Chapter Nine
Posey
I hate throwing up with a passion. I’ve lost count how many times I’ve rushed to the bathroom to empty my stomach, but each time I do, Silas is there with water and a cold washcloth.
He tried holding my hair out of my face for me, but after the second time, I kicked him out of the bathroom. I’m mortified enough as it is, I don’t need him to watch me at my worst.
“I brought you a few crackers and broth,” Silas says, entering my room with a bowl in one hand and a small plate in the other.
“No way I can eat right now…” I groan, pulling the blankets up and covering my mouth.
“You need to get somethin’ in your stomach to soak up all the acid.” He sits on the bed next to me. “It’ll help. Plus, you haven’t thrown up in an hour. You might finally be done.”
Reluctantly, I pull myself up and lean against the headboard. I can barely open my eyes all the way but take one of the crackers he holds up.
“You better never mention this to anyone, got it?” I take a bite, hating every second of chewing it. My head’s been pounding all morning and the movement makes it throb harder.
He chuckles, holding up the bowl and spoon. “Open up.”
I do as I’m told and swallow it down. “That’s nasty.”
“Says the person who threw up on herself…” He smirks, holding up another spoonful.
“I really hate you right now,” I mutter, letting him feed me again but grunt at the awful dull flavor.
“Eat this.” He gives me another cracker. “Then you can go back to sleep.”
“I need a shower. That might make me feel better,” I say, slowly chewing.
“Think you can stand that long? Maybe a bath would be better?”
“Fine.” I don’t bother arguing because he’s probably right. “I’ve never been this sick from a night of drinkin’ before.”
“I’m startin’ to wonder if you have the flu or some kind of stomach bug.” He presses his palm to my forehead. “You’re not feverish though.”
“I hope not. I don’t have time for that shit,” I groan, rubbing my temples.
We have another busy week with getting orders sent out and more wholesale to deliver. Amaya can work on her own if she needs to, but it’ll dramatically slow us down without both of us.
He sets the bowl on my nightstand. “I’ll get the water ready, then come get ya.”
“Silas, wait.” He stands, then freezes and stares at me. “Thank you. I know I’m a big baby when I’m not feelin’ well and not good at lettin’ people help me. So, thanks for puttin’ up with me and makin’ sure I didn’t choke on my own vomit.”
The corner of his lips tilts up. “You’re welcome. Plus, if I didn’t, I fear Marjorie would fuck with me until I did.” He winks before going to my bathroom.
Damn him for being so fucking sweet.
I drank way more than I normally do, but I was having so much fun with Jamie and talking to Silas’s sisters. It’d been so long since I’d gone out, I didn’t bother pacing myself and am now paying for it.
Jamie texted earlier but I haven’t had the energy to respond besides a thumbs-up emoji confirming I was alive.
“Okay, I put every bath salt and soap I could find. Smells like Bath and Body Works threw up in there instead of you.”
“Ha-ha, you’re hilarious.” I roll my eyes, swinging my legs off the bed, but then I get dizzy as soon as I try to stand.
“Whoa, hang on.” Silas comes to my side and picks me up before I can stop him.
“I can walk!”
“Can you though? You couldn’t even stand.”
“But I stink.” I grimace at the thought of how badly I must smell.
“Eh, it can’t be worse than the goat farm.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better,” I groan, and he chuckles.
He sets me on my feet in the bathroom and the cold flooring sends a shiver through me. I’m still only wearing a T-shirt, so my bare legs are covered in goose bumps.
“Do you want help with your shirt or gettin’ in?”
“No, I’d like to keep some of my dignity.”
He snorts. “I’ll turn ’round so I’m still close in case you need help. Don’t need you slippin’ or drownin’ on my watch. One ghost in this place is enough.”
I sigh and wait until he’s not looking before removing my shirt, bra, and underwear. The tub is overflowing with bubbles and looks like heaven. It’s been a while since I’ve taken a bath.
As soon as I sink underneath the water and make sure the bubbles hide everything, I tell him he can turn around.
“Is it too hot?”
“No, it feels amazin’…” I lean my head back, moaning. “I’m gonna fall asleep in here.”
“That’s too risky but—” He moves throughout the room before holding up a face mask. “Figured you might wanna do one of these. Maybe it’ll make you feel better. I can put it on for you.”
I eye him cautiously at how thoughtful he’s being. Considering I tried to fire him two days ago, he’s acting like we’ve been besties for years.
“You’re being awfully nice to me.”
“Are we not friends? Or would you prefer I let you suffer alone?” He arches a brow, unfolding the mask.
“No, but I wanna make sure that we don’t cross any boundaries. Especially if we’re workin’ together. We still have a code of ethics to follow.”
