Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
Sullivan had been stunned to learn that Piper had left Driftwood Bay.
Then anger had poured through him when he discovered she had moved to New York and hadn’t bothered to contact him.
After he calmed down, though, he understood why she wouldn’t want to risk her heart anymore.
He had made it clear to her that nothing more would come from their relationship, something that had him kicking himself now.
He had obtained her address from Layne and immediately made plans to return to New York.
He’d spent the night with Keaton and Layne, driving back to Corpus the next morning and flying back to the East Coast. He hadn’t even bothered to bring his suitcase home, getting off the plane and taking a cab straight to her Brooklyn apartment.
A pretty blond had answered his knock and informed him that Piper wasn’t home and she had no idea when she might return. The blond closed the door, and Sullivan left the building, taking a seat on the stoop. He would wait there as long as it took until Piper came home.
He’d sat for less than ten minutes when the back of his neck prickled with awareness.
Immediately, his eyes scanned the area surrounding him, and he saw Piper had turned the corner and was coming his way.
Sullivan shot to his feet and moved to the sidewalk, seeing the wariness in her eyes as she approached him.
“What are you doing here?” she asked guardedly.
“You weren’t in the Bay when I came home. To you.”
Her eyes widened, his words apparently startling her.
“You…came to Texas. For me?”
“I had to. I was foolish to walk away from you and what we had, Piper. Because you’re my everything.
I quit my job. I even bought a place in the Bay which will serve as my new place of work.
” He grinned. “Sullivan Design Studio. It sounds friendly, yet professional. Besides, Shepherd is too hard for people to spell.”
Stop babbling, he told himself. Get to the point.
“Sullivan Design Studio?” she echoed, her gaze searching his face.
“I’m ready to make a change, Piper. A commitment to you. I want to be with you. Always. I want to do work which fulfills me. Live life in a place which has come to be home to me. I want to have kids with you and raise them in the Bay, alongside the kids all our friends are having.”
Sullivan took a step toward her, taking her hands in his. “I got lost along the way after my grandparents died, but living in the Bay—and loving you—helped me to see who I am and what I truly want to make out of my life.”
“Loving?” she squeaked.
He squeezed her fingers, his gaze warm on her as he said, “I love you, Piper. I loved you and was stupid enough to think I could walk away and forget you. But you’re in every breath I take. Every thought I have. I’ve been miserable without you.”
Suddenly, she flung herself at him. His arms came about her, and he was kissing her, over and over.
“Get a room!” a voice called from a passing cab, and they broke apart, laughing.
“We have so much we need to talk about,” she told him, glancing at her building.
“Not there. I think your roommate is still in there.”
“Then let’s walk and talk,” she said, threading her fingers through his and leading him down the street.
“Quitting your job is a huge deal, Sullivan. What do you think you’ll do in the Bay?”
“I told you. I’m opening my own studio. You know I drew up plans for Carson and Mila’s house. I did the same for Barry and Cindy Blaise, the tennis pro and his wife.”
She looked doubtful. “That’s all well and good, but I can’t see a huge demand for your architecture skills in the Bay.”
He squeezed her fingers. “I know. That’s going to be a part-time job. My main focus will be on crafting custom furniture.”
“Like my bookcase,” she whispered.
Piper brought them to a stop and faced him.
“I love that bookcase so much,” she said earnestly.
“It’s the most beautiful piece of furniture I’ve ever seen.
Plus, the fact that you filled it with the romances I love.
It meant so much to me, Sullivan, but I was too proud to let you know all of this.
I’m ashamed at how at how unenthusiastic my thank you to you was. ”
“Don’t be, sweetheart,” he said, cradling her cheek in his palm, feeling her lean into it as she closed her eyes.
They stood silently, both savoring the moment, then Piper opened her eyes again. “So, you’ll make furniture, just like Pawpaw did.”
“When I was working on your bookcase—and even Nellie’s tables—I can’t begin to tell you the immense satisfaction that filled me.
Working with my hands again. There’s all kinds of things I can do in wood besides furniture.
I can make custom signs for homes and offices.
