Chapter 9 – dorian
nine
dorian
Luke’s house is an old Victorian bungalow on Main Street in Franklin, tidy and warm, with dark colors and original hardwood floors throughout.
It’s on the outskirts of Nashville, so he’s just as close to our parents’ house as I am, and I live in the city.
He bought it right after retiring from his short-lived career in the NFL, but we don’t talk about it much in our family. It will forever be a sore subject.
I can tell Piper wants to ask, though. She’s been observing the house like Violet Beauregard in Willy Wonka’s factory ever since she stepped through the door an hour ago.
If she’s trying to puzzle out why a beefcake like my brother owns a historical masterpiece and cares for it like a baby, she’s not going to find her answers by admiring his damask wallpaper and copper kitchen faucet.
How do I know what these things are called? Well, guess who helped him install them?
“Fishbowl, anyone?” Carrie asks, gathering the cards from Phase 10 to put back in the box.
Luke groans. “We do that every time.”
“Because it’s fun.”
Paisley leans into Hudson’s side, her head fitting onto his shoulder. “I’m down. But no one is allowed to put Taylor Swift in the bowl. I’m tired of pulling her name.”
“Only if we can veto Travis Kelce too,” Luke calls, heading for the kitchen.
Piper faces me, mouthing fishbowl?
“It’s like a three-round charades game. We do characters or people, and in the first round, you can only describe them—”
“Like Catch Phrase,” Carrie cuts in.
I wait to see if she’s going to continue, but she doesn’t. “The second round you act them out, and the third round you can only say one word.”
“One word,” Piper repeats.
“By then you know everyone in the bowl, so it’s not as hard as it sounds. It’s actually pretty fun.”
She’s skeptical, but so far she’s blended in fairly well with the eclectic group we have here.
Luke, our resident jock, Caleb, his best friend, Carrie, a sweet-but-sassy pediatric nurse, Paisley and Hudson, the newspaper journalist and editor, and me, secret author—though it’s not a secret from my family.
Molly bailed because she had plans with friends, and our other sister, Avery, had a date tonight.
“Girls against boys?” Paisley asks.
Carrie does a quick count. “We’re outnumbered.”
“I have to leave anyway.” Caleb gets up from the table and stretches. “Early morning.”
“On a Saturday?” Luke asks, very suspicious.
“Pancake breakfast. The PTA is putting it on, but I promised to help with setup. And maybe to flip some pancakes. If anyone’s hungry, it goes to a good cause.”
“Your classroom?” Carrie asks. “Can we just donate?”
“You can buy raffle tickets. I’ll send you the link.”
“Okay, I’ve got work in the morning, but I’ll send you some money and you put my tickets in any basket you’d know I’d want.”
“Done.” Caleb flashes a smile at the rest of the table. “See y’all later.”
Luke walks him out, then comes back with paper, pens, and scissors.
It takes some time to write out our characters and famous people and to put them all in the bowl.
I spend that time listening to Paisley gently questioning Piper.
She’s clearly getting information for her article, but it’s subtle, keeping Piper at ease. She’s good at her job.
“I know where you went to college,” Paisley says, shooting me a look. “But where did you grow up?”
“Here. Well, in the area. I grew up in Hermitage.”
“Any siblings?”
“Just one brother. He’s married with two kids and lives in Savannah now. But we see him at least once a year. He likes to come home for Christmas.”
“Sounds like your family is close.”
Piper looks like she considers this, her pen drawing flowers absently on a rectangular slip of paper. “Yeah, I guess we are. My parents were a huge help when I opened the store. Not financially, but supportively. They stood at my side and kept me up when it felt like too much.”
“Do you see them a lot still?”
“We catch up at Sunday dinners every week, but we don’t talk much between them. We don’t really need to, I guess.” Piper laughs, observing my sister. “You kind of ask the tough questions.”
“How do you mean?”
“Maybe not tough—just gritty.” She looks at me, then back to Paisley.
“I just haven’t analyzed my relationship with my parents like this before.
I’m lucky to have them. I mean, I’ve always been grateful for their support, and they know that.
But the ongoing support they’ve provided has been such a steady flow, I haven’t stopped to notice it. ”
“You should read her profiles,” Hudson says. “You really feel like you know the person.”
“I did.” Piper laughs self-consciously. “I wanted to know what I signed up for, and I was super impressed.”
Paisley grins. “So, books. Let’s talk about your life’s work.”
Piper’s expression freezes.
“What made you choose a bookstore?”
