Eleanor frowned. "Gavin couldn''t reach you. He was worried, so he asked me to check on you."


    He certainly looked like he was.


    "You should have someone take you to the hospital," Eleanor suggested.


    "No, I''ll be fine after I get some sleep," Ian shook his head. He left the door open and walked toward the living room.


    Eleanor''s brow furrowed. He was as stubborn as ever when it came to being sick. She figured he had probably just missed Gavin''s calls while he was in the shower.


    She turned to leave, but a sudden crash of ss from inside stopped her. She turned back and stepped into the apartment.


    In the living room,n was bracing himself on the table with one hand, the other pressed to his forehead. Shards of a broken ssy at his feet. He had clearly gotten dizzy and dropped it.


    Eleanor walked over to him. Just as she reached him, he swayed, nearly copsing. She instinctively reached out to steady him.


    His arm wrapped around her shoulders, and he leaned his head against her. She could feel the intense heat radiating from his body.


    "Get on the sofa and lie down," Eleanor said, half-supporting, half-guiding him to the couch.n sank onto it, beads of sweat on his forehead. He seemed to be fighting off a wave of dizziness, his eyes unfocused.


    Eleanor was about to clean up the broken ss when arge hand grabbed her wrist. "Don''t go," he pleaded, his voice raspy.


    "Let go." She easily pulled her hand free and took out her phone to call Joslyn upstairs.


    A momentter, Joslyn appeared at the door. Seeingn on the sofa, she asked with concern, "Ma''am, what''s wrong with Mr. Goodwin?"


    "He''s sick. Joslyn, could you please clean this up and then go make him some soup?"


    "Of course." Joslyn quickly swept up the ss and then went back upstairs to the kitchen.


    Eleanor stood by the sofa, looking down at the man lying with his eyes closed. "You need to go to the hospital. Now."


    "No,"n''s voice was obstinate. "I hate hospitals."


    Eleanor knew he did. "Then call your family doctor toe here."


    Eleanor picked up the phone and held it out to him. "Call him yourself."


    Just then, Joslyn returned with a thermometer. "Ma''am, you should take Mr Goodwin''s temperature. Ha seems to be burning up.content


    Eleanor took it and handed it to him. "Do it yourself."


    Joslyn discreetly left, pulling the door almost closed behind her.


    She nced at the reading. It was a high fever: 104.3°F.


    She went into his bathroom, found a washcloth, soaked it in cold water


    ando


    rung it out She folded it and ced it onn''s forehead >


    The cool sensation seemed to ease the tension in his brow.


    Eleanor thought about who could take care of him. Magdalen was too old, Gina was still recovering in the hospital, and Serena was undergoing drug trials and couldn''t be exposed to any illnesses.