Candle holders. Picture frames. Wall art.
Planters. Cutting boards. Serving bowls.
Jewelry boxes. Hell, even bird feeders.”
Her face was filled with mixed emotions.
“It sounds as if you’ve really thought this through, but I don’t want you to look up in five months or five years and think you’ve made a mistake, quitting your fancy job in New York.
You won’t travel the world anymore, Sullivan.
You won’t make the kind of money you once did. ”
He leaned down and tenderly kissed her. “I’ve made enough money. What I need to do is make a life—and memories—with you.”
Sullivan kissed Piper again, more deeply, and her response let him know she cared for him. Perhaps even loved him.
He broke the kiss. “I know I’m going to have to earn back your trust.”
Her eyes filled with love, and a glimmer of hope began to glow within him.
“I trust you, Sullivan. I love you. I have for what it seems like forever. There’s my life before you.
And now, life with you. Don’t take a hundred percent of the blame.
I should’ve told you that I loved you before you left the Bay.
I was afraid if I did, though, you would stay out of some sense of obligation.
I didn’t want to keep you from your life here in New York. ”
He framed her face with his hands. “I came back to New York and found I was miserable. All I could think about was you, Piper. I was marking time and finally decided to man up and be the man I want to be.”
“What did Mr. Wagner say?”
Sullivan took her hand in his again and began walking down the street. “The old man surprised me. He actually encouraged me to go for it. To pursue you and what I love doing.”
“Have you…talked to your parents?” she asked, hesitation in her voice.
“They know everything. About you and me quitting Wagner Enterprises. Mother is close to completely disowning me, but Dad was very supportive.”
“Dad?” she asked. “You’ve never referred to him that way. You’ve always been so formal, calling him Father.”
“I know. It was the way I was raised. The man who was encouraging me to follow my heart, both professionally and personally, suddenly became Dad. I think he admires what I’m doing, stepping away from all the expectations he and Mother put upon me and freeing me to become who I want to be for the rest of my life. ”
Sullivan smiled at Piper. “I’m a better man when I’m with you. I’m the man I want to be. I’m going to need some help, though. I’ll need your love and support as I start this new journey and open my one-man office.”
“You have it. You have me. Always.”
Dropping to one knee, he took her hands in his.
“I’ve talked all around the subject, but I need to ask you a very important question. Will you be my wife, Piper? Will you love me through good times and bad?”
Her radiant smile caused a glow to start within him, and it spread throughout him.
“I’m ready to become the me I’m supposed to be, as well, Sullivan. I can’t imagine doing that with anyone except the man I love. My answer is yes. A thousand, million times yes!”
Sullivan sprang to his feet and embraced her, holding her so close that he could feel the beating of her heart.
Everything was finally the way it should be.
He only regretted that Memaw and Pawpaw would never get to know Piper.
He would do his best to tell her stories about them, though.
She could come to know them that way, as well as know why he had loved them so much.
She pulled away, panic on her face. “I need to get to work!”
“Work? You already have a job?”
“Come with me,” she said, rushing him back to her apartment.
When they entered, the tiny place was empty. Piper started throwing off clothes and for a brief moment, Sullivan hoped they could stay and make love.
“I’ve been auditioning. Two different shows. Got a job as a cook in a diner to supplement in the meantime,” she said, and he heard the pride in her voice.
“Well, you do make the best scrambled eggs and greasy bacon ever.”
She grinned at him. “I know, right?”
Piper finished dressing and took his hand again, pulling him out the door.
“I auditioned for one show yesterday. Two new guys on the scene. They offered me the lead for their off-Broadway musical. I went in and read the book today and looked at the show’s songs, but it wasn’t good enough.
I turned it down. Didn’t want to be associated with that show, which I think will bomb spectacularly. ”
They turned the corner, and he saw a sign which said Edie’s Diner. That must be their destination.
“I also auditioned for a revival of a musical on Broadway, coming in November. Got a call back. It’s sometime next week.”
They arrived at the door, and Piper came to a halt. “But I’d rather be with you in the Bay than singing on Broadway.”
