Page 73 of The Vet's Unconditional Love
"Where's your sister?"
Tanya made a face at him, and Harper looked a little uncomfortable.
"She's gone upstairs," Tanya told him."But she said pepperoni, too, since you like it."
He shot Harper a puzzled look, but she shrugged.
"Want to run up and check on her for me?"
Tanya heaved a sigh."Okay, but she'll say yes to pepperoni—and she won't let me in."
"Is she all right?"
"Yeah, she's okay.She wants Harper to stay, but she's worried about it, too."
"Go check on her for me, then?"
"Sure."
When she'd gone, Emmett raised his eyebrows at Harper.
"They asked me if I'll stay to help take care of you...Alana said she wants me to, but at the same time..."
Emmett cleared his throat.He didn't need her to spell it out.
"I'm happy to stay if you want me, or I can call Blane to come back if it's not a good idea."
"No.Alana would have asked him to stay if she didn't want you here.She does.But it's..."
"Difficult," Harper filled in for him when he didn't continue.
"Not even that.It's...unknown territory."
She nodded."It is for me, too, and the last thing I want to do is hurt the girls."
"You won't.I feel bad asking you to stay because I need you."He cleared his throat again."But it's not only because I need you."
"I'm not here just because I want to help you."
He smiled."So, what do you think?Do you want to stay?Should we see how things go?"
"Yeah, I think we should.I'll stay—on one condition."
"What's that?"
She met his gaze and held it."You have to tell me when it's time for me to go.I won't be able to relax if I'm constantly wondering if I'm outstaying my welcome, and at the same time thinking that I'm being useful."
"Okay.If we get to the point when it's time for you to go, I'll say so.Do you need to go home now—to get a bag?"
She smiled."I brought one just in case.After last night, I didn't want to be caught without my toothbrush and a change of clothes again."
Chapter Sixteen
Emmett shifted on the couch — he wasn't uncomfortable, or at least the couch wasn't.Between them, Blane and Harper had done everything to set him up with pillows and blankets and everything he could need.Unfortunately, they couldn't do anything to stop the pain.
He liked to think that he had a high pain threshold, but he'd never known anything like this before.Every breath he took hurt, but that didn't stop him from breathing deeply — the thought of pneumonia was enough to keep him forcing air into his lungs.
He hadn't done too badly during the day.It had been a busy Sunday.Blane had hung out for most of the day.Cash had stopped by to deliver food for them all.Tyler had made the usual Sunday lunch for the MacFarlands and had sent over enough to feed Emmett and the girls as well as Harper and Blane — and plenty more besides, in case they had a dozen or so guests over.
