Chapter 2 - Piper
TWO
Piper
Ollie rang the doorbell about five times in quick succession before I could stop him.
“I think two rings was enough,” I said with a laugh, balancing the casserole dish and my bag with the rest of my contributions to the potluck.
“I had to make sure! I bet they’re already having fun in there without us.”
The door swung open, and Grace appeared.
“Happy Thanksgiving!” Ollie shouted.
“Happy Thanksgiving. I’m so glad you’re here!” Grace’s eyes found mine over Ollie’s head, her eyebrows lifting in a silent question. I gave a tiny shake of my head.
Yes, Ollie was here, instead of with his dad like we’d planned.
And no, let’s not mention it.
Because Grace was my best friend, she understood all of that without a single word.
“Get in here, you two.” She grabbed the bag I was carrying.
“I was just about to serve up the spiced apple cider. Maisie’s in the backyard throwing the tennis ball for Stella.
Or maybe building a snowman? Not sure. And Ashford and Dane are arguing about the football game on TV in the living room. ”
“See, told you they were already having fun,” Ollie muttered before dumping his backpack of comic books and board games right there in the entryway. I nudged it aside with my foot, smiling fondly at Ollie’s back as he ran deeper into the house.
“Thank God we’re here,” I said with a sigh.
“Come on. Let’s get you some spiced cider. Or wine?”
“Definitely wine.”
Grace’s kitchen was slightly more organized than mine. Probably because it was a lot bigger. Grace and her boyfriend Dane had renovated the house after moving in almost a year ago, putting in top-of-the-line gadgets and appliances while keeping a rustic, upscale-mountain feel.
Maybe a little too much like the ski resort that Dane owned, but nobody had asked me.
Turkey roasted in the lower oven, and yeasty rolls overflowed the baking pan in the upper one. The place smelled incredible.
I set my casserole on the counter, saying hello to Emma—Ashford’s wife—who was ladling hot apple cider into cups. As soon as my hands were free, it was hug time. A big hug for Emma, and another for Grace.
Grabbing the wine bottle, Grace pushed her glasses up her nose and pursed her lips into a frown. “So. Ollie’s hot springs Thanksgiving trip with his father…”
“I should’ve known Danny would find something better to do.”
Emma set a mug of cider on the counter with a thump. “Better than spending time with his kid? What is wrong with that man?”
“I’ve asked myself that question more times than I can count. Some mysteries have no answer. But we’re with all of you lovely people, and that’s what matters.”
“Hear, hear,” Grace said. “Now let me find my biggest wine glass for you.”
“Have I told you how much I love you?”
While we cooked and laughed and gossiped, I let myself sink into the moment. The stress from earlier began to melt away, replaced by the easy comfort of being surrounded by the people I loved.
Over the years, we’d all had our ups and downs. Once, I’d jokingly named our group of friends the Lonely Harts club so we could all commiserate over our bad luck when it came to relationships. We all lived in Hart County, so the pun practically wrote itself.
I could never resist a silly pun, as Ollie would probably attest.
But one by one, the Lonely Harts had been falling in love. First it was Ashford falling for Emma, who loved his daughter Maisie like her own.
Then Grace caught the bug. She and I used to have a no-dating pact, back when we were both cynical about love and convinced we were better off without it. But then she met Dane, the billionaire playboy from New York who only had eyes for her.
My brother Teller succumbed next, quitting his job as Silver Ridge Chief of Police so he could be with Ayla Maxwell, international pop star. They were spending their first Thanksgiving as a couple in Los Angeles.
It was obnoxious, really. What right did they all have to go proving romance could be healthy, fulfilling, and downright magical?
Kidding aside, I was the first to cheer all of them on. I’d even played a key role in some of their love stories, if I said so myself. But seeing most of my closest friends and family pair off hadn’t changed my resolve one bit.
I would never make the mistake of falling in love again.
About an hour later, Callum and Zandra showed up. Our latest adorable couple. I’d thought Callum would hold out and stay single like me, but that was until Zandra came back to Silver Ridge.
“We’re here!” Callum announced. “Party can officially begin.”
Maisie and Ollie tried to tackle him, while Callum held his precious pumpkin pie out of harm’s way. I wrangled the kids into the living room for Ashford and Dane to manage, and Zandra and Emma went to finish decorating the dining table.
In the kitchen, Callum immediately stuck his pinky into Grace’s gravy and tasted it. “Needs more fresh pepper.”
Grace swatted his arm. “Go find somebody else to bother!”
Callum moved to the counter, surveying the spread of dishes. “You did remember to make things Zandra can eat, right?”
“I promise I’ve been very careful. Even used gluten-free flour in the gravy.”