That didn’t sit well with him. “Piper, if your dream is to be on Broadway, we can flip the script here. I wouldn’t go back to Wagner Enterprises, but I can rent some workspace and build my furniture here. You can sing and dance on Broadway and fulfill that dream.”
Her eyes misted with tears. “You would do that for me?” she asked softly.
“Honey, I’d lasso the moon and pull it down to earth if you asked me to.”
She burst out laughing. “That’s about the most Texas thing you’ve ever said.” She kissed him hard. “And I love it. Come inside. Let me cook you breakfast for dinner.”
They entered the diner, and she went up to a woman in her late fifties. “Edie, this is Sullivan.” She paused, beaming at him. “My fiancé.”
Edie harrumphed. “Guess I’m losing me a cook.”
“I’m afraid so,” Piper said, laughing. “I will work tonight’s shift for you. I’ll keep coming in until you can find a replacement for me.”
Edie shook her head. “Cooks and servers come and go. Fiancés? Not so much. Grab on to love while you can, Piper. It doesn’t always come calling twice.”
Piper stood on tiptoe and kissed him. “Go find a booth. I’ll whip you up something you’ll enjoy.”
He watched as she hurried back to the kitchen. Sullivan could catch sight of her working through the pass-through window.
Edie came over and placed a glass of ice water in front of him. “Anything else to drink?”
“Coffee’s always good,” he told her.
The woman studied him a moment and then said, “You’re the greasy bacon guy, aren’t you?”
He puffed with pride, knowing Piper had told Edie about him. “Yes, ma’am. My memaw in Maine fried it up that way, and I taught Piper how to do it.”
“Keep greasing those wheels of love, kid,” Edie said, leaving him and then returning with a large mug of coffee, which Sullivan doctored the way he liked.
A few minutes later, he saw Piper put a plate in the window and knew what it would contain.
When it arrived at his table, he had wet scrambled eggs.
Greasy bacon. An English muffin toasted to perfection.
Plus, a new item. Hash browns. Piper must have learned how to make them after he’d left the Bay.
He glanced up and saw her at the pass-through and blew her a kiss.
Sullivan stayed for several hours. He switched from drinking coffee to water as he watched people from the diner come and go. At a quarter to ten, Piper appeared at his table, pulling the hair tie from her ponytail and tousling her hair with her fingers.
“Do you have any auditions tomorrow?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I’ve got nowhere to be tomorrow.” Her eyes lit with mischief. “Except your bed.”
“Want to go back to my place for the night then?” he asked. “At least, I don’t think Zane has emptied everything out of my bedroom yet.”
She laughed. “Let’s go, Prepster.”
They went to his apartment and found Zane sitting on the sofa with a glass of wine in his hand. If he were surprised to see them together in New York, his friend didn’t show it.
“Good to see you again, Piper.” Zane’s eyes flicked to Sullivan.
“You’re addressing the future Mrs. Shepherd,” he informed his best friend.
Zane came to his feet and hugged Piper, kissing her on the cheek. He turned to Sullivan and enveloped him in a bear hug, slapping him heartily on the back.
“So, when’s the wedding?” he asked. “I’m assuming it’ll be in the Bay.”
Sullivan looked to Piper. “We haven’t worked out the details yet, but we’ll let you know, Best Man.”
He took Piper’s hand and led her to his bedroom.
Immediately, they were in a frenzy to shed their clothes.
They fell onto the bed, and he kissed her with a hunger he knew would always be satisfied, now that they had committed to one another.
He was excited to start a life with this woman.
One he could be proud of, knowing she was by his side, supporting him in every endeavor, as he did for her.
After they made love, they lay entwined, talking about their future.
Sullivan insisted that Piper attend her callback next week, saying, “If you land a Broadway show, we’ll stay here through its run.
If you want to keep auditioning after that show, I’m fine with it.
If you prefer going back to the Bay, that’s good, too. ”
“Thank you for being so supportive,” she said, kissing him tenderly.
They fell asleep in one another’s arms, and Sullivan looked at today as the start of the best chapter in his life.