Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
RHETT
I loved watching Piper work almost as much as I loved watching her with her kids.
At work, she was observant, confident, and quick on her feet.
With her kids, she listened when they talked—and they listened when she did.
I wondered what I’d been so afraid of when I first met her, why she’d seemed like such a threat.
She was perceptive, and she saw through my bullshit. But we’d reached a truce, and sometimes I thought she might actually like it when I was simply acting like myself.
The plumbing at the house was repaired within a couple of weeks, and I had an electrician put in a new panel and rough in some cables for new lights.
Piper was in charge of choosing the lighting, and I was happy to leave that responsibility to her.
The house looked like a bomb site, but I knew it would come together.
By November, it was looking like we were almost ready to paint at the house—and the possibility of opening the ski lodge by the end of the year was in sight.
Both projects were coming together because of Piper.
One Thursday evening at the beginning of November, she had the chance to show off her work on the ski lodge at a town hall meeting. Thirty-odd people showed up, including the grouchy Paul Norbit, who’d opposed the ski lodge from the beginning.
“This is nothing but a corporate takeover,” he called out as he sat cross-armed in a hard plastic chair.
Piper stood with the microphone in front of the small crowd and repeated his comment for everyone to hear. Then she said, “I understand your fears, sir, but rest assured that we have focused on our community every step of the way.”
“What do you know about our community? You didn’t grow up here.”
From where I stood, to the side of the projector screen showing progress photos of the lodge renovations, I could see Piper’s back stiffen.
But she took a deep breath and inclined her head.
“You’re right. But I feel lucky to have found this town, and I’ve already set down roots.
My two boys go to Lovers Peak Elementary, and I have a vested interest in seeing this town thrive.
This is my home now. And I have treated it that way since I came on board with the project.
All the design elements that we’ve incorporated are sourced from the town first before we move further afield.
All the upholstery is local, as is the feature woodwork and the stonework.
We plan to feature local artists on a rotating basis throughout the lodge.
This ski resort is the furthest thing from a corporate takeover.
It’s a celebration of Lovers Peak itself, both the mountain and the town. ”
Paul sank deeper in his chair, his lips turning down in an almost comical frown. I shifted my gaze from him back to Piper, my chest stirring.
We were in the community center again, the same room where our fight over the Lovers Lane house had begun.
Murmurs went through the assembled crowd as they considered Piper’s words.
She waited a few moments to see if anyone else had comments, then turned toward me to hand me the microphone.
She blew out a breath with her back to the audience, clearly relieved that her part was done.
I went on with our presentation and explained the community nights we planned to host at the resort, as well as the discounted rates for people who had local addresses. When the meeting broke off, I thought we’d done pretty well.
David, who had been standing at the back, wandered over to us. He shook my hand first, then turned to Piper, Santa Claus smile on full blast. “That was well done,” he told her.
She gave him a half grin. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to overcome the first impression I made last time we were in this room.”
David laughed. “Are you kidding? That night basically cemented you as one of us.”
Piper’s cheeks went red, but she laughed and nodded her acceptance.
David gave me one last pat on the shoulder, winked at Piper, and ambled out.
We watched the town hall attendees file through the doors, and Piper shook her head.
“That was harder than I expected. No matter what David says, I’m afraid I haven’t made a good impression on the townspeople so far. ”
“They loved you,” I replied. Her skepticism was so potent I could almost taste it in the air, and I chuckled. “I’m serious. You stood up there and made us all feel like this town is something special, and we’re all working to make it better.”
“I was so nervous my legs were shaking. I’m not real big on public speaking.”
“It didn’t seem to bother you the first time we met.”
Piper clicked her tongue and shoved at my chest, shaking her head. “Stop it. I’m embarrassed about all that.”
“All what? You standing up for the important principle of blueberry muffins going to their rightful owners?”
“That wasn’t the issue and you know it,” she said, shooting me a sideways glare—but her lips were curling at the edges.
She took a deep breath like she was about to say goodbye, and suddenly I couldn’t bear to leave her.
