Chapter 222
After hanging up with Henry and the rest, Zinnia checked Lydia and Maisieโs messages. Since she was too weak to make calls, she just used the voice message button to reply.
Lydiaโs worried texts bombarded the screen. Zinnia kept reassuring her she was okay, and Lydia finally dropped the idea of a video call.
If I answered, theyโd see right through me. I can feel how weak I am; my face must look as bad as I feel, she thought.
Just then, Yannis walked in with a food tray. Watching Zinnia struggle to tap her phone with one finger while reassuring the worried Maisie and Lydia, he teased, โStill worrying about your friends when youโre like this?โ
Having finished answering most messages, Zinnia rested her head on the nightstand. Her face was tired, but her eyes were bright as she stared at the tray in Yannisโ hands. โIf you donโt hurry, Iโm gonna starve to death,โ she pouted.
โFine, starve thenโone less thing for me to worry about,โ Yannis joked, bringing the food over under Zinniaโs puppy-dog eyes.
On the tray was a bowl of minestrone soup, a small serving of grilled steak, and a bowl of mushroom soup. At the sight of the steak, Zinniaโs face lit up with satisfaction.
Yannis placed the tray on the nightstand, pulled a stool up to the bed, and began feeding Zinnia the minestrone soup.
โI can do it myself,โ Zinnia said, suddenly feeling embarrassed.
When she first woke up, her mind was too fuzzy to care, and sheโd been too busy chatting with him. But now that she was more alert, having him feed her with a spoon was a bit awkward.
โSure you got the strength in your hands?โ Yannis eyed Zinniaโs bandaged left hand, then her limp right oneโboth looked too weak to hold anything.
โNot really,โ Zinnia mumbled, trying to move her hands and realizing they had no strength. โMaybe get me a thick straw instead?โ
โNope, eat up,โ Yannis smiled, ignoring her request and bringing the spoon to her mouth. โIโm taking care of you now. If I ever need help, you wonโt forget me, right? I remember you promised to look after me when Iโm old.โ
Yannis couldnโt help but shake his headโhere he was, offering to help, and yet she wanted a straw instead.
โYouโre still young.โ Zinnia flashed a playful grin. โBut donโt worry. When youโre all gray and wrinkly, Iโll take great care of you.โ
Then she recalled Yannisโs joke about how taking care of him would cost a fortune. Looking at how healthy he was now, she figured heโd probably outlive her and wouldnโt need her help when he got older.
โOkay,โ Yannis replied. Watching Zinniaโs eyes darting around, he knew she was cooking up some wild thoughts. He didnโt call her outโhe had her promise, after all. What happened next was future Yannisโ problem.
The rich smell from the spoon hit Zinnia, and she couldnโt resist. โThanks,โ she said, taking a bite.
โYannis, I want some steak,โ Zinnia pleaded, her eyes fixed on the perfectly grilled steak. She could tell it was free-rangeโthe meat looked firm and juicy, and that perfectly golden skin was just irresistible. Her mouth was already watering just looking at it.
Yannis speared a piece of steak with his fork and held it to Zinniaโs lips.
Chewing on the delicious steak, Zinnia looked at Yannis and asked, โHave you eaten?โ
โNot yet,โ Yannis replied. Heโd been watching over you all day, and food was the last thing on his mind.
โYou havenโt eaten yet?โ Zinnia exclaimed. She couldnโt believe it was so late and he still hadnโt eaten.
Yannis nodded. His mind had been on her all day; he hadnโt even noticed hunger. He scooped up another spoonful of minestrone soup and held it to her.
โYou eat too,โ Zinnia said, motioning to the food.
Yannisโs hand, holding the spoon, stilled for a second, his eyes locking onto her worried ones.
Zinnia blinked under his intense stare. Whatโs with that look? Did I say something wrong?
โWhatโs wrong?โ she asked, confused. Sheโd only gotten worried when she heard he hadnโt eaten and wanted him to have something too.
โNothing.โ Yannis replied casually. He took a spoonful of soup for himself, then smoothly guided another spoonful toward Zinniaโs mouth.
โI want meat!โ Zinnia whined. She was so hungry she felt like she could eat an entire cow.
โFinish the minestrone soup first, then you can have some meat,โ Yannis coaxed, his voice soft.
Zinnia nodded and slurped down the last of the minestrone soup.
Yannisโs eyes lingered on her lips for a heartbeat, then he looked away and speared a piece of steak with his fork to feed her.
They polished off the small bowl of minestrone soup together. Each time, Yannis made her take a sip of soup before letting her have a bite of steak.
Only after they finished did Zinnia realize theyโd been sharing the same spoon. She remembered there was another one in the mushroom soup bowl.
Knowing how much of a clean freak Yannis was, sheโd just assumed heโd use a separate spoon. But now, there was only one in his handโwhere did the other spoon go?
โYannisโฆโ Zinnia called. The realization that theyโd been sharing a spoon made her cheeks heat up.
โWhatโs up?โ Yannis asked, stacking the dishes.
โWeโve been using the same spoon,โ Zinnia mumbled, nervously licking her lips, which had finally gained some color after eating.
โHmm.โ Yannis paused mid-motion then looked up at her. โDo I gross you out?โ
His charming eyes locked onto hers, intense and dangerously alluringโlike a whirlpool pulling her under. The longer she looked, the deeper she sank.
Zinnia pushed away the flustered thoughts, stammering, โNโno, I donโt mind. But youโre a germaphobe, right?โ She was just worried he might find sharing a spoon with her disgusting.
Yannis caught on. His eyes softened, and the corners of his mouth curved up slightly. โI donโt mind sharing with you,โ he said, voice low and velvety with amusement.
His words and gaze settled into Zinniaโs heart like two pebbles in still water. For a second, tiny ripples stirred her calmโthen vanished, leaving her mind peaceful again.
But those pebbles had already sunk. Who knew how many more would collect at the bottom? And when the lakebed filled, what storm might rise?
Zinnia felt a strange flutter in her chest. She didnโt get this feeling yet, but it didnโt scare her. โI donโt mind you either,โ she smiled brightly, her voice clear.
Yannis looked into her guileless eyes. His fingers twitched slightly, and a shadow crossed his eyes before he masked it completely.