Page 10 of The Sound Of Silence

Pippa squeezes her eyes shut and groans, mumbling as she drops her head back to the wall. “I can’t believe I caught something.”

Caught something?

“Couldn’t possibly have been the questionable looking burger I told you not to eat,” I say, impressed that I’m able to keep the disgust out of my tone.

“No. No. Darla would never allow that to happen,” she croaks out, her eyes still closed. “Her diner is her life.”

“What about the truck stop donut?”

Pippa covers her already closed eyes with her hand and cringes. “Okay, yes. It could have been that,” she admits, and a laugh sneaks out of me.

“Do you think you’ve expelled it all from your body?”I ask, needing a yes.

Pippa opens her eyes and stares down at her stomach as though she can see through to the contents inside her. Just when I think she’s going to answer, her hand flies to her mouth and she scrambles to lift herself up, making it just in time for another epic vomit.

I did not sign up for this shit.

I wait it out until she’s done, and then offer her another cool cloth. That’s the best she’s going to get. I’m not holding her hair back, and I’m certainly not cleaning up this mess.

She smiles up at me but it’s clearly forced, and with the ghost-like complexion she’s sporting, it looks kind of scary.

“Thank you,” she rasps, as she wipes her face. “Any chance I can ask another favor?”

My eyes widen in shock before I grimace. Considering the position she’s currently in, I can’t imagine I’m going to like whatever she’s about to say, but I also feel bad saying no. “You can ask,” I hesitate, making it clear that doesn’t mean I’ll say yes.

Pippa flips me off, and I smile at the fact that despite looking like death, she still has some life in her. “I have a list of errands I’m supposed to run today,” she begins, and I groan before she’s even finished speaking, crossing my arms over my chest when she adds, “I’m going to need you to help with that.”

Goddammit.I take it all back; I’ll clean up her puke. That’s got to be better than fucking event errands. “Can’t they wait until tomorrow?”

“Nope. They can’t.”

“Why the hell are you even helping with that?” I ask, because I genuinely don’t get it. Pippa filled me in on a bit more of the drama with her sister, who’s organizing it, and I’ve got to say… even though I despise cheating, whether you’re the cheaterorthe other person, I kind of get why she doesn’t feel bad about it.

“Mom asked.” She shrugs and that’s all she gives me before dropping her head to her arm and groaning to herself.

Right, okay.Fuck! “Where’s the damn list?”

A small smile graces her face but she tries to suppress it. “Thank you,” she says, without looking up. “It’s on my bedside table. If you go in order, it works for timing.”

Of course it does. Pippa has organization nailed in all facets of her life, except her personal one—that’s a disaster. “How long is it going to take me?” I ask after blowing out a breath.

The wince I get in response does not bode well for me, but when she squeaks out, “a couple of hours,” I relax. I expected her to say the whole day.

After ordering some dry toast to the room, I throw on the same jeans and tee from last night, then grab the list. Better to get this over with now, so I can do my own thing in the afternoon.

“Oh, and while I already have you in amood…” Pippa calls out as she slowly surfaces from the floor. “Mom invited us to a family dinner tomorrow. One wehaveto attend. Thank you.”

My shoulders drop but I don’t respond. I can’t. I’m choosing to pretend she never spoke. It’s better than what I really want to say.

Pippa smiles apologetically and opens her mouth to say something else, but whatever she reads in my expression stops her. She knows me well enough to leave me be.

Securing my hat in place, I turn abruptly and throw open the door, flinching when it hits the wall with a loud crack. But I keep walking. I’m ninety percent sure I broke something, and I need this day to get better, not worse.

Stepping out into the warm summer air, I get my bearings before heading toward my first stop.

A horn blares when I step out in front of the only car I’ve seen on the road, and I internally laugh. Of course that would happen. Sure, it was my fault; I’m not paying any attention. But it still pisses me off. Holding back a string of curses, my eyes rise in boredom as the driver shakes a fist in my direction before driving away.And here I was thinking small-town folk were supposed to be welcoming.

Taking a deep breath, I count to ten and make myself relax, needing to chill so I don’t irrationally pack up my things and hightail it out of here. I owe Pippa. I agreed to the week with her, and I’m a man of my word.

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