Chapter 13 Hopeless
It was the next day and Stevie was lying in bed like she had done since the accident. Tess had made sure that she rested enough by sending Meg to her as often as possible, hoping her friend would be ok in a couple of days. Tess and Nick had left this morning and Stevie wished she hadn't fall of her horse and could have said goodbye properly. Instead she was lying there, totally bored already, still with her head hurting.
She sighed when she heard a knock on the door. Stevie saw Alex put his head around the door. 'Are you decent?' he asked. It made Stevie laugh. 'You have to ask that before you enter the room, Alex!' He grinned. No I don't.
'Nice bandage you've got there'. He walked to her bed. 'Yeah I look great', Stevie said cynical, softly touching the bandage which embraced her head. Everything looks good on you, he wanted to say but it just stayed a thought. He sat down on the chair along her bed. 'I have something for you'. He showed her a bunch of yellow flowers, which he had try to hide behind his back.
She giggled, cause she already noticed. 'Oh gosh Alex, did you just gathered these in Harry's garden?' He grinned 'Uhm, well yeah but I didn't had time cause of Nick and Tess ... but hey, I picked them with love.' He looked at her like he meant something more than just the flowers. She smiled shyly to him. 'Thanks anyway, they're lovely. I will let Meg put them in a vase.'
'And how are you feeling?' She tried to sit up a bit more. 'Well my head is still aching, but I guess I'm fine, bored though. I'm happy you're here'. He smirked, but a more serious look appeared right after. 'Uhm, Stevie', he frowned a bit, thinking of what to say. 'About Saturday night ... thanks.' He looked at her pretty intense. She didn't really knew what to say, just put on a smile was probably the best thing to do, though she didn't really knew where he thanked her for, but it was good enough for her.
'Thanks for yesterday', she said in return. 'Well, you did fell of your horse all by yourself'. She laughed. 'Lost your rodeo talent?' 'Never, I just ... got distracted.' In the way she said it, he knew it was because of him, cause of what happened that night. 'Sorry', he said softly. She smiled a bit at him, but she was glad she didn't need more words to explain.
They had chatted about Nick and Tess. Alex saw Stevie close her eyes a bit more often the last few minutes. 'I see you need some rest.' 'No I don't', she quickly replied. She did, but she really enjoyed his company. 'Yes you do. I will leave you so you can take a nap.' She stared at him, like a child that had just heard she couldn't get the toy she wanted. It made him laugh. 'Just take some rest'. He looked at her demanding, to be sure she would. She nodded. 'Yes sire'. 'Good!' They both laughed. 'I will check on you later', he took his hat and walked away. She watched him leave.
Oh my God, did I just checked out his butt? She bit her lip. Oh gosh she was hopeless.
As days went by Alex had visited her as much as possible and she had liked it a lot. It had made her feel better in more than one way. She was glad she could act pretty normal around him again, though she had more shy moments now she knew she was in love with him. And how sure she was about that! The way he had taken care of her was something she had longed for.
Dave had just paid a quick visit to Stevie when he was walking on the farmstead of Drovers. 'Hey Kate!' Kate was carrying a bag of food for the horses as she turned around to see Dave with a huge grin on his face. 'What?' She said as she moved closer, placing the bag on the ground, a bit mad on it cause it was pretty heavy. 'G'day to you too ... I have a splendid idea as I say myself!' Kate could hear and see Dave's enthusiasm and looked informing at him. 'You know the bet ...' She nodded. 'We gonna have a pool night!' Kate looked confused.
'We? What does that have to do with the bet?' Dave shook his head; a little annoyed with the fact his friend didn't got his bright idea immediately. 'Noooo, not we like us, we as you, me, Alex and Stevie'. He pointed with his finger to his right eye, grinning again. 'Got it?' 'Ahhhhhh, yeah ...' Kate nodded greedy and smiled. 'Stevie is almost the good ol' Stevie, so let's make it a date this Friday night. You ask Stevie. I ask Alex'. Dave was totally self-satisfied with his idea, in the hope it would bring Stevie and Alex closer together and he would win the bet.
'But Dave, how could a game of pool bring Stevie and Alex together?' She looked at him like she just had caught a weak spot in his plan, though Dave didn't saw it like that. 'Well, cause Alex has to learn Stevie to play pool, and that my friend has brought people closer together since ... since they played pool!' Kate grinned. 'You've never seen Stevie play pool, did yah!' Dave looked at Kate with a straight face; it made her burst out in laughter. 'Oh Dave that's so not going to work. I'm so gonna win!' She squeezed. Dave looked annoyed and disappointed at her. 'Well, at least we can give it a try!' he said, still having hope his plan would work.