Chapter 14 #2
Lucy turns to Piper. “My husband doesn’t provide much data, but I love him anyway. He mentioned that you make pajamas, and well, what you were modeling earlier.”
Piper seems to relax. “I do. I own Piper Ginger—”
“What!” Lucy’s excitement is in full swing again. “I love those pajamas. So soft and cute. I got a pair with frogs with crowns on it.”
Piper smiles brightly. “Oh yeah? I actually have a box of new designs in my car if you want another pair.”
Lucy looks at me and winks. “I approve of this match.”
“I’m positive I don’t need your approval, but fine, I’ll take it,” I tell her. I can’t help but look at Piper affectionately.
“Hudson mentioned you write romance.” Piper attempts to keep the conversation flowing.
Lucy nods. “I do. So, apologies if I look at you two like you’re a case study. How did you two meet?”
Piper nervously giggles. “Uhm, well, fun story really.”
“She walked into a bar, and I bought her a drink. Kept it classic.”
Piper glances at me, and I see a keenness to my answer.
“I had no idea who he was. A sort of mystery.” Piper squeezes my fingers once.
“Well, mystery solved.” Drew surprises me with his straight-forward reply, as normally he’s one to stay neutral, but I sense something is on his mind.
Piper just continues on. “Hudson talks about you all the time. He showed me the pictures from your wedding, and they were lovely. Also, the pieces of furniture you made are beautiful.” She touches my shoulder. “Hudson doesn’t brag much, except when it comes to you. He is a proud dad for sure.”
“Yeah, I’m getting used to it. Sometimes he can be a real pain in the ass, but he always means well,” my son responds with a bit of humor. “Do you like Lake Spark?”
“Love it. I wish I had visited this place sooner; the town is so ridiculously over-the-top quaint, but it’s perfect.”
It’s the last thing I hear Piper say as I get a notification that the pizza guy is at the security gate.
I’m quick to excuse myself and go to collect the pizza.
Returning a few minutes later, I see that the three of them managed to get on with the conversation without me.
They’re talking about how I need to get a boat for my dock when I arrive with the pizzas.
The rest of dinner is simple yet feels right. We talk about Drew and Lucy’s honeymoon and their favorite stops in Europe. They gush about Italy, and Piper shares about her visit there. We discuss Bluetop where they live and Piper’s grandmother. Conversation flows, and I didn’t doubt that it would.
By the time it seems to be getting late, Lucy goes to freshen up, and I head to the kitchen with Drew while we carry plates inside, and Piper gathers things from outside.
Drew places the dishes in the sink. “She’s… nice.”
My head perks up, as I sense this is Drew wanting to have a conversation in private. It’s his opening line. He leans against the sink, and I cross my arms as I rest against the opposite counter.
“Oh boy, I feel something coming.”
“April still hasn’t figured it out?” Drew asks, and it surprises me, as he’s one to normally keep the peace.
Since Piper is here then I plan on talking to her about it. “No.”
“And you know what you’re doing? I mean, this is going somewhere, isn’t it?”
My eyes grow wide. “Are you giving me a relationship talk? Have we actually reversed the roles?”
He shrugs a shoulder. “So what if I am?”
I smirk to myself that I find myself in this situation. “Just say it.”
“You always wear your heart on your sleeve. I can see you like her a lot. Piper would be lucky, but is this all the same for her as it is you? Is she as invested?”
“Wow, you are going deep here. Do you have red flags or something that I’m not aware of?” I adjust my stance, and I do listen to him intently, because if my son has something to say then I will always listen.
“I don’t know. I do like her, I just… don’t want you to get hurt. You deserve… a lot.”
My heart grows heavy, because in front of me is my son who every time I see, it feels like our relationship is getting stronger, and a twinge of sadness hits me, that I didn’t get all the years until now with him.
“I hear you. I promise, I know what I’m doing.”
Drew slowly nods. “Okay. Well, we should head out.”
I grab the kitchen towel because I need to keep myself busy from the fact that I feel so lucky that he cares. “It’s getting late. Are you sure you don’t want to stay?”
He chuckles. “After what I witnessed earlier? Hell no. I’m not staying in this house tonight.” He propels off the sink to walk out of the kitchen. “By the way, old guy, you do realize if you wait too long then the chance your future grandkid is older than your baby is quite high.”
“First off, not old. Second, are you trying to make it a competition for who has a kid first? And thank you, by the way, for highlighting that fact.” I shake my head at him before I pull him into a side hug.
Just then Piper comes into the kitchen. She exchanges goodbyes with Drew as she walks in and he walks out. I quickly stop her in her tracks by touching her arm.
“I’m going to walk them to their car then head upstairs for a shower. It’s been a long day.” My end-of-day shower is a sort of ritual to clear my mind.
“Sure. I’ll finish up in here.”
I squint an eye at her as she seems to be acting funny. “You were eavesdropping, weren’t you?”
“Maybe,” she admits.
“All parts or just the last part.”
Her face turns cartoonish. “Maybe all parts.”
I run my knuckle along her cheek as I smile. “That’s okay. I’ll see you upstairs.”
The discussion will have to wait.
I stand in the corner of my bedroom with a towel wrapped around my waist. Piper won’t be able to see me unless she turns around, which is exactly what I want, and the moment Piper walks through the door, I initiate my plan.
“Don’t turn around, Piper.” My voice is firm.
She freezes in place, and I slowly walk to her from behind, a tie hanging from my hand.
I notice her body trembles when I stand at a breath’s distance.
“Allow me,” I say and bring the cloth over her head to blindfold her.
“This…” She gasps. “Is…”
I tie a knot. “A surprise. I know. The theme of the night clearly.”
“Hudson,” she softly purrs.
“Shh, baby. Good girls should be rewarded.”