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I sent Pippa two texts and she didn’t respond to either, didn’t even read them. “Can we talk about something else, please?”
“Sure. I wonder who will ask her out first,” Derek mused. “My bet is on the bank president. He’s new to town, has a good job and won’t leave for months at a time.”
Derek knew what he was doing and the effect it would have on me, and it worked, dammit. The thought of Pippa, my Pip, dating someone else didn’t sit right with me. “She’s not dating anyone, damn you.”
Derek laughed.
“She will, bro. It’s inevitable. She’s smart and beautiful, and just a little bit wild. As soon as you get out of her way, she’s going to date. A lot.”
With just the dessert course left, I stood. “I have to go.”
Derek passed a fifty dollar bill to Roman. “You won,” he said with a surprised shake of his head. “I can’t believe he made it through dinner.”
“You bet on me?”
“Damn straight,” Roman said with a proud smile and pocketed the fifty. “Thanks for the win, Ry. Go check on your woman.”
“She’s not my woman.” Not yet. But she would be.
Soon.
Chapter 20
Pippa
The pounding in the distance pulled me from a restless sleep, and I couldn’t decide if I was happy about it or annoyed. I sat up and caught a wave of nausea that gave me my answer. I was annoyed. No, I wasn’t just annoyed, I was angry. Sleep, no matter how terrible, was preferable than this nonstop sickness. The constant urge to empty my stomach whether I wanted to or not, was awful. It was completely unfair.
It was my punishment for being forty and acting like an eighteen year old when it came to sex. I mean, what self-respecting woman in this day and age didn’t use protection? Worse, protection hadn’t even occurred to me until Val showed up with that pregnancy test.
A silly ridiculous woman.
So sure, I would have an adorable baby in about seven months, but the universe was determined to make this pregnancy hell right from the start.
And the damn pounding persisted. “Just a minute!” I yelled from the sofa and slowly pushed my way to a standing position. My legs wobbled for a brief moment before they strengthened enough for me to carry my angry behind to the front door and find out what idiot thought it was a good idea to invade a sick woman’s sleep. “What the hell do you…Ryan?”
I hadn’t seen him in weeks. Hadn’t heard from him either, almost as if he had a sixth sense about the baby and had chosen to stay away. It wouldn’t surprise me one bit.
Ryan looked even better than usual, his hair was messy and his facial hair was overgrown. He had that sexy mountain man look going, and it was irresistible. He shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his dark jeans and let out a shaky sigh.
“I heard you were sick and figured I’d check in on you.”
“I’m fine,” I insisted even though I knew exactly how I looked. “Just a little bug.”
“Devon said you’ve been sick for weeks now.”
Something he would know if he cared as much as he pretended to. “I have been, and I’m not really in the mood for visitors right now. Thanks for stopping by,” I told him and closed the door.
He pushed it open before the door closed all the way and glared at me. “I needed to see for myself that you were okay.”
“I am perfectly all right, at least I was before someone interrupted the rest I desperately need in order to heal. Enjoy the rest of your evening, Ryan.” I moved around him, careful not to touch him, and gripped the door handle with as much force as I could.
He refused to take the hint. “How long have you been sick?”
“That’s not really any of your business. I’ll be at work tomorrow if that’s what you’re worried about. I haven’t been slacking, everything is taken care of.” I folded my arms and glared at him, disappointed in myself for even believing he was really here to check on me.
“If that’s what I’m…is that what you really think of me?”
“What else am I supposed to think? I told you that I’m fine, but you refuse to go away, which means you’re worried about your investment. I’ve just assured you that your investment is fine. Everything is just perfect, so now you can go.”
“I can’t do that.”
“Why not? It’s what you do best.”
He let out a low growl and shook his head with a dark look for me. “Give it a damn rest, would you Pip? I’m so tired of hearing that same old song you keep humming.”
“Then leave. Go, and this will be the last time you ever have to hear that song again.”
