Arranged To Marry A Devil | 1st Draft Complete

Chapter 21 - From Bad to Worse

A couple days had passed and as predicted, I was down with a cold and a raging fever for those couple of days. Although with the doting of Gabby and Gio, I was nursed back to health in a fairly decent amount of time. However, as also was predicted, more snow came, but there was no actual blizzard, which was a good thing in my book.

"Feeling up for decorating the tree and cabin today," Gio asked as he touched my forehead gently, making sure my raging fever was gone or was at least downgraded a bit.

Now, I wasn't sure what happened those days that I had the fever, because I was pretty much in and out of consciousness, but I was ninety-nine percent sure that Gio never really left my side. It more than likely could have been hallucinations caused by the fever itself, but I liked to believe it was true nevertheless.

Stupid, I know! Hoping he never left my side? I'm setting myself up for heartbreak and disaster. This is a charade and I'm turning out to be the fool! He doesn't care for me like that! And I don't care for him like that! Or do I? It was painfully clear that I felt something for Gio.

No matter what my brain screamed at me though, I couldn't help but get my hopes up, only further proving my brain's point that I was falling hard. "Yeah, I'd love that actually," I replied softly with a smile. My throat was still a bit sore and my voice was scratchy, but I was completely done with being laid up in bed. My body still felt weak, but I needed to get up and move. The sweats from the fevers had me feeling gross and I wanted to be as far away from that bed as humanly possible.

Gio smiled softly and slowly helped me up and out of the bed. I grabbed some clean clothes and hurried to the bathroom to take a much needed hot shower. As the hot water pelted my aching muscles, I wondered if anyone had gotten news from my father. I was homesick, but not nearly as much as I thought I would be. Despite the whole kidnapping and lying thing, the Corvello's were beginning to feel like family to me, more than my own actually. That thought alone made me sad, because eventually my father would pay the ransom and I'd go back to my own family or Georgio would find out that Giovanni and I were lying and weren't really a couple and then I'd be swimming with the fishes. Either way, I'd never see them again after this was all over and done with.

Frowning, I got dressed and made my way downstairs for some breakfast, because I sure was hungry. "Good morning, sweetheart. Are you feeling any better," Gabby asked as she wandered over and kissed my forehead. That was her way of taking my temperature I had found out. "Thermometers never are accurate," she announced on the first day I had gotten a fever. Apparently it was an Italian grandmother thing, because my grams used to do the same thing.

Smiling softly, I nodded some. "I'm feeling much better than I did," I replied weakly. It was true, I was feeling better than I did, but I was no where near fully well. If I had to guess, I would have said I was somewhere smack dab in the middle of death and wellness.

Gabby frowned a bit, because I still felt warm to her. "You still feel slightly feverish, but I'm sure you'll feel much better after some breakfast and orange juice. However, you will need to take it easy today," she then stated as the boys brought out serving trays of food.

My stomach growled audibly and my mouth began to water as the food was laid out before me on the table. Gio then began making me a plate of my favorite foods, so I didn't have to lift a finger. He gently set my plate down in front of me and then he began working on his own plate before he took a seat beside me. My stomach would not allow for me to wait for everyone to get their food, I quickly began cutting and eating. "Take it slow, you've only had fluids lately, you don't want to upset your stomach again," Gio said gently to me, although I could hear the slightest hint of amusement in his voice.