37. Piper
PIPER
Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch
SherriffMike Finch: @Hu Gh what are you shooting this time?
Comments:
Hu Gh: Huh? I was at the diner.
SherriffMike Finch: Wait, you weren’t the one that caused those pops?
Kerry Winsor: What? Someone else was shooting? Are we safe???
SherriffMike Finch: Dammit. Anyone have something they wanna confess?
Henrietta Brown: @Marjorie Brown
Marjorie Brown: I did nothing!
Henrietta Brown: . . . don’t make me say it.
Marjorie Brown: FINE! I may or may not have accidentally set off our fireworks stash. . .
Kerry Winsor: WHY do you have a fireworks stash?
Marjorie Brown: Why don’t you?
I didn’t think I would ever get used to waking up in someone’s arms.
Theo was on his back and I was using his chest as a pillow. He was still fast asleep, mouth slightly open.
I lifted up to gaze at him, a small smile making its way to my face. This sight wasn’t for anyone else, and I refused to take any of this for granted.
That was the thing about putting in work to get here: It made it all the better.
My phone went off, which was the only reason I moved away.
Joey
I read your new manuscript. Is this based on anyone? It’s different from what you usually write.
“Shit,” I muttered.
“Wha’s happening?” Theo slurred from behind me.
I winced and glanced over my shoulder. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
“It’s fine.” He rubbed his hand on his face and slowly sat up. “I should’ve been up already.”
“You had a big day.”
“Somehow, you make it sound like I’m both a child and an old man. I don’t know how to feel about it.”
“You can be whatever you feel like today.”
His eyes narrowed. “That’s worse.”
I laughed before my attention turned back to the phone, where Joey’s message was still displayed.
“Piper, is something wrong?” All mirth was gone from his voice as he stared at me.
“Kind of. Joey read my new book.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“Not usually.” I ran a hand through my hair. Theo waited for me to collect myself.
“Tell me, love.”
“I was struggling to write when I first moved. I finally got inspired when I met you, and some of you made it into the character.”
Theo’s eyes widened. “You wrote about me?”
“Not everything, but a little, yes.” My face was hot and I tucked my chin against my chest. “The tattoos were the main thing.”
“That is adorable.”
“Shush.”
“No, it is.”
I jumped when his lips pressed to my cheek, but then I leaned into it. “Don’t make fun of me.”
“I wouldn’t dare.”
“It’s embarrassing.”
“Not for me. I’m not usually important enough to be written about.”
That was when I finally turned to him. “You are to me.”
“I know.”
There was a moment where all I could do was stare at this man and wonder how I got so lucky. I was so used to things going wrong for me that I had no idea how I ended up here.
Then Joey’s message pushed to the front of my mind.
“I haven’t told them,” I said.
Theo blinked. “Because they won’t approve?”
I hated to agree, but I had to. “Yes.”
He nodded, but his mouth tightened. “I get it.”
“There’s still nothing wrong with what we’re doing, and most people know that,” I rushed to say. “Joey may not, though.”
“I know,” he muttered. “You can keep it from them.”
“I’m not keeping you from anyone.” I shook my head. “I just know it’ll be a fight, and I hate that it will be. At least most people accept us.”
“Which I still have a hard time believing.”
I rolled my eyes. “We’re fine. I just want them to see it and not bother you.”
“Well, they already have, so it’s fine.”
I frowned. He froze, eyes wide as he realized what he said.
“What do you mean they’ve already bothered you?”
“I didn’t want to stress you out.” He said it slowly, like he knew I wasn’t going to be happy.
“Theo, don’t hide things from me. I promise that finding out later is worse.”
He sighed and scrubbed his face. I prepared for him to defend himself and tell me it was for my own good.
“You’re right, love. I’m sorry. I should’ve told you.”
“Thank you,” I said, my shoulders loosening. They tightened right back up when I remembered what we’d been talking about. “Now tell me what happened, please.”
“Joey . . . may have picked up on us before.”
“What?” I hissed. “What did he do?”
“Just told me to stay away.”
“How dare—”
Theo’s hand landed on my thigh. “Love, it is what it is. Some people will have opinions.”
“When did this happen?”
“When they visited.”
I huffed out a breath, my jaw tightening. I hated this feeling, but it kept coming back every time I thought of all that Joey was doing.
My brow pinched. “Why is he like this? This isn’t normal, right?”
“It’s not.”
Both he and Scarlett had told me that. I knew it was true, but I was so tired of dealing with it.
“This is gonna be a nightmare,” I muttered.
“Hey,” Theo said softly, his hand curling around my knee. I stared at it, tempted to shy away since I was so anxious.
But it was Theo. He was never going to hurt me.
