Lost and Found Read Free Page A

curls out a bit. She had about one million more freckles splattered across
     her face than she did when I met her. After a careful hug, she reached up and gingerly
     touched the bandage on the side of my face. I had only known her for a few months
     but she was family; the little sister I never had. And maybe even the daughter I had
     lost.
    A few sips of the French roast were all it took to wake up fully, but it posed a problem
     too. I gestured to the bathroom and Kris helped me shuffle out from under the sheets
     so I could walk the short distance from the bed to the small room in the corner. Even
     though the pain was intense - I had to pee.
    Despite her protesting looks, she finally caved and helped me hobble out of the room
     and down the stairs to the main part of the cabin where I was greeted by my little
     lab/cocker spaniel mix that survived the world's deadliest virus with me. Zoey was
     all that was left of my previous life. I rubbed the top of her head vigorously until
     Kris pulled her away. The two of them had bonded tremendously over the last few months.
     Kris was seventeen now, having celebrated her birthday two weeks ago but she still
     rolled around with the dog just as a small child would and dropped everything to play
     fetch with Zoey.
    "Thanks for the coffee," I said with a smile. I felt the tug of the bandage pull on
     my skin and tried to hide the wince from Kris.
    "Sure. But if Connor wakes up freaking out that you're not there and finds out you
     went down the stairs without his help, it was all you. I will plead the fifth," she
     laughed.
    "Don't worry, I can handle Connor." I smiled as Kris rolled her eyes.
    "Are you hungry? Cause I was planning on making pancakes."
    My stomach clenched at the mention of food. "Yes, I'm starving."
    The kitchen stool proved too hard to climb up onto, so I opted for the couch again.
     At least there, I could prop the pillows around me and carry on an upright conversation
     with Kris. She had just poured the batter for the first pancake onto the griddle when
     there was a knock at the front door and Zoey rushed over to greet Winchester. He opened
     the door and poked his head inside but his smile faded when he saw me lounging on
     the couch.
    "You should be upstairs, in bed!" He tried to look upset, but the scowl on his groomed
     face was comical and I couldn't help but smile at him.
    "Mornin' Win. Don't worry; I had help getting down the stairs. If I lay in bed all
     day, I'll be even sorer, won't I?"
    "Where's Connor? I'll yell at him for getting you out of bed." He took a seat on the
     massive reclaimed tree trunk that served as the coffee table and leaned forward to
     touch my bandage.
    "It's not me you'll be yelling at," Connor's husky morning voice said from the top
     of the stairway as he took the steps down, two at a time.
    I tried not to stare at him, but I did as he was wearing only his boxers. And they
     hung from his hips so low that even Winchester blushed. Connor padded across the room,
     ignoring the dog that leapt at his legs and stopped directly behind the couch with
     his arms crossed, glaring down at me. I smiled, but still had a hard time keeping
     my eyes on his face, so eventually I had to turn away. Winchester raised his eyebrow,
     but said nothing as he began to peel back the bandage above my jaw.
    "Ouch." I flinched as the tape was pulled from my skin.
    Connor towered behind me as Winchester dabbed at the healing scrape with clean gauze.
     After he put more ointment and a fresh bandage on my face, he leaned back to inspect
     his work. Apparently satisfied, he moved on to my wrist to repeat the process.
    Kris lightened the mood by serving us all a steaming plate of pancakes. Connor was
     either unaware he was mostly naked, or was too stubborn to return upstairs to dress
     as he sat at the kitchen island on a stool to eat. I stole a few glances in his direction
     but our gazes never met. He was pissed at me and let everyone in the room know it.