2X The Heat (2X The Pleasure 1)

Her lips curled into a big smile. “Oh, you shouldn’t have.”

“This is nothing. I know how much you love fruit. Do you feel okay?”

I inspected her face subtly and noticed the tired lines around her eyes. I hated that she had to go through all of this and be forced to be put in a rehab center. Stupid smoke. I shook my head, just focus on Granny.

“Yes. I’m okay now. The doctors and nurses here are very kind, and they are always around, so I have all I need. How about you?”

“That’s a relief. I’m completely okay.”

“Did you have a good sleep?”

I didn’t want to worry her unnecessarily, so I nodded, hoping she wouldn’t notice just how much this was far from the truth. “And you?” I glanced around the white and sterile room, which was furnished simply. There was a dresser with a TV on it, next to the chair and desk. Her bed was across from a window that overlooked the back garden. “This is kind of cozy, isn’t it?”

“It’s fine, I guess. I can’t get used to this bed. The pillow is not soft at all.” She sighed. “I guess I can’t complain when there is no other way. What is your hotel like?”

“Just like any other three star hotel. It’s not bad, but it’s nothing special. It’s clean, and that’s the most important, right?”

“Exactly. We’re alive and okay, so we shouldn’t complain at all. If it hadn’t been for the kind firefighters that had cleared the path for us and enabled us to get out of the building safely, we wouldn’t even be here.”

“You’re right.”

Last night had been crazy. All of the sudden, the whole building was on fire, and it was terrifying. I’d never experienced something like this in my whole life. I could still feel the hotness on my skin—the danger of the fiery flames crawling so close to me that I thought they were going to swallow me. We could barely breathe from all that smoke, and then Granny began coughing so hard I thought she would choke. I’d been a few seconds away from panicking.

Luckily, we managed to escape and rush out of the building before it became worse. The shock had started wearing off, so now I could think better about the whole situation and all the possibilities. The horrible possibilities.

“You should bake a pie to take to those nice young fellas that saved you,” my grandmother suddenly suggested, taking me by surprise.

“Bake them a pie?”

“Yes. I noticed them talking to you last night, and I must say they are good looking.”

It amused me that she noticed their attractiveness too. On the other hand, it would be difficult not to notice that, since they were strikingly handsome—the kind that makes all eyes in the room fall on them. And if that wasn’t enough, they did an admirable job of saving people in need. I actually looked up to them, because it took a lot of courage and strength to do what they had done. I wondered if they had girlfriends or something. Probably. Guys like that aren’t just single.

“Yes, they are.” Something tightened in my chest when I remembered how sexy their smiles had been. They were every woman’s dream come true. “They introduced themselves to me, but I was so rude. I dismissed them without even thanking them.”

She frowned. “Bree! Why would you do that?”

I shrugged my shoulders, feeling slightly ashamed. In that moment everything was happening fast, so I couldn’t even think properly.

“I know. It’s just that the Red Cross volunteer had told me that you and I were going to be separated, and I started worrying... I was stressed, so I didn’t even realize what I’d done until it was too late. Anyway, I wish I could fix that.”

“Well, this is all the more reason why you should bake a pie and give it to them. That is the least they deserve. And not only that. You should apologize to them too.”

“I know, but I’m in a hotel, Granny. How can I bake a pie in a hotel? I would like to do that, but I obviously can’t.”

She shook her head with disapproval. “Then go to a store and buy it. You have to take a pie to them. We have to repay them somehow, and this would be a right thing to do. Besides, men love food, and I’m sure they would appreciate it.” She winked at me.

I laughed, knowing she was right. There was no man who would say no to a delicious pie.

“Alright, if you say so. I’ll buy it and take it to them. But I’m also telling them it’s from you.”

“That’s my girl. I wish I could make it myself, but...” Her lips went into a thin line, and I could easily read the sadness on her face.

I wrapped my fingers around her warm hand. “Hey. You’ll get out of here soon. We’ll find some new place and I’ll take care of you.”

“I know, honey. I believe in you. I just don’t want you to feel stressed about this. We’ll take the insurance money, and it will cover all the costs.”

“I still have to find that job. Now that my laptop is gone, I will have to find some other way to search for job. Maybe the library or a friend. I’m sure I can call someone.”