“Thanks, Grace!” Zandra called out from the dining room. “You’re amazing!”
I laughed as Callum opened his mouth to say something else, and Grace pointed a wooden spoon at him in warning. Callum wisely retreated to the living room.
Grace nudged me with her elbow, her voice dropping low. “Do you think, by next year, it could be all of us together? Teller and Ayla, and…”
She swallowed, as if just saying the rest of that sentence was a big step.
“Grayden too,” Grace finished, almost in a whisper.
I rolled my tongue against my teeth, considering. It was not a straightforward question, and there were a lot of big feelings attached to it.
Not my big feelings, of course. But for Grace and her brothers.
Grayden hadn’t been back to Silver Ridge for well over a decade now. More like a decade and a half. After his guilty plea and all that had happened during that awful time, it was almost like he’d died.
For year after year, there’d been no contact. Grayden had been completely gone from our lives.
Then last year, Dane hired a private investigator to track down the oldest O’Neal brother. Apparently, Grayden lived in Seattle now. He’d served his time in military prison, and from what Grace told me, Grayden had thought none of his siblings wanted anything to do with him.
Where Ashford was concerned, that was still true.
But Grace and Callum had both forgiven him. They spoke to him at least once a month, even though Grayden continued to stay away from Silver Ridge so long as Ashford didn’t want him here.
When I’d mentioned the situation to Teller, he just said we should stay out of it. Let the O’Neals figure this mess out for themselves. My older brother wasn’t chief of police anymore, but he was still a cop part-time.
It was hard to imagine straight-laced Teller, a decorated war veteran, reconnecting with a dishonorably discharged ex-con. Even if they’d once been best friends.
But as for me… I wasn’t sure.
I knew how much heartache Grace had suffered over losing her oldest brother. And how much relief she’d felt after finding him again.
My long-ago schoolgirl crush was irrelevant.
I squeezed Grace’s shoulder. “I really hope so. It would be great to have everyone together again.”
“If Ashford lets that happen. He’s still so angry with Grayden over everything.”
“Ashford just needs time.” I tapped my finger against my chin, pretending to think. “And we’ll need a bigger table. Especially if you and Dane start popping out adorable tots. Or maybe Teller and Ayla will. We’ll have to rent out the entire rec center.”
She smiled and laughed, though the sound was tinged with sadness.
We all gathered around the dining table. A bounty lay before us. Platters of turkey, bowls of mashed potatoes and gravy and roasted veggies, my green bean casserole next to Grace’s rice stuffing and rolls.
Callum and Zandra’s pumpkin pie waited on the sideboard, along with my coffee and Ashford and Emma’s cherry pie and chocolate-chip cookies. The whole house smelled like roasted meat and herbs and home.
Ollie sat with Maisie at one end of the table, the two of them giggling as they sneaked a bit of turkey to Stella. Ashford and Emma sat across from each other, that easy partnership they’d built on full display. Dane kept his hand on Grace’s back, while Callum and Zandra shared a private smile.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out under the table and glanced at the screen.
Danny
I know you’re angry, but I swear I’m working on something important. Just give me time. You’ll see
Disgust rolled through me. I shoved the phone back into my pocket.
“You good, Piper?” Callum asked from across the table. “Everything okay?”
I glanced at Ollie, making sure he was distracted. “Just some stuff with Danny,” I said under my breath.
A wrinkle appeared between Callum’s brows, and Zandra gave me a sympathetic look. But they both knew better than to get into it at the dinner table, not with the kids nearby. Besides, I just wanted to focus on the positive.
I noticed Callum checking his phone too. Maybe thinking of the one O’Neal sibling who wasn’t here, like Grace had been doing.
Romantic love didn’t fix everything. Sure, if you fell in love with a billionaire or a massively successful pop star, love could solve a few monetary problems. I had some money worries myself, not that I wanted to think about that on a holiday like this.
But even with a partner, adulting was still hard. You still had bills and leaky roofs and crappy exes. Family rifts that wouldn’t heal.
You had to find joy wherever you could, every single day.
And I didn’t need a man in my bed for any of that.
The doorbell rang, cutting through the conversation. Callum raised his eyebrows at Grace. “Expecting anyone else?” he asked.
Grace shrugged, hands full as she ladled gravy onto Maisie’s plate. “Can you get it, Cal? You’re the closest.”
Callum stood and walked to the door. He opened it, and I heard him say one word.
“Grayden?”
Everyone at the dining table went quiet. Grace’s mouth dropped open. Ashford’s fork clattered against his plate.
Maisie looked up at her father. “Daddy, who’s Grayden?”