“Man, you really are sick.”
“Thank you, Captain Obvious.” She sighed. “Sorry, I hate feeling like garbage. It makes me snappy.”
“It’s fine. Mom made you soup.” He held up the bag and her face lit up.
“Bless her. Did she pack crackers?”
“Of course.”
Her arm snaked out from between the blanket split, and she tried to take the bag, but he held it away.
She frowned. “What are you doing?”
“Taking care of you. Now go lie down before you fall down.”
“You don’t have to do that. I don’t want to get you sick.”
“Believe me, whatever you got, you were contagious long before today, so I’m already contaminated.”
“That’s a lovely thought,” she grumbled.
Still, she stepped back and let him in. He couldn’t fight a grin as he watched her waddle in her blanket burrito back to the couch and flop down with a moan.
“I hurt everywhere.”
“I’m sure you do.” Nick walked into the kitchen and poured the contents of the first plastic container into a bowl. He popped it into the microwave, removed a sleeve of crackers from the bag and put the rest of the soup in the fridge. He clicked his tongue at how empty it was.
“Where are all your groceries?”
“I ate them all. I was going to go shopping today and then this happened.”
“You got a list somewhere?”
“Corkboard next to the fridge.”
Nick grabbed the fifteen-item list on snowman stationery. “Well, if it had been a snake it would have bitten me.”
He came back into the room and set her food down on the coffee table with a glass of water. “Have you taken any medicine?”
“Some NyQuil. Should kick in soon.”
Nick brushed her hair back from her face, aching to wrap her up and snuggle her against him. Fever, snot, and all.
“Try to eat something. I’m going to the store and I’ll be back in a bit.”
“My wallet is in my purse by the door.”
“You can pay me back later.”
“Did you listen to my playlist?” she murmured sleepily.
“What playlist?”
“The one I gave you. Last night.”
Nick cocked his head, bewildered. “Noel, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“I am so sorry,” she whimpered.
“Shhh.” He patted her through the comforter, not sure where but it was meant to be comforting. “You rest. I’ll be back soon and we can talk about it.”
“Mmmkay.”
Nick walked out of her apartment and headed to the store. It didn’t take him long to grab the meager things on her list, plus a few more he added. The whole time he kept wracking his brain. What playlist was she talking about? She’d come by last night? What was she sorry about? That she’d ended things before they really began? Or that they’d ever gotten started in the first place?
When he arrived back at her place, she snored heavily under her comforter. He put away the groceries and cleaned up the remnants of her lunch. There was still half a bowl of soup left and most of the crackers. When he finished cleaning up, the playlist still nagged at the back of his mind.
He snuck out to his own apartment, being careful not to wake her. Nick searched around his living room. His kitchen. His bedroom. Not a CD or a thumb drive to be found.
Maybe she’d been hallucinating?
Nick packed up his lap top, figuring he’d get a little work done at her place while he took care of her. Even if they weren’t dating, they were still friends. No matter how hurt he was, he couldn’t turn his back on her. He needed her. Loved her.
Loved her so much he’d be whatever it took to keep her close. Even if not being able to tell her how deep his feelings went ate him up inside.
He finished transferring his laundry, and heard the click of something hit the bottom of his dryer. A black rectangular flash drive stood out against the stark white of the dryer.
“Oh shit!”
Nick grabbed the drive, flicking the protective cover off. It didn’t look damaged, and he shook it to check for any lingering water.
“Crap crap crap crap.” Unpacking his laptop again, he inserted the drive and clicked on the folder. The circle turned, thinking, drawing out the suspense on whether or not he’d ruined Noel’s late-night playlist. She’d had to have dropped it off when he was too drunk to remember.
Finally, it opened, revealing a list of songs. He clicked on the first one and “My Only Wish” jingled in his ear. His head bobbed the entire time, clicking onto track two. His favorite song. The next one was the Toby Keith song they’d sung at his birthday and the Mindy McCready they’d danced to at Brews and Chews when they’d had their first, albeit fake, kiss. He clicked onto the next and each one triggered a memory of Noel. When the playlist ended with “Must Be Santa,” Nick wiped at the tears in his eyes.