I thought, ‘So, Josh adds me on WhatsApp, not for work, but to ask that? Why would he ask something like that?’


    I couldn’t quite figure it out, so I replied with a simple: [Why ask?]


    But Josh didn’t answer, and by the time I’d realized, he’d already eaten and headed to the amusement park ahead of schedule.


    By the time the night passed, the electrical issues at the park had been sorted, and Josh had started working on the full lighting adjustments.


    I was more like an inspector, checking his work as he made each change. If something wasn’t quite right, I’d ask him to


    tweak it.


    I finally understood what he meant when he said he didn’t want health issues to slow the work-he wasn’t just being considerate, he was being all about the job.


    He worked like a machine, almost non-stop, and it made me feel like a spinning top. I barely had time to drink water, and even when I did, I was reluctant to drink too much because it meant constant bathroom trips.


    In the time it took me to the bathroom, he could’ve already finished adjusting an entire light setup. If I didn’t inspect it immediately, he’d have to wait, which really dyed the progress.


    After three days of this, my mouth was covered in painful sores, while Josh-who’d barely had time to drink water either- seemedpletely fine. It hit me: women were just more fragile than men.


    “Zoe, drink some water! If you don’t, you’ll turn into a dry, olddy,” Myra said, her concern obvious. She’d noticed I wasn’t taking care of myself and felt bad for me.


    I smiled and replied, “Even if I dry up, I’ll still be a dry, beautiful girl.”


    I tilted my head back and took a long sip of water, only to identally lock eyes with Josh. Our gazes met for a moment, and I nearly choked on the water.


    “Zoe, why are you drinking so fast?” Myra patted my back to help me out.


    At that moment, Josh came down the stairs, grabbed a bottle of water, and drank it down quickly. His Adam’s apple bobbed with each swallow, and I found myself swallowing along with him.


    It was just a natural, physical reaction, but I wondered, ‘Why do I feel so… sensitive to his Adam’s apple? Do I have some weird thing for Adam’s apples?’


    The thought caught me off guard and made me choke again, prompting Myra to quickly pat my back. “Zoe, you keep choking! Is your throat on fire or something?”


    Just as she spoke, Josh looked over at me, and I quickly shook my head. “No, just got choked on water.”


    “Your throat hurt?” Josh said, his gaze lingering on my lips.


    I instinctively pressed my lips together and shook my head again, “No.”


    “You are just trying not to dy Josh’s work,” Myra blurted out, not sparing me any embarrassment. “You are hardly drinking any water, and now your mouth is full of sores. You can’t even eat anything.”


    Josh stepped forward and stood right in front of me. “Open your mouth.”


    I froze, and Myra’s eyes went wide in confusion.


    Before I could say anything, Josh reached out and gently but firmly pinched my chin, forcing my mouth open. He took a quick look and then let go. “You’ve got an ulcer.”


    He turned to Myra, who was still staring with her mouth open. “Go get some medication for mouth ulcers.”


    Myra nodded and went to leave. But then she turned back around. “Josh, aren’t you an electrician? How do you know about medicine?”


    I was still recovering from the awkwardness of him touching my chin when I managed to speak, “Because he was in the army.”


    Myra looked at me, about to say something, but when our eyes met, she seemed to realize something and quietly left.


    I was about to say something to Josh when Myra suddenly called out, “Mr. Dolton’s here!”


    I froze, thinking, ‘Alvin?’


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