Dave noticed her red cheeks and felt her forehead. He was surprised.
Without waiting for Bianca to answer, he lifted her into bed and quickly grabbed a thermometer.
Her fever was really high!
“You’re burning up. I need to take you to the hospital,” he said.
As he leaned down to pick her up, Bianca grabbed his wrist.
Struggling to keep her eyes open, she whispered, “I’ve already seen a doctor. The doctor said it was only for three days. If I take my medicine, I’ll be okay.”
Dave noticed a bottle of medicine on the nightstand.
He hurried to get water from the living room, came back, and helped Bianca swallow her pills.
Bianca’s frail figure on the bed, her lips tinged purple from fever, filled Dave with deep pity.
He went to the bathroom, got some cold water, soaked a towel, folded it neatly, and placed it on her forehead.
“Thank you, Mr. Evans,” she said softly.
His caring and gentle actions reminded her of her mother, who used to take care of her when she was sick despite being busy.
Memories of her mother haunted her, especially since her divorce from her father. As a child, she didn’t appreciate her mother’s care. Even on the day her mother left, she hid in her room and didn’t come out to see her, no matter how much her mother called for her.
That regret felt heavy in her heart.
Sitting beside her, Dave gently brushed her hair back and asked softly, “Why didn’t you call me when you got so sick? What if I didn’t come home, and you got even sicker?”
Dave’s men told him Bianca hadn’t come to work and hadn’t answered his calls. Worried, he rushed home.
Bianca bit her lip, appearing like a child caught doing something wrong, and whispered, “You have your own things to deal with. I didn’t want to bother you…”
Suddenly, Dave came closer, his hands gently holding Bianca’s sides, his smell surrounding her.
“You’re more important than anything else,” he told her. “You can always come to me if you need anything, okay?”
Bianca’s heart raced. Holding the blanket tight, she asked softly, “Why?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Because you’re the kitten I took in. It’s my job to take care of you.”
“That’s not true. You didn’t take me in…” Bianca argued, her cheeks turning red as she looked away.
Dave just smiled, sitting beside her and gently wiping her neck, underarms, and arms with a damp towel.
When he saw a bruise on her arm, he stopped.
“What happened here?” he asked, his voice gentle.
Bianca looked down at the mark. “I fell during my horseback riding lesson… I’ve been practicing hard for the equestrian competition, but it seems I pushed myself too much.”
She never expected to exhaust herself before the competition.
He sighed, a mix of frustration and concern in his voice. “At this rate, you’ll be too worn out to win anything. Let yourself recover, and I’ll teach you how to ride a horse properly.”
“You know how to ride a horse?” Bianca asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
He couldn’t help but grin, a hint of pride in his voice as he replied, “I’ve won plenty of competitions before.”
In the next few days, thanks to Dave’s careful attention, Bianca felt much better.
Little did she know Dave had been giving her strong medicine along with her regular treatments. This special blend helped her recover quickly.
As soon as she felt well enough, Bianca was excited to learn horseback riding from Dave.
They went to the racetrack, and after getting ready, Bianca watched as Dave rode up on a beautiful white horse.
Dave looked striking in his riding gear, wearing a black helmet and a fitted white shirt under a fancy vest. His outfit emphasized his strong shoulders and slender waist, and his white pants showed off his long legs, ending in shiny black boots that moved gracefully in the stirrups.
He carried an air of a noble, a mix of elegance and confidence that was unique to him.
To Bianca, he seemed like the prince from a fairy tale who had come to life.
As he approached her, Dave got off the horse smoothly and handed the reins to Bianca.
“A horse is smart. To ride well, you need to connect with it. Go ahead, pet it, share your secrets,” he encouraged her.
Bianca held the reins, stroking the horse’s mane gently and whispering sweet words in its ear. Her nervousness eased as she connected with the horse.
She gave the horse a carrot she had brought as a treat, and it accepted it eagerly.
With Dave’s guidance, the horse became calmer and even nuzzled Bianca’s face.
“Are you ready?” Dave asked, offering his hand to help Bianca onto the horse before climbing up behind her.
They sat close, Dave’s arms around her, offering a comforting hug. He held the reins and guided the horse forward with a gentle nudge.
“Let’s start with the basics,” he said, his deep voice close to her ear, his presence reassuring.
But Bianca found herself distracted by the fresh scent of snow pines. Dave playfully pinched her cheek, bringing her focus back.
Blushing, Bianca took the reins from him and mimicked his earlier gestures, determined to concentrate.
After thirty minutes, Dave got off the horse. “You’ve got the basics down. Now, give it a try on your own,” he encouraged.
Bianca dismounted, nodding. “I’ll take a short break and come back to practice more.”
As she walked away, Dave went to fetch a brown horse, planning to join her for more practice later on.
While Dave was grooming the brown horse, a commotion caught his attention. A woman, led by some people and a coach holding her horse’s reins, entered the area.
Dave glanced at them briefly, not too concerned, and continued petting the brown horse’s mane.
Then, out of nowhere, a loud scream echoed through the air. The woman’s horse got scared and bolted straight towards Dave.
The woman on the horse looked terrified, her face turning pale as she nearly fell off.
Dave sprang into action, quickly jumping onto his horse and riding towards her. With swift movements, he lifted her from the saddle and placed her securely in front of him, bringing his horse to a stop.
Bianca returned to the scene just in time to see Dave holding the woman tightly as they sat on the horse together.
The woman held onto Dave, snuggling comfortably in his arms, and her eyes closed tightly.