CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
P IPER
I wake up to sunlight streaming through my bedroom window. I jolt upright. What time is it? Why is it daytime and I’m still in bed? How late am I to open the shop?
Then I realize it’s Sunday. I’m off today. And hell, I feel rested. A sigh of relief escapes me just as the events of last night come flooding back. The barn. Collapsing. Kru carrying me home like I was made of spun glass.
Let me show you how much I love you.
The words echo in my head as warmth coats my limbs. He loves me. I can’t fight the smile. He actually spoke the words that I’d been feeling inside me too.
And then there was the conversation I'd overheard after he tucked me into bed.
I'd been almost back to sleep when I heard the sharp undertones of Griff and Kru’s conversation.
Their voices had been clear through the thin walls and my curiosity—and shock—kept me awake long enough to eavesdrop before I finally passed out for good.
She's going to kill herself trying to prove she doesn't need anybody.
I grab my phone from the nightstand and dial Bella before I can second-guess myself. She answers on the second ring, her voice bright.
"Pipe Cleaner! Everything okay? You’re lucky I’m up this early.”
“Oh my god.” I slap my forehead. “I totally forgot you and Jackson are back in LA!”
“It’s fine. I was just about to start stretching while Jackson goes for a run. I’m still on eastern time for now. What’s up?”
"I need to tell you something." I take a deep breath, wondering where to begin. "Kru told me he loves me last night."
She gasps. “Kru? You mean the guy you told me it wasn’t serious with?”
“Yes, him.”
“The one who’s first name you didn’t know because that’s how not-serious it was?” she goes on.
“ Yes , Bella. And I know his first name now, just so you understand how serious it is.”
“Once you know your boyfriend’s first name, it’s only a hop, skip, and a jump to marriage,” she cracks.
I tell her everything—the barn, the exhaustion, nearly hitting my head on the floor. And then I tell her about the conversation afterward, the one I wasn't supposed to hear.
"He stood up to Griffin," I finish. "He defended me. He said he couldn’t tell if Griffin was my brother or my bully. I can’t believe it. I was just waiting for Griffin to get mad and start punching him but I…I think he listened."
"Piper." Bella's voice is soft with amazement. "Do you realize what this means?"
"That I fell in love with a man who’s about to move away?"
"No, silly. It means you hit the jackpot. Kru is a perfect match for you. He’s an entrepreneur, motivated, and down to go along with big ideas like the barn.
He’ll take a punch from your brother and put them in their place.
I’d say you need to find out this man’s middle name and marry him immediately.
" She laughs, and then her voice softens. “This just reminded me of something.”
My body is buzzing with feels. "What is it?"
“Do you remember when you called me after the Cleveland night?” She sounds breathless. “The night when you first met Kru.”
I think back. Bella was the first person I’d called after that whirlwind hookup. I’d been floating, soaring, and blissed out, completely high on the life-changing hookup that I knew had to stay only that.
“Vaguely,” I say. “I was completely high on Uncle Lobster so my memory is a little fuzzy.”
“The first thing you said when I picked up the phone was that you had met your soul mate,” she said.
“And look at what’s happened since then, even when you tried to stop it.
Three-months-ago you would have never brought a man to game night.
The old Piper would have kept him a secret forever instead of risking your brothers’ judgment. "
The truth of her words hits me like a gentle slap. She's right. Kru coming into my life started a chain reaction of change.
"You’re on the cusp of something big," Bella continues. "And it's exciting, isn't it? Scary as hell, but exciting."
"Yeah," I whisper. "It is. But what if he leaves? I would never stop him from chasing his own dreams and his own changes.”
"You support him. And you love him. And you trust that your paths will unfold exactly as they’re meant to.
Look at how you two have come together already.
I don’t think this is the end of the road.
Bayshore is only a few hours away from Columbus and besides…
” She laughs. “Even if he tries to walk away from what’s growing, like I did with Jackson, I’m pretty sure he’ll coming running back in a month because he realizes what a mistake he made. ”
A few tears escape my eyes. My heart feels so full. “Yeah. You did leave a famous rock star behind so you could move to Australia, didn’t you?”
“Luckily he didn’t hold it against me. Because he didn’t want to hold me back. Jackson wants me to soar. Like Kru wants you to.”
