Chapter 18 Piper
EIGHTEEN
Piper
“Hey Piper? Isn’t that your phone ringing?”
I blinked, pulled from wherever my mind had wandered. “What?”
Dillon gestured toward my apron pocket, where my phone was indeed vibrating. “The buzzing sound. Pretty sure that’s a phone call.”
“Oh. Yes.” I fumbled for it, pulling it out just in time to see Teller’s name on the screen before I missed the call entirely. Whoops.
I sighed and set the phone down on the counter.
“You okay? You’ve been super distracted today.”
“Yeah, sorry. A lot on my mind.”
Ever since that awful confrontation with Danny a couple of days ago, I’d been on edge. Unsure if Danny was still in town or if he might show up again. I’d gone from begging my ex to come to Silver Ridge to being afraid to see him.
But Danny’s asshole tendencies, or his bizarre interest in my mom’s old stuff, was hardly the only thing taking up space in my brain.
Such as the incredible, epic kiss that I couldn’t stop replaying.
“A lot on your mind. Hmm.” Dillon’s expression was carefully neutral. “Anything to do with Grayden O’Neal? Heard he’s renting your mom’s old place.”
How rude of Dillon to be one hundred percent correct.
I’ll be thinking of that kiss for a very long time.
I shook my head to chase away the memory. If only that would work. “Grayden is a friend. If you’ve heard any rumors about him, you shouldn’t be so quick to believe them.”
“But you also shouldn’t be too quick to trust,” Dillon mumbled.
“And that’s my call to make, not yours.”
He looked chastened. “Didn’t mean any offense, boss.”
“I know you meant well.” I regretted how irritable I’d sounded. “If you want, you can head home a little early.” As my head baker, Dillon was always here before the crack of dawn. He only had another half hour on his shift anyway.
“You sure?”
I gestured around the nearly empty coffee shop. The only non-employee here was Ollie, because his after-school activity had been canceled.
Ollie was over in the corner by the bookshelves, building a complicated, precarious tower out of used paperbacks. Also, pouting about not being allowed to skateboard on the busy Main Street sidewalk.
“This place is dead right now anyway,” I said. “Rina and I have got this.”
Dillon studied me for another moment, then nodded and grabbed his jacket from the back.
After he left, Rina came over from where she’d been sweeping up crumbs near the window seats. “So what’s the real story?”
“The real story?”
“About you being so distracted you keep staring off into space? Is your mind still stuck on the handsome bad boy with the naughty glasses?”
I snorted. Should’ve known she’d been listening. “How can glasses even be naughty?”
“Grayden manages it.”
I glanced at Ollie to make sure he was fully absorbed in building his paperback tower. Then I stage-whispered, “I kissed him.”
“You what?”
“Shh!” I glanced toward Ollie again, but he was ignoring us.
“Piper Carmichael. You must tell me everything.”
Rina poked my arm with the broom handle from across the counter until I glared at her. She scurried around to the other side of the register, putting the broom away as she went.
I grabbed a pair of tongs to top-up the pastry display case. “There’s nothing to tell,” I said quietly. “It was just a kiss.”
“Just a kiss,” she scoffed.
More like three kisses, I corrected silently. Rina didn’t need to know that. “It won’t happen again,” I said.
“But you want it to happen again.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to. It’s all over your aura, babe.” Rina was practically bouncing on her heels now. “This is the most exciting thing that’s happened since Manny Alvarez cursed out those snooty tourists while dressed in his Santa costume.”
I snorted a laugh. Yeah, that had been funny.
It was also a relief to tell someone about kissing Grayden. I certainly hadn’t told my best friend that I’d made out with her oldest brother and then offered up my body for sex.
And he’d turned me down.
“It wasn’t even just the kiss,” I whispered. “Grayden is renting my old house. A couple days ago, Danny broke in. I confronted him, and he was being awful. Grayden came home and kind of went…feral on him.”
Rina’s jaw dropped open in slow motion. “Piper, that is so. Hot. When are you seeing him again?”
“I’m not sure. We’re friends, but it can’t be more than that. I’m not interested in more than that.”
“Not what your aura says,” she muttered.
“I’m going to go call my brother back.”
I wasn’t avoiding Rina’s hints about my feelings for Grayden. Nope, not me.
“I’ll keep an eye on Ollie and hold down the register.” Rina glanced around the utterly silent, completely empty coffee shop. “You know, in case we get swamped in the next five minutes.”
“Thanks,” I said, already heading toward my office.
I had to get myself together. Had to stop thinking constantly about Grayden, because this wasn’t healthy.
After Grayden had told me he was innocent and took the fall for someone else, it had been hard not to go straight to Grace and repeat everything he’d said. His siblings needed to know. Especially Ashford.
Wouldn’t the truth make a difference? Maybe Ashford would finally give Grayden a chance.
But before, Grayden had said the truth would hurt Grace. That she would feel guilty. I couldn’t understand why or how, but Grace had already been through so much. She didn’t need more pain heaped on top of everything else.
This time, it was probably better to stay out of it. Just let things unfold between the O’Neal siblings naturally. They’d talk everything out when they were ready.
Besides, Grace had been in New York City with Dane since New Year’s. She wasn’t around right now to notice how overwhelmed I was, unlike Dillon or Rina.
For my entire life, I’d been able to confide in Grace about almost everything. The only exception? Grayden. Both when we were teenagers, and right now.
I didn’t like having secrets from my best friend.
In my office, I closed the door behind me and sank into my desk chair.
Teller answered on the second ring. “Hey, sis.”
“Hey, yourself. Sorry I missed your call.”
“No problem. Just in between meetings and I thought I’d say hello.”
