9. Piper
Chapter 9
Piper
“W hat are we doing?” This had been the best date of my life, and it wasn’t real. My heart broke a little bit at the thought of not having another night like this.
He looked at me with a tenderness that made my heart ache, yet I couldn’t ignore the flashing neon sign in the back of my mind reminding me that none of this was real.
His arm tightened around my waist. “I’m kissing you goodnight,” was his soft reply.
“Do it again.” I couldn’t resist him. I needed more.
He yanked me close and pressed his lips to mine. His lips were insistent and soft, even though he kissed me hard. The heat between us blazed into something undeniable, leaving us suspended in a moment that felt both fleeting and eternal at the same time. It was confusing.
“Like this?” he groaned against my mouth.
“Yeah.” My voice was nothing but breath. “But maybe one more time.”
“For practice?” He pulled back to whisper in my ear. “Is that what we’re doing?”
Practice.
God, what was I getting myself into?
I gave a slight nod, unable to speak, my throat tight with feelings I was too afraid to express or even acknowledge.
“For practice?” he repeated, his voice low and rumbly.
I nodded.
And then he was kissing me again, with a fervor that matched my own.
The night faced away, leaving only the sensation of his lips moving against mine, his tongue in my mouth, the heat of his hands on my body, and the rhythm of our breaths intertwined.
My hesitation, that fear of having my heart broken, faded away in the intensity of this moment that felt so right. All that mattered was this.
We finally pulled apart, our breathing ragged and hearts pounding. His hand lingered on my cheek in a gentle caress that sent shivers down my spine.
“Maybe we should stop,” he murmured, his eyes searching mine.
I bit my lip, the taste of his kiss still lingering. “Maybe.” My voice was barely more than a whisper. “Yeah, you’re right. I should probably go inside.”
In this instant, the fear of getting my heart broken again seemed a small price to pay for the chance to find out what could be, but he was right about stopping. It would be stupid to take this too far tonight.
“Goodnight, Piper.”
“’Night.”
“Get inside.” His voice was pained. “I’ll wait for you to lock up before I head home.”
True to his word, he waited as I fumbled in my purse for my keys, then went inside. I didn’t hear him walk away until my deadbolt slid into place.
By rote, I got ready for bed. Smog and Nimbus swirled around my feet until we were tucked beneath the covers.
But I couldn’t sleep. I lay there, staring at the ceiling, replaying my night with Ren like a movie in my brain. Smog curled up beside me, while Nimbus settled on the pillow by my head, his purring a soothing, yet ineffective lullaby.
Thoughts of Ren, of the way he had kissed me, his touch, the way his body felt beneath my hands, swirled in my mind, battling the notion that this was all nothing but an illusion. It had felt so real.
Morning came sooner than expected, sunlight streaming through the curtains, and with it, that same stupid sense of hope that wouldn’t go away.
My phone pinged with an incoming text. My stomach sank when I realized it wasn’t Ren. It was Paige.
Paige: Rise and shine, sleepyhead. We’re on the way.
What the hell? I hadn’t made any plans with Paige. I rolled over, deciding to ignore her.
I was in an in-between period of my life—between jobs, between men, stuck somewhere between sadness and hope.
Damn it.
Sighing, I tossed the phone onto the bedside table and forced myself out of bed. The room was chilly, and I wrapped my arms around myself as I padded to the window. Drawing back the curtains, I let the sunlight bathe the room, hoping it might chase away the bleak shadows lurking in my brain.
I had no idea what Paige had planned. Part of me wanted to go back to bed and shut out the world, but another part—the part still clinging to that stupid sense of hope—convinced me that if I just tried to face the day with a smile, then maybe I’d see Ren later.
Smog meowed at me from his perch on the dresser while Nimbus sat in the corner, staring at the ceiling.
“Nimbus, quit it, you’re freaking me out.”
He meowed plaintively at me and pawed at the wall.
“Quit being weird and go find something to do,” I told him. “I’ll shower and get dressed, then we’ll get both of you some breakfast.”
I yanked the top drawer open, tossing a pair of leggings and a matching hoodie on the bed before stripping off my caftan to head to the bathroom for a shower.
The water was a temporary escape, the steady stream lulling me into a semblance of calm. But as I stood there, head bowed beneath the spray, all the restless anticipation washed over me again.
The memory of kissing Ren last night played on a loop in my mind. I swear my lips still tingled.
