Read Online On the Surface (In the Zone) by Kate Willoughby - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kate Willoughby
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better research, Mr. Oliver. Tim didn’t provoke anyone in Bottlegate. That Philly fan did all the provoking.”
“And I don’t know anything about Bottlegate, whatever that was,” Erin said, “and frankly it doesn’t matter. I do not for one minute think Tim was spoiling for a fight. He was there to give autographs to his fans. That’s all.”
“Tim, Erin, if the fight had gone on longer, who would have won?”
Erin scoffed. “Hello. Did you see that guy?” She chuckled. “Tim, no doubt.”
“There’s some speculation that this was all staged for publicity, considering he’s visiting the hospital you work at tomorrow. Can you comment on that?”
“That’s ridiculous. Today was pure coincidence. I was having a bad day at work and went to Q Burger for comfort food. That’s all.”
Atwater said, “One more question, folks.”
Rochelle Narritt jumped in again. “Erin, after today, would it be safe to say you’re Tim’s number-one fan?”
Erin recalled Tim’s ready smile and the intoxicating thrill she’d felt when he’d leaped to her defense. “Absolutely.”
“Tim’s a single guy, you know,” Rochelle pointed out. “If he asked you out, would you say yes?”
Surprised by the question, Erin faltered. She glanced at Tim again. He had a tight expression on his face and looked a little gray around the gills. “I don’t know,” she said with a slight frown. “He’s not really my type.”
Atwater interrupted. “And we’re done. That’s it, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for your time.”
The lights went off and Tim got up quickly. “Let’s go,” he said curtly and left the room. Erin hurried after him, followed closely by Atwater. He had long strides and she had to jog to keep up.
“Hey, what’s the hurry?” she asked.
“I feel like shit,” he said. “I need to get back to my hotel.”
She noticed a sheen of sweat on his face.
“Tell me what’s wrong.”
He fumbled for his keys. “My stomach’s fucked up. I feel shaky. I think I’m going to be making real good friends with the toilet tonight. Atwater, can you drive her back to the hospital?”
“Sure.”
“No way,” Erin said. She touched his face, which felt clammy. He looked several shades paler than he had only moments ago. “You’re in no condition to drive. James, get some kind of container like a small trash can and meet us at the car. He’s going to vomit long before we get to the hotel.”
As Atwater dashed off on his mission, Tim gritted his teeth. “I am not vomiting in my brand-new Escalade.”
“We’ll see about that,” Erin said. “Give me those keys. I’m driving.”
Chapter Seven
It was four a.m. and Tim lay on the bathroom floor in his hotel room. He hadn’t dry heaved since three. He was thirsty but afraid to drink for fear it’d come right back up.
He could hear Erin snoring softly in the other room. He’d tried to stop her from coming to his room, but although she was a little bit of a thing, she had a strong will and all his energy had gone toward holding it together until he could get to the bathroom. Once there, he barely avoided making a huge mess. Erin handed him damp cloths, wrapped a blanket around his shoulders when he got the chills and murmured soothing things to him as he slumped over the toilet bowl in misery.
It shouldn’t have mattered. She was a nurse, for fuck’s sake. She did this type of thing and worse for a living, but he hated that a woman had seen him weak as an infant, puking his guts out and unable to do a fucking thing about it. Call him a Neanderthal, but a large part of his self-image came from his strength and toughness. He had a reputation that he enjoyed and worked to maintain, and he really hated that Erin had seen him laid low.
He lifted his head in small increments. The world didn’t spin, but his mouth tasted like a used jock strap. He decided to sit on the edge of the tub for a minute or so before attempting to get completely upright. He
“And I don’t know anything about Bottlegate, whatever that was,” Erin said, “and frankly it doesn’t matter. I do not for one minute think Tim was spoiling for a fight. He was there to give autographs to his fans. That’s all.”
“Tim, Erin, if the fight had gone on longer, who would have won?”
Erin scoffed. “Hello. Did you see that guy?” She chuckled. “Tim, no doubt.”
“There’s some speculation that this was all staged for publicity, considering he’s visiting the hospital you work at tomorrow. Can you comment on that?”
“That’s ridiculous. Today was pure coincidence. I was having a bad day at work and went to Q Burger for comfort food. That’s all.”
Atwater said, “One more question, folks.”
Rochelle Narritt jumped in again. “Erin, after today, would it be safe to say you’re Tim’s number-one fan?”
Erin recalled Tim’s ready smile and the intoxicating thrill she’d felt when he’d leaped to her defense. “Absolutely.”
“Tim’s a single guy, you know,” Rochelle pointed out. “If he asked you out, would you say yes?”
Surprised by the question, Erin faltered. She glanced at Tim again. He had a tight expression on his face and looked a little gray around the gills. “I don’t know,” she said with a slight frown. “He’s not really my type.”
Atwater interrupted. “And we’re done. That’s it, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for your time.”
The lights went off and Tim got up quickly. “Let’s go,” he said curtly and left the room. Erin hurried after him, followed closely by Atwater. He had long strides and she had to jog to keep up.
“Hey, what’s the hurry?” she asked.
“I feel like shit,” he said. “I need to get back to my hotel.”
She noticed a sheen of sweat on his face.
“Tell me what’s wrong.”
He fumbled for his keys. “My stomach’s fucked up. I feel shaky. I think I’m going to be making real good friends with the toilet tonight. Atwater, can you drive her back to the hospital?”
“Sure.”
“No way,” Erin said. She touched his face, which felt clammy. He looked several shades paler than he had only moments ago. “You’re in no condition to drive. James, get some kind of container like a small trash can and meet us at the car. He’s going to vomit long before we get to the hotel.”
As Atwater dashed off on his mission, Tim gritted his teeth. “I am not vomiting in my brand-new Escalade.”
“We’ll see about that,” Erin said. “Give me those keys. I’m driving.”
Chapter Seven
It was four a.m. and Tim lay on the bathroom floor in his hotel room. He hadn’t dry heaved since three. He was thirsty but afraid to drink for fear it’d come right back up.
He could hear Erin snoring softly in the other room. He’d tried to stop her from coming to his room, but although she was a little bit of a thing, she had a strong will and all his energy had gone toward holding it together until he could get to the bathroom. Once there, he barely avoided making a huge mess. Erin handed him damp cloths, wrapped a blanket around his shoulders when he got the chills and murmured soothing things to him as he slumped over the toilet bowl in misery.
It shouldn’t have mattered. She was a nurse, for fuck’s sake. She did this type of thing and worse for a living, but he hated that a woman had seen him weak as an infant, puking his guts out and unable to do a fucking thing about it. Call him a Neanderthal, but a large part of his self-image came from his strength and toughness. He had a reputation that he enjoyed and worked to maintain, and he really hated that Erin had seen him laid low.
He lifted his head in small increments. The world didn’t spin, but his mouth tasted like a used jock strap. He decided to sit on the edge of the tub for a minute or so before attempting to get completely upright. He
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