27. Andy
ANDY
“Mmmmf,” I groan when the masseuse hits a knot at the top of my back.
Jesus God in heaven above. I needed this. Maisie and Jem make similar noises from their tables next to me.
For someone who touts self-care all the time, I’ve sure let my own fall to the wayside recently.
Alex still hasn’t called or messaged about visitation. I feel hypervigilant about Piper’s mental health right now, and between my energy being split between her, Jedd and our new relationship, and work, I don’t have any time left in the day to think about myself.
The massage therapist moves to my feet, and I have to bite off a groan.
I focus on relaxing each muscle and letting the worry that’s been my perpetual companion fade—at least for a little bit.
Each and every muscle in my body is limper than an overcooked spaghetti noodle by the time our team of masseuses step out.
“Oh god. That was better than a calorie-free cake,” Jem says when we’re all bundled in robes and seated in pedicure chairs.
I nod, sipping the complimentary sparkling water provided.
“Agreed,” Maisie says from her chair, where she’s kicked back with her eyes closed.
“This ain’t bad either,” I say when the nail tech rubs the bottom of my foot like she’s trying to beat any lingering tension out of them.
My phone buzzes, and I snatch it, worried that something happened at the dance. That Jedd or Piper need me. Instead, I open a text thread to a slew of text messages from Jedd and his family at the dance with Piper. Their smiling faces light up my phone display.
God. I’m falling so hard and so fast for him. I thought I loved him before—and I did—but what I feel now is so much deeper, more connected than when I just wanted him.
He went above and beyond for Piper tonight, to make sure she’s having fun, that she can count on him to step up for her.
Leave it to Jedd to know exactly what was bothering Pip this afternoon and already have a plan in place to fix it.
That’s what he does.
Fixes what needs it.
I cycle through the pictures of each of the Calhoun men dancing with my niece and save all of the images to my photo gallery, not wanting to lose any of them.
Did I expect everyone to show up after Jedd explained that he found out about the dance on the school calendar?
Not even a little bit.
But they did. The Calhouns showed up like they always do.
And Jedd sent me here, so that I could have a night with my friends free from stress and worry.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say the man is perfect.
But the dirty socks that end up next to the hamper instead of in it prove that he’s not perfect. Just perfect for me.
I start to set my phone down, determined to ignore the unopened text messages. Some are from clients, requesting to reschedule or sending over inspo pics they want to replicate. I leave those unopened to answer in the morning.
Just as I start to turn my phone over it buzzes in my hand, and I lose all the air in my lungs as my stomach plummets to my toes.
My hands shake, going clammy as I click open the text from Alex.
Alex: I’ll be at your place tomorrow at four for visitation.
I read the text message a million times trying to decipher any hidden meaning.
I fully expected her to just show up at my house, and then I remember that she’s required to give me notice to visit Piper.
There’s nothing to give me an indication of how the visit is going to go.
Nothing from Alex to let me know if she’s actually excited to see Piper, or if it’s just something that she thinks will make her look good in front of the judge.
“Andy?” Jem’s voice finally penetrates, and I tear my attention away from my phone and look at her.
She nods toward the nail tech at my feet who has painted one of my toes and is looking to get approval on my color choice before continuing.
The cheerful bright teal is gorgeous, but somehow more out of place now that my gut is in knots.
I nod. “Looks great.” My throat is so tight. I take another sip of water to clear it while my mind races.
“What’s wrong?” Maisie asks, her keen gaze trained on my face. “You’re so pale.”
“Alex texted. She’s coming to see Piper tomorrow.”
“Oh shit,” Jem says.
“What can we do to help? Do you want us to be there?”
Do I? Do I want anyone there?
Do I let Jedd know? He won’t be there. He can’t. He’s booked solid. Part of his shop being closed means that he’s completing maintenance and repairs on his clients’ vehicles at their homes while the guys work on service appointments in the remaining bays of the shop.
He’s got so much to handle now that the shop expansion is moving forward.
I shake my head. “Thank you, but no. I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
As much as I want to assume Alex won’t start anything with people there, I wouldn’t put it past her, and I don’t want Piper worried about Maisie and Jem if her mom decides to get nasty.
“If you change your mind, text. I can be from the shop to your house in less than two minutes,” Jem says.
Maisie nods. “I can work in town tomorrow too, just in case. If you need us, we’re there.”
