The Dying Room Read Online Free PDF Page A

stood in the small entry hall, looking sorely out of place.
    “You want a beer or something?”
    She took off her sunglasses. “I’d really like to move straight to business.”
    Buddy rubbed the back of his neck, his uneasiness mounting. “Sure.” He gestured to the living room. “We should probably sit down.”
    She settled in the chair near the front window. It was the one with the most direct path to the front door. Didn’t surprise him. She looked ready to run.
    Holy hell. Twenty-seven years. He’d never once had sex without using a condom until...
her
. The only good advice his drunken old man had ever given him was never ever to have sex without a condom. Even at the hormone-driven age of sixteen, he couldn’t have sex without that sage advice echoing in his head.
    “This is very difficult.” She took a deep breath.
    Buddy recognized he should say something, but he couldn’t find his voice.
    “I’ve been carrying this around for too long, and it’s time I did what needs to be done,” she announced.
    He couldn’t take it. “Just tell me what you want me to do.” He exhaled a chest full of tension. He could do this. If Jess could have a kid, he could. Sure. Hell yeah. No problem.
    Sylvia appeared taken aback or confused. “Isn’t that generally your job? If I knew what to do, I certainly wouldn’t be here.” She tucked her sunglasses into her bag and clasped her hands in her lap.
    Now he was confused. He swallowed, wished he’d gone for the hard stuff when he’d had the chance. “Why don’t we start with exactly why you’re here?”
    “I’m here because...” She shifted in her chair. Crossed her legs, and then tugged at the hem of her skirt. “I’d like to hire you to look into a... situation.”
    Relief roared through him like a freight train. “Whew.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “That’s a relief. I thought you were here to tell me you’re pregnant.”
    Judging by the horrified look on her face he should have kept that to himself.
    “You...?” She stared at his Eagles t-shirt, then his ragged jeans and bare feet. She laughed, but not quickly enough to cover the way her breath quickened and her cheeks flushed. “No. Absolutely not.”
    He grinned. “Yeah. Right. So, tell me about your
situation
.”
    She uncrossed her legs. Then crossed them again. Her edginess was killing him. Every time she crossed or uncrossed those gorgeous legs he remembered the feel of them around his waist.
    “Let’s get something straight first.” She scowled at him with those dark as midnight brown eyes. “You are bound by privilege, Buddy Corlew. You cannot discuss this with anyone else. Are we clear?”
    Whatever this situation was, it was big and personal. He leaned forward, braced his forearms on his knees. “You listen to me, Doc. I’ve been doing this for a while now. You think I’d have the reputation I do if I didn’t know how to keep secrets?”
    She cleared her throat as she clasped and unclasped her hands. “You can’t even tell Jess.”
    Their gazes met and he saw the hurt there. Whatever this was, it was not only big and personal it was painful. “You have my word.”
    “All right.” She nodded. “By the way, I appreciate your discretion about... that night.”
    He gave a nod. He didn’t kiss and tell. As he waited for her to begin the silence settled around them. No need to push. They had all night.
    “When I was twenty-two I found myself in a difficult position.” She stared at her hands. “I’d just graduated college. I’d been accepted to medical school and I was very excited. I was in love with a young man with the same career hopes and dreams as I had.” She met Buddy’s eyes briefly. “Except his hopes and dreams didn’t include a future with me.”
    Buddy flinched. “Most guys are real shits at that age.”
    She nodded. “I was naïve. I never saw it coming.” She squared her shoulders. “In any event, I couldn’t go to my parents. I didn’t want