I swiveled in my chair, propping my feet on the edge of the desk. “Listen to you, taking meetings with music execs. What did you do with my grumpy cop brother?”
“No execs were present,” he said with a chuckle. “Which is lucky for them. I hate all that bullshit. I just coordinate with law enforcement and our bodyguard team.”
Teller was still a part-time Silver Ridge PD officer when he visited Hart County, but he also served as Ayla’s head of security. She was about to start a months-long national tour, so Teller had plenty to do.
The two of them were adorable and sweet together, and I never imagined I’d say that about my brother.
“How about you?” he asked. “Anything new?”
Uh oh. I knew that tone of voice.
I sat forward, dropping my feet to the floor. “What do you mean?”
“Callum mentioned that Grayden O’Neal is renting mom’s old house from you.”
Yep, there it was. “That’s true.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Because I knew you’d be weird about it, I thought.
Out loud, I said, “It didn’t seem like a big deal. I needed a tenant, he needed a place to live. It made sense.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” I challenged. “Are you taking Ashford’s side? Because I happen to think he’s wrong about Grayden.”
“I’m not taking a side. It’s Callum I’ve been talking to, remember? I respect that Callum and Grace have worked things out with Grayden. I’m just not sure it’s a good thing for Ollie to be around the man. Considering…you know, everything.”
I made an exasperated sound.
Teller would be surprised to learn the real everything involving me and Grayden.
“Also, it sounds like Grayden’s more than just your tenant. You’re seeing him socially too. With Ollie.”
“Callum told you about the dinner at Hearthstone?”
“Yes. A dinner that took place before you came to see me and Ayla for Christmas. But you didn’t mention any of this then.”
“Do I have a right to an attorney for this interrogation, Officer?”
“Not an interrogation. You’re the one who’s hiding things. I’m just trying to find out why.”
I stood up from my chair and started pacing the small office. “This is my business, Teller. I’m a big girl. I don’t need you and Callum ganging up on me about who I rent my property to. Or who I spend time with.”
“Piper—”
“He was your best friend once,” I interrupted. “Remember that? Now you’re talking about him like he’s some random creep. Grayden is a good man.”
The line went quiet for a moment.
When Teller spoke again, his voice was softer. “Grayden and I were friends a long time ago. It’s clear I never really knew him that well.”
Yet I remembered the two of them laughing quietly about some inside joke. Or talking late into the night. They’d both been so serious, but they’d opened up around each other. Best friends. Brothers.
“There’s a lot more to the story than you know,” I said.
“Usually that’s the case.”
“If you ask Grayden, he’ll tell you.”
“Piper, I haven’t spoken to Grayden since we were in our twenties. I have nothing to say to him, and I figure he feels the same about me.”
“Which you couldn’t know. Unless you ask.”
Teller sighed. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m just concerned, that’s all. You’re my little sister. I want to make sure you’re okay.”
The fight drained out of me. “I know. I’m sorry for getting testy with you.”
“I’m also missing Ollie. Maybe I’m just feeling guilty about not seeing him since I’ve been gone from Silver Ridge so much.”
Look at my brother, so in touch with his feelings these days.
I sat back down in my chair. Even when I was annoyed with Teller, even when he was being overprotective, I knew it came from a place of love.
Exactly why I couldn’t tell him about my latest issues with Danny.
Teller knew all about Danny’s failings as a father. If I told my brother about Danny’s latest affront, the way my ex had put his hands on me, Teller would drop everything and fly out here to Hart County.
But Teller had already given up things he wanted in the past because he thought he had to protect his little sister. He’d put his own life on hold. I wasn’t going to let him do it again.
“Ollie’s doing well,” I said.
“Still can’t believe Danny flaked on him for Thanksgiving.”
I could. “Actually, Cal is taking Ollie to Denver this weekend to see a Broncos game. Just the two of them. Ollie’s really excited. I’m surprised Callum didn’t tell you, since you two have been gossiping so much.”
Callum had wanted to do something special for Ollie to help make up for the failed Thanksgiving trip with Danny. Because Callum was a sweetheart.
Teller made a happy sound. “That’s fantastic. I’m jealous.”
We talked for a few more minutes about nothing important. When we finally hung up, I sat in my office for a long moment, staring at my phone.
I hoped that whatever scheme Danny had been up to, he was finished with it now. He rarely stuck with anything too long, so he was probably already back home and out of Hart County.
Out of my life again, at least for a while.
But I’d been over and over it in my head, trying to figure out what possible item of value my mom might’ve had that Danny would want. And every time, my mind drew a blank.
Just one of those mysteries about Danny Carmichael that I’d never figure out. Like what I’d ever seen in him in the first place.
Rina looked up from her phone as I walked toward the counter. The shop was still quiet, no sign of any new customers. Maybe because the weather was beautiful outside, much warmer than the typical January day, and the snow had melted.
Kinda made me want to get out in nature too. Maybe I would take Ollie to the park after this. Let him skateboard to his heart’s content.
“How’s big bro?” Rina asked. “Everything good with him and the pop princess?”
I laughed. “Yeah. He was calling about me, actually. Making sure I’m okay.”
“Overprotective big brother mode?”
“There’s no other mode for him.”
My thoughts drifted to Grayden again, the way they kept doing. I appreciated what he’d done for me a couple of days ago. I liked having him around. As a friend, since we couldn’t be more.
But I didn’t need him. Right? I couldn’t allow myself to rely on him. I’d learned that lesson the hard way already.
For now, Ollie and I were okay. We were safe. Whatever happened next, even if Danny showed up again, I’d deal with it. I always did.
I glanced over at the tower of paperbacks. Only then did I realize who wasn’t there.
“Rina, where’s Ollie?”