No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

"Why did he ask that?"

I couldn't wrap my head around it, so I shot back a puzzled look.

Ernest didn't reply. He had already grabbed a quick bite and headed to the amusement park ahead of time.

Overnight, the park's electrical issues were all sorted, and Ernest kicked off a comprehensive check on the lighting. I was playing the role of the inspector - he'd adjust, I'd check. If it wasn't right, he'd tweak it again.

And I finally understood what he meant the night before about not letting physical issues hinder work. The guy was practically a machine, non-stop, turning me into a spinning top. I hardly had a chance to take a sip of water, sometimes intentionally avoiding it for fear of needing too many bathroom breaks.

In the time it took me to make a round, he could have adjusted another set of lights, waiting on me to approve so we could move on. It was a bottleneck.

After three days, I was totally spent, my mouth riddled with canker sores, yet Ernest, who also skipped out on drinking water, seemed perfectly fine. Turns out, I was the delicate one in front of a man.

"Felicia, you better drink some water before you turn into a dried-up Ethel," Deborah, who shared a room with me, was all too aware of my ordeal and felt for me.

I cracked a smile and said, "Even all dried up, I'd still be a pretty damsel."

With that, I tipped back my head to gulp down some water, just as Ernest's gaze met mine. Our eyes locked unintentionally, and I nearly choked. "Why are you rushing, hon?" Deborah patted my back to ease the cough.

That's when Ernest came down, grabbed a bottle of purified water, and started chugging it down.

His gulping was quick, his Adam's apple bobbing rapidly. I found myself swallowing reflexively.

It was a physical response, I knew.

But for some reason, I was particularly sensitive to Ernest's throat movements.

Did I have a thing for Adam's apples?

This thought made me choke on my water again, prompting Deborah to pat my back. "Felicia, why do you keep choking? You haven't gotten sores in your throat too, have you?"

Her words drew Ernest's attention, and I quickly shook my head, "No, just choked."

"You've got sores?" Ernest's focus seemed to be on my lips.

I pursed them, shaking my head again, "No."

"That's not true. Felicia's been avoiding water, scared it'll slow down Mr. Collins' progress. Now her mouth's a mess, and she can't even eat right." Deborah, ever so blunt, spilled everything.

Ernest stepped closer, towering over me, "Open up."

I froze, and so did Deborah, puzzled.

The next moment, Ernest's hand

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, he announced, "Canke

sores."

He turned to a wide-eyed Deborah, "Go get a bottle of watermelon frost spray and some anti-inflammatory medicine for the sores."

Deborah nodded, uttered an "Oh," and turned to leave.

But then she spun back around, "Mr. Collins, aren't you an electrician? How come you know medical stuff?"

Still in the awkwardness of having my chin grabbed, I managed, "He was in the military."

Deborah looked at me, about to say something, but Ernest cut in, "Aren't you going?"

"I..." Deborah's mouth was still moving, but after locking eyes with me, she seemed to remember something and obediently left.

I turned to Ernest, saying, "In the future, you..."

Before I could finish, Deborah shouted, "Mr. Wagner, hello!"

My heart skipped a beat. Conrad Wagner?