Royal Pain in the Ass (50 page)

I wasn
’
t alone too long when Daphne came in.
  “
Good mornin
’
t
o
ya love.” Daphne smiled.  “
How
’
re ya feelin' today?
”

“I
’
m alright.
”
I smiled back.
 

Daphne shook Xavier awake.
  “Up ya get, boy.”

Xavier start
led awake and looked around.
  “
Oh, good morning, Daphne.
”

“It
’
s time to take care of Miss Juliet, out ya get!.
”

Xavier nodded.
  “
I have a few errands I have to run anyway.
  I
’
ll be back as soon as I can, Juliet.
”

“
See you.
”
I waved and felt a strange feeling of relief when he left.

“
Juliet, what
’
s da matta
’
wit
’
cha girl?”

“
I don’
t know.
”

“
Ever since I caught ya kissin' that there boy, ya been gloomier than a storm cloud.
”

I sighed.
  “
I don’
t know.
”

“
Well, you best be figurin
’
it out.
”

Daphne did the usual tests and left me to my thoughts.
 
I had a few hours to sort out my thoughts when Xavier returned a triumphant smile on his face.

“
How would you like to go home?
”

“
What?
”

“I
’
ve arranged with the doctors to have you moved to your house.
 
You will still have to be closely monitored, but I know how much you hate the hospital.
”

“Oh.”

Xavier
’
s face fell.
  “
I thought it would make you happy.
”

“
It does, it
’
s just, unexpected.
” 
Xavier sighed and sat on the edge of my bed.
  “
Juliet, what are you thinking?
”

“
What is that supposed to mean?
”

“
It means, right now, what thoughts are running through your head?
”

“
Why?
”

“
Something has changed with you, and I
’
m concerned.
 
You seem closed off.
 
I don’
t want to push you away, and I certainly don
’
t want you to push me away.
  I
’
m trying to figure you out, but you
’
ve been acting differently since I
’
ve been back.
 
Even worse so since we kissed.
 
Do you regret it?
”

I bit my lip. 
This was not going anywhere I wanted to be.
  “
Xavier, where is all of this coming from?
”

Xavier sighed.
  “
Nevermind.
”

“
No, you brought it up.
 
You obviously want to talk about this.
 
Fine, whatever, let
’
s talk.”

“
Juliet, I can
’
t figure out what you
’
re thinking.
  Ever.  It
’
s infuriating.
  I
’
ve always been good at reading people and you
’
re like a blank page.  I can
’
t get a read on you and I don
’
t know how to act or react around you.
 
You drive me mad, woman.
”

“
I don’
t know what to tell you, Xavier.
”

“
There is nothing to tell me, Juliet.
”
Xavier grumbled.
  “
Either way, you will be checking out today and able to come home.
  I
’
ve arranged it so that the media is not allowed within ten miles of your home.
 
Amanda and Maverick are staying with her parents while we get you settled in.
”

I nodded.
  “
Alright.
”

Xavier took a steadying breath and gave me a look I couldn
’
t read.
  “
Well, I
’
ll inform Daphne and have the car pulled around.
”

I nodded as he left the room.
 
I sighed.
 
I didn
’
t know what was going on anymore and it was driving me crazy.
  
What did I want anymore?
 
I thought I wanted to go home, when I got here it wasn
’
t really home anymore.
 
When Xavier showed up, I was excited, but now it feels strained between us and I
’
m not even sure where our friendship went.
 
I hated it.

It didn
’
t take long before I was in my own bed, Loki snuggled up against me.
  I
’
m not quite sure how I was feeling, but it was nice to be in my own bed again.

Chapter XXVI

“
Well, since you
’
re all settled, I figured I
’
d just stay in the guest room.
”
Xavier sighed.

“
We don’
t have a guest room.
”

“Don
’
t be silly, of course you do.
 
Down the hall -
”

I sat bolt upright.
  “
Please tell me you haven
’
t been in there.
”

“
Juliet, what
’
s the problem?
” 

I jumped out of bed and opened the door and Xavier
’
s suitcase was in there and it looked like he was starting to unpack.
 
I felt the tears brimming before I knew what was going on.

“
Juliet?
”

“
This is my mom
’
s room.
”

Xavier pulled me against him and I let him hold me while I cried.
  “I
’
ll stay on the couch then, I
’
ll take everything out then.
  I
’
m sorry, I didn
’
t know.
”

I shook my head.
  “It
’
s, it
’
s,”

Xavier was rubbing small circles.
  “
This isn
’
t good for you.
”
He murmured against my hair.
  “
Come on, back to bed.
”
Xavier picked me up and carried me back to my bed.
  “
You need sleep.
”
He tucked me in and went to leave, but I grabbed his arm.
 
I didn
’
t want to be alone.

“Stay?”

“
Are you sure?
 
You need your rest.
”

“
Just stay with me?
 
Just for a little while?
”

Xavier sighed.
  “
If that
’
s what you really want.
” 
I was curled under the blankets and Xavier laid on top of them next to me.
 
He refused to get under with me, but let me cuddle up against him.
 
He ran his fingers through my hair until I fell asleep.
 

“
Sorry, didn
’
t mean to wake you.
”
Xavier murmured.

“It
’
s alright.
 
How long was I out?
”

“
A few hours.
”

“
Did you say Amanda was staying at her parent
’
s house?
”

“Yes.”

I nodded.
  “
Want to watch a movie?
”

Xavier smiled.  “
If you want to.
 
What would you like to watch?
”

“Ever seen Casablanca?”

Xavier shook his head.

"What?"
 
I sat up.
 
"Oh we are so watching it.
 
I think this is my favorite movie of all time."

We sat and watched it.
 
God how I love this movie.
 

"Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine."
 
I smiled as I quoted the movie.
 
I love Humphrey Bogart movies.
 
I love Humphrey Bogart to be honest.
 
He's one of the favorite actors of all time.
 
Xavier chuckled and I looked over, he was not watching the movie, instead he was watching me.
  “
Can I help you?
”

Xavier shook his head.
  “No, I
’
m quite alright.
”

“
Then I think I should tell you, the movie is that way, dude.
  You
’
re missing it.
”

“
That
’
s alright.
”

“
No, it
’
s definitely not alright.
  It
’
s Casablanca.
 
Missing it is not alright.
 
Watch the movie, mister.
”

Xavier let out a small laugh but turned back to the movie.
  “It
’
s cute how into this you are.
”

“
Shut up at watch.
”

Xavier continued to tease me throughout the movie.
 
We were at the part where Rick is telling Ilsa to get on that plane or else she would regret it when Xavier burst out laughing.
 
I was gaping at him as Rick
’
s
famous
speech came up before Ilsa leaves with Victor.

“
How are you laughing?
”

“
Because it
’
s ridiculous.”
Xavier laughed.

“You are ridiculous. 
Casablanca is pure cinematic gold.
”

“
You need your rest.
 
You are delirious.
”
Xavier smiled as he crawled out of bed.
 
Xavier kissed my forehead.
  “
Good night, Juliet.
 
Sweet dreams.
”

“
Get back here and enjoy Casablanca!
”
I shouted as he closed the door.

Eventually I got comfortable and snuggled up with Loki and managed to fall asleep.
 
I was awoken to a fit of laughter and Xavier growling to
‘
get off of that bed this instant
’
and Amanda
’
s mom tone. 
I knew who was jumping on my bed.