“Yeah?”
“We’re in an unfamiliar city, and we haven’t even eaten yet. Let’s get breakfast and go home. Then we can work on how to tell Joey.”
“You’ll help me?”
“We’re in this together, love. Of course I’ll help you.”
Hearing that almost made me smile. I took a second to let myself dread it before I sat up straighter.
“Thank you, and you’re right. I can’t deal with my overprotective friend without breakfast. That’s rule number one.”
Theo and I made it back to Strawberry Springs that afternoon. Joey’s text sat heavy in my phone, but we spent the drive working on what to say. By the time we were in front of my apartment, I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do.
I needed to work out the final details, but Theo promised he would do it tonight.
“I’m gonna go into the shop,” he said. “I have a few things to do. Text me if you need me earlier.”
I nodded, hands toying with my shorts. “I will.”
“Are you gonna be okay?” he asked.
“I will be. Time to think will help.”
Theo’s lips twisted, and I knew he didn’t like leaving me when I was like this.
But he would. And that was the difference.
“Want me to bring you some dinner?”
“Please,” I said. “You’re the best.”
“No, you are.” He leaned in to give me a kiss before stepping out of the car. I followed suit and went into my apartment, letting out a long breath when I was alone.
Joey couldn’t have had worse timing. Spending the night in Nashville was already more than I usually did, but him texting out of nowhere like he had didn’t help.
Part of this was of my own making. I should’ve told him about this sooner.
He was tired of waiting, apparently. He was now moving to calls. At least I’d worked out what I needed to say.
“Hey,” I said as I answered. “I saw your text and—”
“Where have you been? Why didn’t you answer?”
He was already in a panic. It had only been a few hours. I paused before saying anything else, struggling to get my irritation under control. “I was busy with something, but I’m fine, I promise.”
“You’re always near your phone, Piper. You always answer.”
“I was near it, I was just working out what to say.”
“About what? The fact that you have a crush on that tattooed coffee shop guy?”
I rolled my eyes, glad he couldn’t see me. “Jesus, so we’re getting right into it, huh?”
“I’d probably be nicer if you’d answered faster.”
“Don’t blame this on me,” I snapped. “Maybe I should’ve said something, but I had a feeling you would act like this, and I had other things I wanted to do first.”
“Like stare at a man who won’t give you the time of day?”
My annoyance only rose, as did my anxiety. “Not give me the time of day? You’re making some big assumptions here, Joey.”
“If he knows what’s good for him, he won’t.”
“Why? Because you told him to stay away?”
He went quiet. “How did you know about that?”
“He told me this morning after you texted.”
“You were with him this morning?” he asked slowly.
“I’m with him a lot.” I took a breath before dropping the bomb on him. “We’re dating.”
“You’re . . . what?”
“I’m . . . dating him.” My voice wavered and my entire body tensed.
I hated that I felt this way while talking to my closest friend.
“Oh, I heard you the first time.”
“Joey, don’t be like that.”
“Like what? Worried about you? Piper, this is life changing.”
With a groan, I knew I had to stand. I got off the couch and paced around the apartment, trying to keep myself calm. I had a bad feeling about this that I couldn’t shake.
“It is, but in a good way.”
“How does that even work? Does he know he can’t touch you? Or are you pushing yourself to do it?”
“I’m not pushing myself to do anything. I’ve done a lot of work since moving to Strawberry Springs and I’m getting better with touch. Right now, Theo is the only exception, but—”
“You let him touch you?” Joey’s voice was tense, and it almost reminded me of my dad. I had to fight against memories I didn’t need to see. “Him of all people?”
“Yes, him. What’s wrong with Theo?”
“There’s no way he’s good enough for you. What are you thinking?”
“You suddenly know whether or not he’s good enough for me based on meeting him once and barely even talking to him? Do you hear yourself right now, Joey?”
I could almost hear him roll his eyes. “This is a massive change for you, and I don’t understand where it’s coming from. Not after everything I’ve done to make sure you’re safe.”
“Making sure I’m safe or making sure I never try anything new?”
“Excuse me?”
I paused. This wasn’t how I wanted to bring up the stuff with Joey and I needed to get things back on track. “I’m sorry. I mean that I’m grateful for all you’ve done for me, but it got a little too easy for me to do nothing. I really wanted to break this, and I have.”
“With someone that might not even be safe for you. What do you know about him?”
“I know a lot. Do you really not trust me to make a smart decision here?”
“You’ve been desperate for this for a while. I wouldn’t be surprised.”
I reared back, eyes wide. “I’m not desperate. I just wanted to change.”
“And you willingly put yourself in harm’s way by doing it. Remember that time when you went to the bar and were in panic mode for a week after?”