After drying off, I pulled on my clothes, wondering how to get out of whatever Paige had in mind.
Nimbus wound around my legs as I finally reached the kitchen, and Smog greeted me with an expectant look. At least taking care of them gave me some structure, some sense of normalcy amid this weird limbo I was stuck in.
I was thrown off. I couldn’t stop thinking of Ren. As I prepared my coffee, my phone pinged again. My heart skipped a beat, but it was another message from Paige telling me they were outside waiting for me, and not Ren telling me something wonderful.
I sighed, giving my coffee maker a longing glance as I snagged a bottle of water and headed to the door.
Paige was standing outside, her face lit up with excitement that could only come from being extremely caffeinated. She waved as I opened the door, then gestured to my sisters standing on my driveway, all in various forms of athleisure, along with Grandma on her Segway in a hot pink jogging suit—I guess she’d left the pugs at home.
“Trust me, you need this,” Paige chirped, looping her arm through mine and pulling me onto the porch before I could gather my wits enough to slam the door and lock myself inside.
I shot her a skeptical look but allowed myself to be dragged along. “Whatever this is better end with brunch and mimosas, or at least a cup of coffee,” I muttered beneath my breath.
“Oh, it will. We’re having coffee after at Coffee Cabin.”
“Great. So, what’s the plan?”
“We’re going for a walk. Remember? We talked about it the other morning. Mom is still in Hawaii, obviously. But Grandma is here.”
She flicked two fingers out in a mock salute as she drove her Segway in a small circle in the driveway. “It’s time to start talking, honey,” she called. “I’ve been hearing things about you. You need your family.”
“What things?” I hedged as I shot a side-eye to Paige.
“So many things,” Eliza answered. “I could blackmail half the town if I wanted to. People spill their guts when I’m making their morning coffee.”
“We can walk, but I won’t promise to talk. It’s too early.”
We started walking through the neighborhood, the morning air crisp and filled with the scent of blooming flowers and mountain mist.
The chatter started as a mix of gossip, plans for the week, and playful teasing about Grandma’s newfound Segway skills. Paige kept her arm looped through mine. Clearly, she suspected I’d make a break for it if one of them started grilling me.
“So, what’s been going on with you?” Cara asked, her tone casual but her eyes sharp.
“Nothing much,” I replied, trying to deflect what I knew she was going to ask about. “Planning for Something Sweet’s grand opening, the cats, the usual.”
“What about the hazelnut latte hottie, the other day?” Eliza burst out. “He was asking all about you, like what kind of coffee you liked, if he should bring you breakfast. He was looking all kinds of sexy in his gray joggers and that tight T-shirt. Ren, is it?”
“Yeah, he’s my new neighbor, and you know who he is. He’s Paige’s lawyer and Jake’s brother. He moved here from Portland.”
“Oh, right.” She nodded. “That explains why he looked familiar.”
“Is this your attempt at some kind of intervention or fix-up? Or what? What is it you are all up to?”
Lucy shot me a knowing look. Did she tell them about Dana giving me shit? “No, I said nothing,” she answered as if she’d read my mind. “We just want to make sure you’re okay, like in general. You have a lot going on.”
“Well, I’m okay. Thanks.” I decided to take them at their word, feeling a small sense of comfort being surrounded by my family, even though I knew by the time this morning was over, they’d be all up in my business.
Paige squeezed my arm as we rounded the corner, approaching the Coffee Cabin. “You know we’re here for you, right? No matter what?”
I nodded, feeling a lump in my throat. “Yeah, I know.”
“Stop.” She held out her arm, and we all froze. “Shit,” she muttered, yanking me back behind the bushes along the street. “Richard is here. With her . Freaking Dana.”
I tried to peek around the bushes. “Is Cody with them?”
“Stay here. I’ll check.” Grandma buzzed around us on her Segway. “I own this damn place and I’m not hiding.”
A few seconds later, Paige’s phone went off with a text message.
“Cody isn’t here,” she informed us. “And Grandma is going home, she has to pee. And one of us should talk to her about texting and driving on that thing.”
“Like she’d listen,” Cara scoffed.
“She also said not to pull any shenanigans without her.”
“Eff that,” Lucy said. “I’m in the mood for a good shenanigan. I haven’t started any shit since I tossed a Margarita in Skip McFadden’s stupid face.”