Being in her presence made me feel warm and alive in a way I couldn’t quite put into words—or maybe I didn’t want to.
“We got a few deliveries at the house today,” I rushed to say. “A new kitchen faucet and some fixtures for the upstairs bathroom. I was thinking we could check them out. You can let me know if they work. I can grab some takeout on the way.”
She brightened. “Let me text the babysitter to let her know I’ll be a little while longer.”
We walked out of the community center together, winter wind making us both sink into our jackets the moment we left the shelter of the building. I itched to move closer to Piper, and I told myself it was because of the cold. We got in our own vehicles and headed for Lovers Lane.
I stopped off for some Thai food, and by the time I got to the house, the lights were on and Piper was inside.
It was still a disaster zone inside, with the walls patched and the floor sanded smooth but not yet refinished, but the moment I stepped through the door and heard Piper’s voice call out a hello from the living room, saw her jacket hung over the stair rail, an emotion clanged through me like the tolling of a big bell.
I’d always wanted this. A home to come back to, a wife, a family. As far as I was concerned, it was a fairy tale. But as Piper glanced up from the box she’d opened, a kitchen faucet in her hands and a wide smile on her face, I wondered if I’d been wrong.
What if every day could be just like this? What if I could walk into a home with plans for the future and someone to make them with?
I didn’t need a ten-acre property up on the hillside, decorated perfectly with ten-foot ceilings and huge windows. I could be happy with a creaky house, crooked floors, and walls that needed patching.
“It’s perfect!” Piper exclaimed, brandishing the faucet.
“Let’s see what else came. I also got a few notifications today, but I’m not sure what they are.
” She moved to the other boxes I’d brought indoors when I stopped by the house at lunchtime, ripping them open with a utility knife and the kind of enthusiasm that made her glow from within.
“Oh, gorgeous,” she said, pulling out dark yellow fabric.
I crept closer. “What’s that for?”
“Curtains for the upstairs bedroom. It’s small and it has that pitched roof, so I wanted to make a statement.”
“The red thread.”
She beamed up at me. “Exactly.”
We opened the rest of the boxes, finding cushions, wall art, and two big flat-packed bookcases.
“I was thinking we could make these look built in,” she said. “We’ll paint them the same color as the wall and add some trim up top.”
“Sure,” I agreed. “But let’s eat first.”
We sat on the unfinished floor and tucked in to our dinner.
I leaned against the wall with my legs stretched out, and Piper sat cross-legged, her eyes scanning all the new items. She hummed when the first bite of green curry hit her tongue, lifting the container in her hands. “This is good,” she said.
“Little hole-in-the-wall place over on Alpine Way.”
“I need to get to know this town better,” she said, scooping more food onto her fork. “I’ve been so busy I haven’t had time.”
“This will come together quickly,” I said, nodding to the house. “You’ll have plenty of time in the new year.”
She smiled. “I can’t wait.”
Our eyes met, and my chest grew tight. I swallowed thickly and tried to deflect from the emotion crowding out my lungs: “I’m glad you decided to set aside your hatred for me.”
She gave me a flat look. “Who says I did?”
I laughed. “I can tell, Darling.”
Humming, Piper hid her smile with another bite of food. In the evening light, her eyes were dark blue and glimmering when they flicked back up to meet mine. “And how about you? You’re the one who hides behind the King Rhett persona.”
“King Rhett?”
“Shaking hands and kissing babies and all that.”
I huffed, letting my head thump against the wall when I leaned back.
Light from the foyer shone on Piper’s face as she glanced over at me.
Her knee was close to my leg, and I longed to inch closer so I could feel the warmth of her body under my palm.
Suddenly, I didn’t want to wear a mask. It was so much effort to pretend to be someone I wasn’t, and what was the point when Piper could see through it?
“I haven’t always had that reputation,” I started. Piper met my gaze and waited for me to continue. I stabbed a piece of chicken and ate it, then said, “I was a troublemaker when I was younger.”
“Oh?”