Heat prickles my eyes, the urge to cry at the unconditional support from my friends making me emotional. “Thank you. I’ll let you know if I need you.”
We’re much quieter as our pedicures wrap up and we check out.
Maisie drove, so she drops me off before taking Jem home.
When I open my front door, laughing shrieks and splashing water echo through the house. In the kitchen, Jedd and Piper are at the sink, washing the dishes that were left over from the hasty dinner we ate before they left for the dance.
“Uncle Jedd, you’re getting water everywhere.” She is standing on a step stool, one of his old shirts swallowing her whole.
Fuck. I forgot to do laundry. She told me she was out of pajamas this morning, and I meant to throw in a load this afternoon but got distracted helping her get ready.
Jedd loads the last plate into the dishwasher and sets it to start before reaching under the sink—tickling Piper’s legs in the process—to grab the disinfectant spray I use to clean the counters and stove at the end of the night.
I stay tucked around the corner as I listen to him teach her how to wipe down the counters the right way. Some of the tension at Alex’s message dissipates as I listen to them work together.
“You have to get behind and under stuff or crumbs and food will sit under there forever, breeding little germ armies.”
I snort laugh at that, and the two of them turn in my direction.
“Aunty Andy,” Piper screeches and bounds in my direction. She throws her arms around me.
“Tonight was so much fun. Uncle Duke flipped me over his shoulders and threw me in the air,” she yells, and Jedd scowls.
“Damn dancing lessons,” he murmurs, and I laugh.
Looks like someone is feeling left out.
“I really liked dancing with you too, Uncle Jedd,” she says sheepishly after seeing the scowl on his face.
“It’s okay, Pipsqueak. I’m glad you had fun dancing with Duke. You looked pretty cool flying through the air like that.”
His eyes find mine and the heat in his gaze delivers a heady one-two punch to my libido.
Fuck, just looking at him makes me ache.
But looking at him after he made today so special for Piper and cleaned the kitchen before I got home from the pampering he arranged?
Just strip me naked and take me already.
Mind out of the gutter . We have things to talk about, and I can’t get distracted.
I don’t want to tell him about the visitation because he’ll drop everything to be there. And I don’t want that. But I have to tell him. I just need to convince him that he doesn’t have to be here for it.
Piper chatters at me about the dance and all her friends. How Rhett danced with Cassie and how Finch had a grumpy face most of the evening.
Surprised, I cock an eyebrow at Jedd at that, and he shakes his head while shrugging. “Later,” he mouths to me, and now I’m dying to know.
“Sounds like you had the best time,” I say. “But now it’s time to brush your teeth and get ready for bed. I’ll be there in a second to read you a story.”
When the bathroom door closes, I turn to Jedd and wrap and arm around his neck, pulling him down as I rise on my toes to fasten my mouth to his, desperate for a little bit of normal.
His hands grip my hips, holding me in place, and the kiss spins out of control. Frisky nips and teasing tongues turn heated as he backs me against the wall.
My core is throbbing with need when we come up for air. Jedd’s hands are in my hair, and we’re both breathing hard. Harsh gusts of air pass between us as we stare at each other.
“Fuck, Mischief.” He presses his hips against mine, and I can feel the hard length of him trapped behind the dress pants he wore to the dance.
“I know. Me too.” I want to climb him like a bearded tattooed tree and hang on for the ride. But …
“Alex texted,” I blurt out, wanting to get this out of the way.
Jedd pulls back. “What? When?”
“When we are getting our toes done. She’s coming by tomorrow at four to see Piper.”
Focus covers Jedd’s face, and I know he’s trying to rearrange his schedule to be here.
“No,” I say.
“No, what?”
“No, you have work, I’ll be fine. It’s not the first time I’ve had to deal with Alex on my own. You have work.”
“Mischief,” he says on a sigh.
“I know. You’d be there if you could. I know that, Jedd. But I won’t let her fuck anything else up for us. I won’t let her get in the way of your work or us. It’ll be fine. She’ll come, we’ll probably argue. But I’ll deal.”
“I can …”
I press a finger to his lips. “No. I promise, if I need you, I’ll text but trust me to handle her.”
“Are you going to tell Piper?” he asks, and I nod.
“Yeah, I told her I would let her know if her mom was coming to visit.”
Jedd drops his forehead to mine. “I want to be here. I can reschedule my clients.”
I shake my head. “No. She doesn’t get to mess anything else up.”