Chapter 2 #2
She followed him down the stairs to where a gray Toyota 4Runner sat in the driveway behind the Suburban.
A tall brunette with long, thick hair and an athletic figure climbed out of the driver’s seat while two little girls clambered out of the back.
One resembled the girl in the photo on Reid’s phone, and the other seemed to be about the same age and had light brown hair and hazel eyes.
“Dad! Dad! Dad!” The little girl with dark hair and chocolate-brown eyes bounced over to Reid.
He scooped her up into his arms. “How was the birthday party?”
“Sooo fun!” She wiggled. “Put me down. I need to show you our dance.”
Reid grinned and set her on the ground.
“We’re learning hip-hop!” She turned to the other girl. “Let’s show ’em, Astrid.” The two girls began dancing around the driveway,
shaking their hips and waving their arms.
Reid and the woman exchanged a glance and shared a grin, but Kaiah didn’t pick up any romantic vibes between them. Hmm.
“They’re wound up,” the woman said.
Reid waved a hand toward the two girls. “I see that.”
Suddenly the first girl stopped dancing and made a beeline to Kaiah. “I’m Piper Elizabeth Turner. Who are you?”
Kaiah bent at her waist to make herself eye level with the girl and held out her hand. “I’m Kaiah Ross. Nice to meet you.”
“Ky-ya?” Piper asked, and Kaiah nodded. Then the girl scrunched her nose. “How do you spell that?”
“K-a-i-a-h.”
“Huh.” Piper considered this, and then she pointed to the other little girl, who had also stopped dancing and was watching
them. “This is my cousin, Astrid Griffin, and her mom, my auntie Becca. Auntie Becca and my dad are twins. Me and Astrid pretend
we’re twins too. Right, Astrid?”
The other little girl nodded. “Uh-huh!”
“Really?” Kaiah asked, and Reid grinned. Mr. TDH was a twin. Intriguing! And where was his wife? In the house already? Away
on business? Working on a Saturday?
“Why are you at my house?” Piper asked. “Did you come to visit us?”
“Actually, my car broke down, and I’m staying in the apartment over the garage until my car is fixed. Is that okay?”
Piper nodded. “Sure.” Then she took Kaiah’s hand. “Want to meet my cat? Her name is Ariel, and she’s a calico. And she’s two.”
Then she dropped Kaiah’s hand. “I’m six, and Astrid is six. How old are you?”
A chuckle escaped Kaiah’s lips, but she couldn’t help it. This kid was a chatterbox.
“Piper . . .” Reid’s voice interjected, a hint of reprimand in his tone. “It’s rude to ask someone how old she is.”
“Really?” Piper’s eyes widened with genuine surprise, turning her gaze toward Reid. “Is it because saying a huge number makes
you sound really, really old?”
Kaiah bent over in a belly laugh. This child, with her unabashed curiosity and adorable bluntness, was super endearing.
“Piper, what am I going to do with you?” Reid shook his head. “I’m sorry, Kaiah.”
“It’s okay.” She leaned down with a conspiratorial look and whispered, “How old do you think I am?”
Piper tapped her chin. “Well, my daddy is thirty-two, and my auntie is thirty-two, but my uncle Cash is thirty-five. Are you
thirty-two?”
“Nope.” Kaiah shook her head, and out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Reid cupping his hand to his forehead. “Guess
again.”
“Hmm . . . thirty-five?”
Astrid jumped up and down and announced, “Forty!”
“Not quite,” Kaiah said with a laugh. “I’m twenty-six.”
“Wooow,” Piper and Astrid both exclaimed. Then Piper pointed at Kaiah. “You should stay for supper.” She looked at Reid. “Can
we order pizza?”
“Yeah!” Astrid clapped her hands and jumped up and down. “Pizza! Pizza!”
Piper joined in with the jumping and chanting. “Please, Daddy? Pretty please with sugar on top?”
Becca shook her head and then took Astrid by the hand. “Not tonight, honey. We need to get home. Your dad will be there soon.”
She smiled at Kaiah. “Enjoy your time in Coral Cove.”
“Thanks.”
Becca turned to her twin brother. “Can we come by for supper tomorrow?”
“You bet.”
“Good, because we need to talk about the festival. The mayor’s talking about pulling the plug on the whole thing, but I’m
trying to figure out how to get her to keep it.”
“Chad Morris mentioned something about that at the Roast Shack today. Glad you’re on it, though. It’d be a shame to shut it
down.”
“My thoughts exactly. We’ll talk more tomorrow. See you then.” Becca waved to her niece and then loaded Astrid into the 4Runner
and pulled out of the driveway.
Piper took Kaiah’s hand and steered her toward the house. “Let’s go see Ariel. She’s a really nice cat. She sleeps with me
every night. She likes my feet. Do you have a cat?”