“No,” I protested. “We’re adults. We’re going to get our coffee, find a spot to sit, and I’m going to say hello to them like a grown-up woman. No drink tossing. Promise me.”
“Fine. I promise,” she grumbled.
“I have to get to work in about ten minutes anyway,” Eliza said. “Sadly, I don’t have time for trouble today.”
I hugged her. “Love you.”
“Love you too. For the record, I’m available for trouble and shenanigans after I get off.”
“Got it.” She jogged around the bushes to go to work, leaving the four of us standing there looking at each other.
“We’re really handling this like adults?” Paige asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Yes,” I confirmed. “We are perfectly capable of acting like mature individuals.”
Lucy rolled her eyes but followed us to the window, where we ordered our drinks and found a cozy table beneath the covered outdoor seating area.
Coffee Cabin was bustling with the morning rush, so Richard and Dana hadn’t noticed me yet.
We settled into our spots, Lucy and Paige waiting for me to take the lead.
“So…” Paige broke the silence.
I took a deep breath, steeling myself. “So, I’ll just go to their table and say hello and see where it goes from there. No shenanigans, no drama. I still have to work with Dana and share Cody with Richard, and I need to find a way to do that.”
Cara snorted. “Drama follows this family around like a demented stalker. We’ll be right here when it catches up to you.”
Ignoring her, I sipped my coffee and then stood to head to their table.
“You got this,” Paige encouraged. “Proud of you.”
My heart pounded in my chest as I approached the corner where Richard and Dana sat. The last thing I wanted was another confrontation, especially in a public place.
“Morning,” I said, standing at the edge of their picnic table.
Richard looked up, a flicker of surprise crossing his face, quickly masked by indifference.
Dana, however, smiled warmly. I knew it wasn’t genuine. She was up to something.
“I didn’t expect to run into you this morning.” Richard’s tone was flat, foreboding. “How are you?”
“Um, I figured we needed to chat.” I tried and failed to keep my voice steady. “About Cody, the bakery, all of it.”
Richard patted the bench next to him. “Sure, have a seat.”
I slid in next to him, trying to ignore the weight of Dana’s gaze on me. “Look, I know things have been tense, but we need to sort this out for Cody’s sake.”
Dana nodded. “We should be on the same page.”
“Dana and I have been talking,” Richard began. “You really upset her the other day. She was inconsolable. I don’t know how I would have calmed her down if it wasn't for Cody. She had a panic attack, Piper, and you know what a sweet dog Cody is, he helped pull her out of it.”
I felt a pang of guilt. “I didn’t know it was that bad. I’m sorry, Dana.”
Tears filled her eyes. “It’s okay. I just—couldn’t believe you were willing to ruin our friendship over this.”
“This? You mean you and Richard?”
She nodded tearfully as ice flooded my veins.
“What are you talking about? Me? I didn’t start this. I didn’t ruin anything?—”
She didn’t answer, save for a small hiccupping sob as she reached for a napkin to dab at her eyes.
What the heck was she playing at?
Richard took her hand across the table. “Baby, shh, it will be okay. I promised to take care of you, didn’t I?”
“Richard and I are in love,” she cried. “You two were never right for each other. You wouldn’t have lasted, and you know that. Why can’t you understand how I feel?”
“This is all moot,” Richard cut in. “The point is, Dana needs Cody. She’s fragile right now. I tried to get you to fix your friendship with her. But you couldn’t let things go. She’s really afraid of working with you, Piper.”
“Afraid? Of me? I don’t understand, I mean, what?—?”
My mind raced as I tried to understand what they were getting at. I had to say something, but the words wouldn’t come.
“Listen,” I began, my voice trembling. “Let’s not be hasty?—”
Richard cut me off. “Dana will be going to Cody’s check-up with me. When things settle down between the two of you, we can discuss whether you still want to be part of Cody’s life and how that will work. But for now, it’s best to keep our distance from each other. And about the bakery? We should discuss possibly buying you out. I don’t see how you two can work together with how things are going. We wouldn't be here right now if you had only listened to reason. I’m sorry.”
I stared at him in disbelief, every word like a blow to the chest. But now was not the time to argue with them. “I see. Um, I’ll just leave you to your coffee.”
“Thank you, Piper.” Dana smiled, sugary sweet. “I’ll email you about the shop.”
I needed time to think.
But more importantly, I needed to get away from them before I started crying.