CHAPTER 25: Recovery

**THE MORNING AFTER**

Sunlight filtered through unfamiliar blinds. I blinked awake, disoriented. Jackson's couch. His apartment. The throw blanket tucked carefully around my shoulders.

The smell of coffee hit me. Badly made coffee.

I sat up. My neck protested from the awkward sleeping position. In the kitchen, Jackson stood one-handed at the coffee maker, cursing under his breath. His sling hung loose, and he was trying to hold the carafe with his bad arm.

"Stop."

He turned. His hair stuck up on one side. "Morning."

"Let me." I crossed to him, took the carafe from his trembling hand. "Sit down before you hurt yourself worse."

"I can make coffee."

"Clearly." I nodded at the grounds scattered across the counter. "Sit."

He sat. Watched me clean up his mess and start over. The coffee maker gurgled. I found bread, eggs, butter. Started cooking without asking if he wanted breakfast.

"You don't have to..."

"I know."

The eggs sizzled. I glanced back. He was trying to adjust his sling with one