Page 70 of Living Hell

“What’s that supposed to mean? She’s in there throwing up right now. I don’t think she’s going to want to eat that stuff again. I can’t even call it food because what I witnessed was an abomination.”

“It means that you can’t put a stop to what she does, or what any woman does for that matter. You’re my older brother and I’m surprised you haven’t learned that by now.” Jake shook his head and winked at Cara.

She blushed, and I wondered if anything was happening between those two.

“Water. I’d give anyone my next paycheck if you get me a glass of water right now,” Iona said as she rolled her body along the wall.

Cara appeared with the expensive bottle of water and Iona’s trembling hand took it from her.

“Slowly,” I warned moving close to her. “Just a few sips at a time.”

I was disappointed Iona wouldn’t be up for what I had planned for today. I was going to pack a picnic and hike around the mountain so we could take in the changing colors of the leaves. It’s beautiful this time of year and with the cooler weather, it’s perfect for snuggling on a blanket under the sky.

Instead, I was now going to be holding her hair back as she puked the day away.

“Maybe I should take you to the hospital. I don’t want you to get dehydrated.”

She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. Just something I ate.”

“Like pickle juice and raisins?” Cara mumbled while rolling her eyes.

I bit my lower lip to hide my smile. That was the first time I had witnessed Cara be a smart-ass. Maybe she was being polite because she wasn’t in Hollywood but spending the last week with her, I wondered how she survived out there.

But now I saw she had a secret snarky side, and I knew there was a hidden rebel under all that sweetness.

“I’m going to shower away the sick and then lie down. Cancel anything you have planned for me today.”

“Um, we were going to meet with Terrance about filming you and Tyler for your reality series.”

I widened my eyes in surprise. “Wait . . . What reality series?”

I wasn’t serious about the dirty vet series and hadn’t heard a thing from Terrance or anyone from Hollywood.

“Ugh, I forgot about that. Tell Terrance it’s a no go for the series.”

“What series?” I put my hands on my hips and glared at Iona. It was one thing for me to come up with something but another for her to include me in a series I didn’t know anything about.

She bit her lip and fluttered her eyes at me. “Now, don’t be mad . . .”

I clenched my jaw, preparing myself for her explanation.

“I sort of agreed to allow Terrance to film us for a docu-series about a celebrity in a relationship with a non-celebrity.”

“What?”

“It was when we were out on my birthday and you flirted with those women. I was mad.”

“You told me to flirt with them!”

She lifted her arms in the air with a large shrug. “But that didn’t mean you had to do it. I was hurt.”

I never wanted to cause her pain, but Iona being hurt because I flirted with those women only meant one thing—she had feelings for me.

“I did. And I’m sorry. Can you forgive me?” She looked up at me with hair sticking to her cheek. She was adorable, even with the smell coming from her body and her hair in disarray.

“Of course, I forgive you.”

“We also have the mayor’s thing about the float and schedule. Do you want me to cancel that, too?”

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