Kaiah flicked her eyes over her shoulder at Reid, who gave her an apologetic look. “Not a cat, but I used to have a dog.”
“Oh no.” Piper stopped and frowned. “Did your dog go to heaven?”
“No. My friend took him.”
“Like stole him?” she squeaked. “My friend Jasmine stole her friend Emma’s favorite eraser at school, and she had to give it back and
say she was sorry.” Her expression became very somber. “It’s not nice to steal.”
“You’re right,” Kaiah said, trying her best not to smile. “It isn’t nice to steal.”
“Did you call the police?” Piper asked.
“No.” Kaiah shook her head. “I just let my friend keep him.” Though I should’ve fought more for you, sweet friend.
Piper patted her hand. “I bet you miss your dog.”
Kaiah nodded. She did. In fact, she missed him so much that her heart hurt.
“What’s your dog’s name?”
“George.”
Piper’s wide smile was back. “That’s a great name.” Then she took Kaiah’s hand and yanked her. “Come meet Ariel.”
Piper led Kaiah around the house—through the foyer to the kitchen and breakfast nook, past a large den, and into the laundry
room—in search of the cat.
“She has to be around her somewhere,” Piper muttered, her hands on her little waist while they stood in the doorway leading
to the laundry room.
“Piper.” Reid rested on the doorway, and at that moment Kaiah realized just how tall he was. He had to be at least six inches
taller than her own height of five-foot-eight. “I think Miss Kaiah is tired of searching for the cat.”
Kaiah waved him off. “It’s okay. Really.”
He rubbed a spot on his neck. “You’re very patient.”
“Oh!” Piper took Kaiah’s hand in hers again. “Maybe she’s in my room.” She started toward the doorway, which was blocked by
her father. “Excuse us, Daddy.”
Reid’s lips twitched. “You’re going to scare Miss Kaiah away on her first day.”
“Nope. She’ll stay if you get us pizza.” Then Piper full-on grinned, and Kaiah spotted Reid’s smile reflected in his daughter’s.
Kaiah couldn’t stop her laugh.
Reid’s lips curled up in a smile. “You’re encouraging my daughter’s bad behavior.”
“The kid’s got a point.” Kaiah shrugged. “Who doesn’t like pizza?”
Reid laughed. “Fine. I’ll order it.”
“Yay!” Piper exclaimed, and when Reid stepped out of the doorway, Piper yanked Kaiah along.
“See ya!” Kaiah sang while they moved down the hallway.
“Do you like pepperoni?” Reid called down the hallway.
“Yes!” Piper and Kaiah responded at the same time.
Piper led Kaiah into a bright pink room decorated with copious pictures of mermaids, along with piles of dolls, books, stuffed
animals, and other toys. It was the perfect girl’s room with a cool beachy vibe.
“What a great room,” Kaiah said, stepping over piles of toys. She pointed to a fluffy calico cat curled up in the middle of
Piper’s pink comforter. “And this must be the famous Ariel.”
Piper flopped onto the bed bedside the cat and began petting her. “Ariel, this is my new friend, Kaiah.”
“I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.” Kaiah also stroked the cat. “I assume she’s named after Ariel the mermaid?”
Piper seemed impressed. “How’d you know?”
“Lucky guess.” Kaiah gestured around at the mermaid murals, posters, dolls, and bedding.
Piper picked up a photo beside her bed and handed it to Kaiah. “This is my mommy and me. She went to heaven when I was two.
I’m six now.”
Kaiah pushed against the anguish threading through her as she studied the photo of a beautiful young woman with golden-brown
hair and sparkling brown eyes holding a baby in her arms. “Oh, Piper, I’m so sorry,” she whispered as she took in the girl’s
sweet expression. She gave her small hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m sure you miss her.”
“Her name is Brynn Elizabeth Turner,” Piper said. “I’m named after her. My name is Piper Elizabeth Turner.”
“That’s so special, sweetheart.” Kaiah studied the photo, and her throat felt thick. “I lost my mom when I was eleven.” She
met Piper’s surprised expression.
Piper gasped. “You did?” she asked, and Kaiah nodded. “What happened to her?”
“She was sick.”
“You miss your mom too,” Piper said.
Kaiah nodded. “Every day.” She set the framed photo down and took Piper’s hand in hers as she sat on the edge of the bed.
“But I keep her here.” She touched her chest. “She’s always in my heart.” She gave Piper’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Your mom
is always in your heart too.”
“Right,” the little girl whispered while nodding.
Just then, the cat stood up, yawned, squeaked, stretched, shook her head, and then sat back down.
Kaiah and Piper’s eyes met before they both started laughing at the silly feline. Shaking her head, Kaiah relaxed on the bed.
Today had been an emotional ride, and she was grateful for the relief provided by her two new friends.