After we hang up, I find myself smiling as I get dressed. The house is quiet—too quiet for a Sunday morning with Griffin home. I pad to the kitchen and find a note on the counter in his messy handwriting:
Had to run some errands. Left you some coffee & hoping you will talk to me someday soon. -G
Before I can wonder what errands require leaving this early on a Sunday, my phone buzzes with a text from Kru.
KRU: Hey BagPiper. You have an appointment at Serenity Spa at noon. My treat. You need a self-care day after all that hard work.
PIPER: I don’t know how to feel about BagPiper. Feeling very good about the spa day though.
KRU: That’s your nickname of the day. I can’t change it.
PIPER: OK, Kroupon.
KRU: Not really a fan of that one either.
KRU: Oh and it’s your choice at the spa. Massage, facial, whatever you want.
My throat gets tight with emotion. After everything that's happened between us, after the distance and misunderstandings, he's still taking care of me.
PIPER: Thank you. This is incredibly sweet.
KRU: It’s what boyfriends do. You deserve to be taken care of, Maven. Even if you don't always let people do it.
Serenity Spa is tucked into a converted Victorian house on the edge of downtown Bayshore, all soft lighting and essential oil diffusers. I'm checking in at the front desk when I hear a familiar voice behind me.
"There's my beautiful daughter."
I turn to find Mom walking through the front door, looking more vibrant than she has since before the fire. She's wearing a soft blue sweater that brings out her eyes, and her smile is radiant.
"Mom! What are you doing here?"
"Your sweet lover boy called me this morning. Said you had a spa day planned and wondered if I'd like to join you." She links her arm through mine. "I hope you don't mind that I joined."
My eyes well up with tears. "I don’t mind at all. In fact, this is even better. How did he get your number?”
“I think he got it from Griffin.”
That news has my head spinning. Talk about change. My boyfriend is conspiring with my brother—and my mom—behind my back to pull off sweet gestures?
We spend the next four hours being pampered.
Side-by-side massages where we giggle like teenagers.
Facials that leave our skin glowing. Manicures where Mom chooses a bold red polish, even though I haven’t seen her with painted nails in over two decades.
She’d never have gotten her nails painted before the fire.
It’s just one of many little changes since she woke up from the coma that have me scratching my head.
During lunch at the spa's café, she reaches across the table and takes my hand.
"I heard what happened last night," she says softly.
My cheeks heat up. "Griffin told you?"
"No. Kru mentioned it when we spoke this morning, saying that was why he wanted to send you to get pampered.
He told me about the barn. And how exhausted you were.
" She sends me a stern, motherly look, which softens before she adds, "And he told me he had a…
conversation with Griffin when he dropped you off. "
“Yes. Which I overheard. Did he tell you the details?”
“He didn’t. But I can imagine what it was about.
” She squeezes my hand. "Piper, I need to say something.
I know I always say that your brothers mean well.
Because they do. They love you fiercely, but sometimes that love comes out as fear.
They've already lost their father, and they all saw how much Dad doted on you.
You were his precious, protected angel, and I think they adopted that mindset when it came to you.
The thought of losing you—to exhaustion, to a broken heart, to anything—terrifies them. "
"I know," I say quietly.
"But fear isn't a good reason to stop living. Or stop dreaming." Her eyes get distant for a moment. "After your father died, I chose to play it safe. Keeping all of you close, never taking risks, never allowing any of us to get hurt again."
"I can understand why," I say. “As a suddenly single mom with five little kids, I would have done the same.”
"But I think I took it too far. Maybe I fed too much into the overprotection,” she says with a sigh.
“So I’m sorry for that. I know your father would have wanted all of us to live fully, love deeply, and chase our dreams no matter the cost." She smiles, reaching for my hand.
"We never know what tomorrow will be our last, sweetheart. I’ve been thinking about this a lot since the fire.
I was granted a second chance, and I want to see all of my children going after what they truly want. Barns included."
My throat tightens as I look into her warm, smiling face. “Thanks, Mom.”
After our spa day, as Mom and I are walking to our cars, I pull out my phone to text Kru.
PIPER: Thank you for today. It was perfect. Can I see you tonight?
His response comes quickly.
KRU: I can’t tonight, but will see you ASAP. I miss you.