a watchful eye on me, rescuing the glass when I tilted it too far. “Why didn’t you call me?”
    “Why? Are you a doctor?”
    “No, but if you needed anything, I would help you out.”
    “Oh.” I felt hot and I wanted to get out of the house. “Can we go down on the dock?”
    “Sure.” He got up and bent to help me to my feet, grabbing the quilt and unwrapping me.
    I let him keep his hold on my arm as we walked slowly down to the dock. Truth be told I felt a little wobbly, but not too bad. He guided me to the edge and let me sit down. Then he sat behind me and leaned back against one of the log piers. He pulled me back so I was leaning against him and wrapped his arms around me loosely.
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    Summer Fever | Catt Ford

    I sighed with contentment. It felt good to sit in the sun and it wasn’t too hot. I closed my eyes and listened to the sound the water makes as it licked at the dock. Motor boats in the distance and kids splashing took me back to when summer days were less