Error Handling: A Southern Sweet Romantic Comedy (Matched by Cupid Book 2) by Erin Lucy

Author:Erin Lucy [Lucy, Erin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: New Fable Press
Published: 2024-06-26T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 13

Chris

The room smells like stale coffee and Lysol. Not the best combination to go with the egg and potato casserole I just warmed up in the microwave. I set my homemade breakfast and my water bottle on the round table nearest the high row of windows and set about calming my hunger.

The breakroom sits behind the Maintenance Department’s main office and is the social hub for CofC’s maintenance techs and hospitality workers. I’m used to my ilk being tucked away out of sight, the dirty blue-collar workers that the professionals prefer to keep on the periphery, but nowhere has it been as apparent as CofC, where they hide the maintenance department in the basement of a former hospital—in an old morgue. The college bought the property a decade ago and remodeled it into an administrative building. As usual, the maintenance department drew the short stick and has to conduct its business where freezers full of dead bodies once sat.

There are no stories of ghosts in the old morgue, but like any normal human, I prefer not to be in the basement alone after dark. Although I’m currently alone in the breakroom, the morning sun is pouring through the small windows near the ceiling. For that, I’m thankful. Especially after last night’s tour.

The phantom breeze at the cemetery caused a twinge in the back of my neck that sent shivers down my arms. It was a good excuse to grab Sarah and hold her close. While I eat, I replay the feeling of her hand in mine, and I enjoy the memory of her reassuring touch.

I sigh and grab my phone from my back pocket. I tried to call and text my brother a few times yesterday to find out what was going on with my dad, but I never got a response.

I dial my brother and stick the phone to my ear.

“Hey Chris,” Sam says after the third ring. His voice sounds dull. “Sorry I didn’t call back yesterday. We were on a tight deadline. I haven’t slept since Saturday.”

“Yikes.”

“Yeah, I’m headed to bed now. What’s up?”

I shift in my seat. “I won’t keep you. I just wanted to see how Dad is doing. Mom called me yesterday morning and told me he has pneumonia.”

“She thinks it’s pneumonia.”

“Double pneumonia,” I clarify.

“The doctor thinks it’s just bronchitis. She thinks the doctor is wrong by the way Dad’s coughing. His oxygen is staying steady though, so she’s just overreacting.”

“She was in a mood when she called me.”

“She’s worried. You know how she gets.”

“Unfortunately.” I rub my forehead. “Let me know if it gets worse. I don’t trust Mom not to embellish it.”

“She will. That’s Mom.”

Kahlil walks in and salutes me. I return the gesture. “Keep me posted. I can come home if you need me.”

“No worries. We’re fine here.”

“If things get worse, I want to know.”

We hang up as Kahlil pulls a chair from my table. Its metal legs shriek against the commercial tiles.

“So, how’s the side project going?” Kahlil sits

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