Chapter 19 – Under the Weather

The lecture hall had never felt this warm before.

Emma shifted in her seat, blinking hard at the presentation slides projected across the front wall. The words blurred together for a moment before slowly coming back into focus.

She rubbed her eyes.

Maybe staying up until nearly two in the morning to finish her architecture model hadn't been her smartest decision.

The lecturer dismissed the class, and the room immediately filled with the familiar scrape of chairs and overlapping conversations. Emma packed her notebook into her backpack, slipped her sketch tube over one shoulder, and stood.

For a brief second, the room tilted.

She caught the edge of the desk before anyone noticed.

"...Definitely need more sleep."

She laughed quietly to herself and walked out of the building.

A cool breeze greeted her outside campus.

Normally, she loved weather like this.

Today, it made her shiver.

-

By the time Emma arrived at the bakery, the afternoon preparations were already underway.

The comforting smell of butter, cinnamon, and fresh bread wrapped around her the moment she stepped inside.

"Good afternoon," she called, tying her apron behind her back.

Mrs. Alvarez looked up from arranging croissants in the display.

"There you are."

Emma smiled.

"Busy?"

"It will be."

Mrs. Alvarez studied her face for a moment.

"You don't look well."

Emma instinctively touched her cheek.

"I don't?"

"You look pale."

"I'm just tired."

Mrs. Alvarez hummed.

"That's what everyone says before they get sick."

Emma laughed.

"I'll survive."

"You always do."

But Mrs. Alvarez wasn't convinced.

-

The evening rush arrived almost exactly at five.

Customers came in one after another.

Emma greeted them with her usual smile, packed pastries, boxed birthday cakes, and recommended the bakery's newest seasonal bread.

No one would have guessed anything was wrong.

Until she reached for a piping bag filled with chocolate cream instead of vanilla.

Mrs. Alvarez gently stopped her hand.

Emma looked down.

"...Oops."

"You've never done that before."

"I guess my brain took the day off."

Mrs. Alvarez exchanged the piping bags before pointing toward the small chair in the corner.

"Five-minute break."

"I'm fine."

"Emma."

"I really am."

"You almost made chocolate strawberry tarts."

Emma looked at the tart.

"...Would that be so terrible?"

Mrs. Alvarez gave her a look.

Emma sighed dramatically.

"Fine."

She sat for exactly four minutes before standing again.

Mrs. Alvarez didn't bother arguing.

She already knew she would lose.

-

The bell above the bakery door chimed.

Without looking up, Emma smiled automatically.

"Welcome! I'll be with you in just a second."

"No rush."

She froze.

"...Daniel."

He stood just inside the entrance, hands tucked into the pockets of his coat.

"You finished early?"

"A little."

Emma smiled.

"I just have to clean up."

"I can wait."

He took his usual seat by the window.

Over the past few weeks, this had quietly become their routine.

Sometimes they walked to the station together.

Sometimes they stopped for coffee.

Sometimes they only talked for ten minutes before heading home.

Neither of them had ever planned it.

Daniel simply started showing up.

And somehow, Emma had started expecting him.

As she wiped down the counter, Daniel watched her from across the room.

Something felt different.

She smiled at customers.

She joked with Mrs. Alvarez.

But every movement seemed just a little slower than usual.

Twice she rubbed her temple when she thought no one was looking.

Once she paused, closing her eyes for barely a second before continuing her work.

He frowned.

-

Mrs. Alvarez approached with Emma's bag.

"Your shift's over."

Emma nodded gratefully.

"Thanks."

As she slipped off her apron, she swayed almost imperceptibly.

Daniel noticed.

Mrs. Alvarez noticed too.

Without saying anything, Mrs. Alvarez stepped forward and placed the back of her hand against Emma's forehead.

Emma sighed.

"I knew you were going to do that."

"You're warm."

"It's nothing."

"No," Mrs. Alvarez replied. "It isn't."

Emma laughed weakly.

"I think I just need sleep."

"I think you have a fever."

Mrs. Alvarez turned toward Daniel.

"Would you mind taking her home?"

"Of course."

Emma looked between them.

"...I wasn't aware this decision involved me."

Mrs. Alvarez smiled.

"It doesn't."

-

Outside, Emma automatically turned toward the station.

Daniel didn't.

"My car's this way."

She blinked.

"You drove?"

"I usually do."

"You've never told me."

"You never asked."

They walked into the parking garage.

Daniel pressed the unlock button on his key.

A sleek black Mercedes sedan flashed its lights.

Emma stopped walking.

"...That's yours?"

"It is."

She stared for another moment.

"I thought you worked in business."

"I do."

"...Business pays this well?"

Daniel laughed.

"Sometimes."

She circled the car slowly before climbing inside.

The leather seats were impossibly soft.

Everything felt... expensive.

She glanced at her flour-covered sleeves.

"I suddenly feel like I'm not allowed to touch anything."

"It's only a car."

She looked around again.

"It definitely doesn't feel like 'only a car.'"

Daniel smiled as he started the engine.

-

The city passed quietly outside the windows.

Emma rested her head against the glass.

"I'm sorry."

Daniel glanced at her.

"For what?"

"I haven't been very good company."

"You've been sick."

"I still feel bad."

"You don't have to."

She smiled.

"You always know what to say."

"I don't think I do."

"You do."

A few minutes later, she closed her eyes.

Daniel looked over just in time to see her drift asleep.

He reached toward the dashboard and lowered the air conditioning slightly.

The rest of the drive passed in comfortable silence.

-

"Emma."

She stirred.

"We're here."

She blinked awake.

"...I fell asleep."

"You did."

"I'm sorry."

Daniel smiled.

"That's the fourth apology today."

"I've been counting."

She laughed softly.

"That's embarrassing."

"It means you should probably get some rest."

They walked toward her apartment building together.

Emma looked up at the familiar balconies and potted plants lining the entrance.

"It's nothing special."

Daniel looked around.

The building was modest.

Lived in.

Warm.

"So..."

"This is where you live."

Emma nodded.

"Yeah."

He smiled.

"It feels like you."

She looked at him, puzzled.

"What does that mean?"

"It feels... comfortable."

She couldn't explain why that made her heart skip.

"Thank you for bringing me home."

"Of course."

She turned toward the gate.

"Goodnight, Daniel."

She had taken only a step when she heard him quietly say her name.

"Emma."

She turned.

Daniel stepped closer.

For a brief moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, almost as though the decision surprised even him, he leaned forward and gently pressed a kiss against her cheek.

Soft.

Warm.

Gone in an instant.

When he pulled away, he smiled faintly.

"Get some rest."

Before Emma could respond, he turned and walked back toward his car.

She stood frozen at the gate, fingertips slowly rising to the place where he'd kissed her.

The Mercedes disappeared around the corner.

Only then did she let out a tiny laugh.

"...He kissed me."

For the first time all day, she forgot she had a fever.