“I have no plans of breakin’ any of your rules. Plus, now we each have weddin’ dates and can focus on gettin’ to know ’em.”
He places the mask over my face, softly and slowly adjusting it over my eyes and mouth. Once it’s secure, he rubs over it to smooth out the bumps. His touch feels nice. A bit too nice.
“So you liked Jamie?” I ask once he’s done and study him for the first time today now that my eyes are open all the way.
It doesn’t look like he’s shaved all week. The scruff on his jawline is longer than usual, but maybe it’s one of his things he’s doing because Aundrea preferred him clean-shaven.
“She’s nice. We’ve been textin’ a little today.”
“Once I feel human again, I’ll call her. She mentioned her brother in her last text, but I have no memory of meetin’ him or what he looks like.”
“Really?” He leans against the vanity, crossing his arms with an amused grin on his face.
His T-shirt stretches across his biceps and my gaze focuses on his tattoos. They remind me of the one on his chest that mirrors mine and it sends a weird sensation through me.
“Should I describe him for you?”
“Sure, maybe it’ll spark my memory.”
“He’s about five-five to five-six. Stocky. Red hair. Long beard. Beer belly. Great smile.”
I bark out a laugh because he’s full of shit. “That’s quite the image.”
“Seems nice though, so I wouldn’t write him off.”
“C’mon, tell me for real.”
“Fine,” he drawls dramatically. “He’s a fireman, so he’s built as shit. Dark hair, trimmed, but no facial hair. An inch or two shorter than me.”
“On a scale of one to ten…” I taunt, knowing he’ll hate this. “What would you rate him?”
“Seriously?” He grunts, uncrossing his arms.
“Yes, help me. I can’t bring an ugly date as a plus-one.”
“If I have to rate him, then…a seven.”
“Okay, I can work with that.” I lean back further to keep the mask from sliding. “What would you rate Jamie?”
“Based on her looks alone, an eight. But her personality and our connection matter to me more, so until I get to know her on a deeper level, I can’t determine our compatibility.”
“From what I remember, she has a great personality. Very fun.”
“Yeah, well…I need more than being fun. Anyone can be when they’re tipsy.”
He has a point.
“Are you gonna ask her out on a date before the weddin’?”
“She wants us to double date with you and Jackson first. I assume it’s so she’s not alone with someone she just met.”
“That makes sense. Wait.” Speaking of date. Something he told me yesterday hits me. “Didn’t you have plans with Michelle today?”
“Yeah, but once I realized your condition, I told her we had to reschedule.” He shrugs. “It’s no big deal.”
“Shit, I’m sorry. I should’ve said somethin’ earlier. You could’ve gone.”
“Nah, it’s fine. I would’ve worried about you anyway, so I would’ve been lousy company. She mentioned her buildin’ has an apartment for rent, so I’m gonna look into that and see if it’s still available.”
My heart drops a little because I’m getting used to him being here even if it’s only been a week. It’s nice not being alone all the time.
“You don’t gotta worry about me, ya know? I can handle myself.”
I don’t want to be the reason he doesn’t go out, especially knowing how his ex treated him.
It’s bad enough he’s taking care of me like a sick child.
When my younger siblings would get the flu, I always helped Mom and made sure they had everything they needed so she could still work and take care of everyone else.
When I’d inevitably catch whatever they had, I toughed it out so no one worried about me.
“Yeah, so you’ve been sayin’…” he murmurs, shifting his gaze to the floor. “But I worry about my friends when they’re sick, so it’s best I stayed home.”
I’m starting to understand why he and Warren have been best friends for so long.
While Warren dealt with Maisie leaving, Silas was always there for him.
Loyal to a fault and never gave up on him or made him feel bad for sulking.
When Warren started building his A-frame cabin house for Maisie, Silas helped him during the evenings and weekends until it was done.
Although he never knew if his wife would return, Warren didn’t give up on making their dream house a reality.
“You’re a good friend, Silas,” I tell him. “But I’m still holdin’ a grudge against you.”
He throws his head back and laughs. The lights on my vanity shine behind him, making his smile glow brighter. “So you told me last night.”
“Wait, huh? Whaddya mean?”
“You don’t remember?”
I sit up, the bubbles sliding down my chest, his eyes following the movement. “What’d I say?”
“Oh no, if you don’t remember, I’m not repeatin’ it.” He shakes his head. “I’m not fallin’ for that trap.”
“Just tell me what I said,” I beg. “It can’t be worse than me tellin’ your sisters I haven’t had sex in six months.”
His eyes widen.
“Shit, you weren’t at the table for that conversation.” I close my eyes, inhaling through the little nose holes in the mask.
“I wasn’t but that’d explain what you told me later.”