The relief on Piper’s face is faint, but I don’t miss it. What did she think Paisley was going to ask? I focus on my slips of paper and writing names while she talks about her creative writing major in school, her mom’s influence as an English teacher and hobby poet, and her love of reading.
We move into the living room, and Carrie takes the stage to start us off, setting the bowl on the edge of the pulled-out piano bench.
I sit on the end of the brown leather sectional, and Piper takes the seat next to me, scooting closer to make room for Paisley and Hudson.
I catch a whiff of her familiar Daisy scent and want to lean into it.
“Okay, who’s timing?” Carrie asks.
Luke raises his hand.
She rolls her eyes. “How about someone who doesn’t cheat?”
“Knock it off. Annnnd go!”
Carrie scrambles to open a paper. “Case in point,” she says. “Okay, Mickey’s girlfriend.”
“Minnie Mouse!” Paisley shouts.
Carrie drops the paper and picks up another, then looks at Piper. “Oh! She wrote The Bodyguard.”
“Katherine Center?”
Carrie hurries for another paper.
“You have to choose people everyone knows,” Luke reminds us.
“I know her,” Hudson says.
I lift my hand. “So do I.”
Luke shoots me a scowl. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
Paisley shushes us.
“Oh!” Carrie looks at us, then her paper. “Uh…it’s our…he almost had a heart attack. Like a few months ago.”
“Dad!” Paisley shouts.
Carrie drops the paper and goes for another one. “Disney villain.”
“Ursula!” Paisley shouts.
“The one with the heart.”
“The Queen of Hearts?” Piper asks.
“You can’t say heart if it’s on the page,” Hudson reminds us.
Carrie’s doing a motion like she wants them to keep guessing.
“Queen? Hearts?” Paisley says.
“Oh, the evil queen?” Piper asks.
“Time!” Luke calls.
Carrie tosses her papers aside. “That counted. We got four.”
Luke stands to take his turn, rubbing his hands together like he’s prepping for surgery.
Piper leans closer, her shoulder pressing lightly into mine.
I wonder if she’s about to tell me something, but she remains like that all throughout Luke’s turn.
Which is not a good thing because of the way it distracts me.
Her laughter rumbles through her body, and I feel it through her arm, making me miss the clues about Louis L’Amour—which is one I wrote down, so I should have guessed it immediately.
Her scent intoxicates me, causing my thoughts to drift away from Luke and make Hudson snap in front of my face.
“Dude.” Luke shakes his head, sitting down. “What is up with you tonight?”
“Probably has a book in his head,” Paisley says. “He’s got that faraway look.”
I frown. “No, I don’t.”
Hudson throws his arm around the back of the couch. “You’re definitely distracted, man.”
The reason is obvious, but I’m glad none of them seem to pick up on it. “Come on, P. It’s your turn.”
Paisley pops up and takes the stage area, but I miss her entire turn because all I can think about is the woman beside me.
Which is pretty much how the rest of the night goes.
Evidently, we put way too many names in the bowl for the game, because it takes hours—or so it feels—to get through all three rounds and declare a winning team.
The guys take it by two points. It’s so close, which is impressive, since the ladies have a near stranger on their side, but my distraction didn’t help.
I have a feeling they’d sweep us after spending a little more time with Piper.
Luke ditches us the moment the game ends to take a call in his office.
“Did you get everything you need?” Piper asks, shifting toward Paisley on the sofa. We’re all chatting now, snacking on Carrie’s baked Chex Mix and not wanting to drive back home.
“Yeah, but if I have clarifying questions, can I give you a call? I don’t think I’ll need to, but it’s nice to have the option.”
“Of course.” Piper pulls out her phone and opens it to the contacts to exchange numbers.
“We’d better go,” Hudson says, rubbing his eyes.
“Are you ready?” Paisley asks.
Piper hesitates the slightest bit, just enough to lend me the confidence I need. “I can give you a ride home,” I offer before I can chicken out. “It’s less out of my way, anyway.”
Paisley opens her mouth to argue, because it’s not really convenient at all, but I spear her with a look, and she closes it again.
Piper sits up, her wide green eyes trying to read my face. “Are you sure?”
“It’s not a problem.”
“Thanks.” Piper settles back in the seat again.
Hudson pulls Paisley up by the hand and doesn’t let it go, tucking her close. “Good night, guys.”
Carrie leans over. “It was really nice meeting you, Piper.”
“Same.” She gives my sister the sweetest smile.
Then Carrie follows the lovebirds outside. Since she’s Paisley’s roommate, that means everyone is gone except Luke, who’s still on the phone. I can hear the murmur of his voice through the door, but not what he’s saying.