Page 90 of Rewrite Our Story

Pippa pulls into the long driveway that leads to the Livingston Estate. We went to high school with some of the Livingston boys. Their family owns so much of Sutten that they have multiple houses and estates in the town. They’re rich enough to rent one of their many properties out for weddings and events.

“Okay, you don’t have to tell me the book is about you and Cade. I can make my own assumptions, which is kind of gross because I’ve read yoursexscenes.”

My cheeks heat with embarrassment. “Next question,” I plead.

Pippa parks the van in the driveway. She immediately opens her door and hops out, giving me no choice but to follow. When I come around back, she has the back doors open and is bending inside grabbing boxes.

She looks over at me. “What are you going to do when you leave?”

I chew on my lip because I really don’t know what happens when I leave. Soon, I’ll have to go back to Chicago and pitch the new story and ending I’ve created for this duet. Rudy keeps calling me to remind me that I have to at least come back for those meetings and the ones we’ll have when finishing the book, but I’ve been avoiding his calls. I don’t want to think about leaving yet. Everything is still so new.

“I don’t know if we’ve thought that far ahead yet,” I answer. I don’t want to leave things the same way I did last time I left Sutten, but I also can’t give up everything I’ve worked for in the years since leaving. There’s a lot we have to figure out, and I can’t give Pippa the answers because I don’t know them myself.

Pippa lets out an annoyed sigh. She starts scooting boxes to the edge of the van, lining them up so she can unload them easier. “You have to think about these things, Mare. I’m not blind. I’ve known there’s been something between the two of you for a long time. But you really, really hurt him. I don’t want to see him go through that again. Especially after Mom.”

I’m silent, thinking of all the times Pippa probably caught on to what was happening between Cade and me. We tried keeping it a secret, but looking back, I can see where she would’ve had her suspicions.

The last thing I want to do is hurt Cade. Back then, I wasn’t aware of how much he was hurting. But I know now. I don’t want to hurt him again. I don’t want to be hurt by him again either. I have faith that this time around, Cade and I can figure things out together. But we needtimeto do that. I don’t have much time until I have to go back to Chicago.

“We’re adults, Pippa,” I tell her, hoping that we will be able to figure it out. Pippa begins to stack boxes in her hands, the tower getting higher and higher. I’m worried it may topple over if she adds any more. “Here let me help you,” I demand, taking a step closer to her.

“I’ve got it,” she gets out, her voice straining under the stack of boxes. “I’m not trying to get involved in any business that involves my brother and my best friend. But you need to really think about what’s going to happen when you leave.”

Pippa’s words make me pause. She has a point. Cade is steadfast in saying that he won’t let us fall apart again, and I believe him, but we also need to have a long conversation about what happens next.

Pippa shoots me a warning look over the stack of boxes before she turns toward the large house.

The next chain of events play out in slow motion. I try to pull Pippa backward, but it’s no use.

Pippa runs straight into a man in a suit, sending boxes flying in different directions.

“Fuck,” the man yells.

“Oh fuck,” Pippa screeches, her arms flailing as she tries to catch some of the boxes.

I lunge forward, trying to catch something, but it isn’t any use. There’s a group of us all attempting to save even one box, but none of us are able to.

Pink boxes tumble to the ground. Pippa looks down at them, defeated, a string of curse words falling from her mouth.

Pippa looks up, meeting the eyes of the man she ran into. She looks like she’s about to apologize, but recognition takes over her features. Except, this doesn’t seem like thegoodkind of recognition. Her face gets red with anger. “Youagain? You’ve got to be kidding me!” Pippa yells.

“Oh my god, Pippa,” I rush to get out, crouching down as I attempt to find boxes that can be salvaged.

I’m busy trying to save the cupcakes that haven’t hit the pavement when the man clears his throat loudly. “Do you just not look where you’re going, or do you just enjoy running into me?” His voice is scathing. My eyes immediately snap to him, wondering why this guy is being such a dick for something that was clearly an accident.

My eyes bounce to Pippa. She stares daggers at him. The look she gives him makes me nervous. She’s normally happy go lucky. Whatever history she has with this guy must be bad.

It dawns on me that this must be the guy from Slopes. It’d make sense. If he’s here for a wedding, he probably did go to our tourist bar. And his comment about them running into each other again makes sense now.

The asshole in a suit stares back at Pippa, completely undeterred by the dirty look she gives him. If looks could kill, he’d be a goner.

“You know you’re supposed to actuallylookwhere you’re going when walking,” he chastises.

A girl in a bridesmaid’s dress hits the guy in the arm. She looks at him like he’s grown a third head because she reaches down to help me with the boxes.

“Don’t worry, he’s really an asshole to everyone,” the girl says under her breath.

“You’re friends with him, why?” I ask, wondering if he really can be this much of a dick all the time.

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