“A month,” Adalynn agreed. “You should quit with the
agency. After the month, you’ll have enough money, I’m sure,
to start over somewhere else. I’ll help you find a job, if you
need. Give you a reference for the work on my house. That
should help.”
“Work? House?” Cassia mumbled. The words sounded
garbled to her, but she wasn’t sure, maybe they were coming
out clearer than she thought. She knew nothing about houses.
Or construction. Or what had Adalynn called it, restoration?
“Don’t worry, we’ll figure it out. There’s plenty of painting
to be done. Small things you could help with. Landscaping
too.”
“I…” Cassia looked down, indicating the IV in her hand.
“You’ll stay here until you’re feeling better. Don’t worry
about the bill. After that, you can recover at my house. You
won’t have to do anything until you’re healed and ready. There
isn’t any rush.”
“Wh-where?” Cassia could feel her head spinning, see the
black dancing over her eyes. She felt tired. So exhausted. She
wanted to go back to sleep, and she was so damn thirsty. Why
wouldn’t anyone give her water? She could discuss her entire
future, but she couldn’t get a single sip of water?
As if Adalynn realized what Cassia wanted, her hands flew
to the side and a cup with a pink straw appeared. Cassia’s
mouth would have salivated if she had any moisture left to
spare. Adalynn set the straw at Cassia’s bottom lip, and she
parted her mouth enough to drink. She sipped slowly, savoring
the cold water, swirling it around her mouth like it was the
best thing she’d ever tasted. It might have been. It was cold
and wet and so, so beautiful, like a stream of satin sliding