26. Piper
Chapter 26
Piper
“F alling in love the first time is easy. Falling in love again is a leap of faith that takes a tremendous amount of courage.” The softly murmured words woke me up.
I rolled over in bed to see my sister on her back, covered with my cats and staring at the ceiling with an oddly contemplative look on her face. “Paige? Did you wake up possessed by the spirit of some wise old sage? Who even are you right now?”
“Shit,” she muttered, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. “I don’t freaking know. I woke up and then started thinking and couldn’t stop. I have to stop doing that, honestly, it’s annoying.” She sat up, Nimbus settled at her side as she pulled Smog into her arms and nuzzled her face into his soft fur. “But I have to admit something to you,” she whispered.
“What? That you were trying to set me and Ren up? It was pretty obvious.” I grinned at her. “Not your best work. Effective, but not subtle.”
Paige sighed deeply, a hint of melancholy in her expression. “Actually, there's more. I wasn't just trying to set you up with Ren. I wanted you to find happiness again, Piper. After everything you've been through, you deserve it.”
I felt a rush of affection for my sister; her intentions were always pure, despite her sometimes-clumsy execution. “Thank you, Paige. I appreciate it. Really.”
“He’s just so sweet—all stoic and kind of sad, maybe a little bit grumpy, but not in the bad way. And you were brokenhearted and reeling from Dick. I thought, why not? Right? At the very least, you’d end up with a good friend. Ren doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He’d never hurt anyone.”
My eyes widened in alarm. “God, I hope he didn’t hurt Richard to get Cody back.”
“He didn’t, don’t worry. Hunter told me everything on the phone last night. He made a lot of legal threats. Hunter was the one who threatened to kick his ass, which is not surprising.”
“Remember when he beat up Eli for you after prom?”
“Ugh, don’t remind me.” She rolled her eyes, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. “He’s still the same old Hunter—ready to fight anyone who messes with his friends.”
I chuckled, recalling countless memories of Hunter's fierce loyalty. “True, he’s always been like that. He was by your side your entire life. I always wondered why you didn’t end up with him.”
Nimbus purred loudly, demanding attention, and Paige scratched his head absentmindedly. “I guess I just never saw him as anything but a friend. It’s hard to change that perspective.”
I gave her a sympathetic look. “I get it. But sometimes, the best relationships start from friendship. You already know each other so well.”
Paige shrugged, a mix of resignation and hope in her eyes. “Maybe. But right now, I just want to focus on getting through each day without any more drama.”
“Maybe you should think about your feelings for him. I’m pretty sure he thinks about you a lot. Since your divorce, he’s always around. Falling in love for the first time is easy. Falling in love again is a leap of faith that takes a tremendous amount of courage.” I threw her words back at her.
“That was for you. I’m different. I can’t go there with anyone. I think I’m broken—no more feelings for Paige. I just want to binge-watch random shit on TV and eat Cheetos. No more thinking, contemplation is out. I have my kids; I won’t get lonely.”
“If you say so.”
She stuck her tongue out at me. “I do say so.”
“Alright, alright, I’ll stop. But if you ever change your mind, I’m sure Hunter would be there in a heartbeat. He’s always been there for you, and he clearly cares about you a lot.”
She sighed, taking a moment to gather herself. “I know. I just don’t want to complicate things. My life is already such a mess. Adding a relationship into the mix might just make everything worse.”
“Maybe, or maybe it could help you heal,” I suggested softly. “Sometimes, opening up to someone can help more than we think. Look at me. I was done with love and now?—”
She shook her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. “And now, you’re falling into it, aren’t you?
“Yeah,” I whispered. “You’re just not ready.”
“I’ll never be ready. Are you sure you’re really ready?”
“I wasn’t. But I’m getting there, and I have you to thank for it.”
“No, you have Ren to thank for it. He’s wise. All I did was point you in the right direction.”
“Yeah, and be there to support me through all my crap with Richard.”
“Of course, I was there for you. I mean, what else are sisters for?”
I shrugged. “Rants, complaints, experiencing shared joy, nostalgia, collecting caftans, coffee porch mornings, sleepovers…”
She set Smog down and leaned into my side. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“But seriously, though, let’s change the subject before I have to get out of this warm bed and run screaming into the morning. It’s getting too deep in here.”
“You’ll get through this, Paige. You’re so strong.”
“Thanks, I do everything out of spite. It’s working for me.”
We both laughed softly as Cody barked from the foot of the bed. I patted the space next to me, and he curled up until he had settled comfortably in my arms.
“Okay, so Violet asked me to bake Ren’s birthday cake for his party this weekend. Chocolate. How’s that for a subject change?”
She let out a laugh and sat up. “It’s good, but I already know. She told me when she reserved the back room for the party. It’s the first official reservation for Twilight Tavern. It has to go well, so I want you to go over the top. Make a showstopper. Plus, I’m adding your chocolate cake to the things I want to eat while watching TV and doing nonsense.”
“I’m thinking about what to make. But over the top is the main theme, so no worries there.”
She grabbed her robe and slipped into it. “Good. I want you to show off.” The light in her eyes was back, and I was happy to see it. “Be a spectacle, Piper. Food as a grand gesture is highly underrated.”
I laughed. “Right?”
Grand gesture…