Chapter Fifteen
It’s a little past two in the afternoon when I hear the front door open. Piper is back, and I’m anxious to know how her day went. I texted her earlier to check in but didn’t get a response back. I was expecting to see her enter the living room, but instead, I hear the bathroom door slam shut. The wooden door colliding with the side of the wall cannot be a good sign, and the sound makes my heart pace. I’m tempted to go in after her, but I shouldn’t invade her space.
I quietly walk up to the closed door and gently knock on it. “Piper? Is everything alright?”
“It’s just fucking peachy! Thank you for being so thoughtful and checking on me.” Her voice is muffled, but its sharp inflection is hard to miss.
What the hell happened?
“Are you upset about something?” I bring my ear to the wooden door.
The door suddenly swings open, and I almost fall forward from the force. Piper is standing in the bathroom with one hand on the handle and the other on her hip. She pushes her lips to the side of her mouth and raises her eyebrows. I can feel the tension radiating off her shiny body—massage oil. My dick jumps.
I shake it off, ignoring the inappropriate thoughts rushing my brain. “You look pissed. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Sure, I’ll tell you all about the pleasant surprise I got today during the little ladies’ spa day. Your fucking ex-girlfriend,” Piper spits, then shoves past me, leaving the bathroom, and stomps right into the living room.
Shit. I rub the back of my neck. I completely forgot about Sophia. I should have warned Piper about her. I’m an asshole for not realizing she could have been there today too. “I am so sorry. I completely forgot that there’d be a possibility that Sophia would be there.”
“Clearly.”
She is pissed. I take a few steps toward her. “We dated in high school and haven’t been together since. That was a long time ago,” I try to explain. Piper and I aren”t a real couple, and it shouldn’t be a big deal about Sophia other than communication. But it doesn’t stop me from needing her to know that there is nothing with Sophia. “Look, I’m sorry I didn”t mention it to you, but why should it matter?” I ask. “I broke things off with her years ago.”
“Oh, I’m going to tell you why.” Piper’s hands fly up to her hips. “It is very obvious she is not over you.”
I’m not surprised to hear this. It’s been no secret that Sophia had trouble with our breakup. She even tried to follow me to Arizona for college. Thank god, it didn’t work out for her. “I can’t say I’m shocked. Sophia has been trying to get back together with me for years.”
“It would have been nice to know this. She is a wicked bitch and tried to make my day as uncomfortable as she possibly could.” Piper sits on the bed, angling her head away from me and toward the window. I feel like such a jerk.
I shake my head in frustration with myself, then slowly walk toward her. As I bend to sit down next to her, my leg rubs against the warmth of her skin. She flinches but doesn’t move. I let my eyes scan up and down her slick skin that’s still covered in the remnants of lavender massage oil, the same scent as her shampoo. I came over here to comfort her, but now all I want to do is let my tongue lick up the inside of her thighs.
I adjust my shoulders and sit up straighter. “Yes, she is. Would you like to tell me what happened?”
“I don’t think it’s worth getting into the details, but in a nutshell, she basically dragged me into a who-knows-Jack-best competition.This was so strange because then she kept finding ways to insert that she’s engaged to someone who is perfect and treats her like no man has ever before—which I know was a subtle dig at you. And to make matters even more aggravating, she said all these things when your mom wasn’t around. Like she was trying to get a rise out of me, so I’d lose my cool or something.” Piper fidgets with the strings on the dress that covers her bathing suit.
I lay my palm on top of her agitated hand, squeezing lightly. “I’m sorry that you had a rough time with her, and I’m sorry for not giving you a heads up first, but please don’t let Sophia get to you. She’s a horrible person, and she knows it. She’s probably jealous about how beautiful you are,” I say, slipping out the beautiful part. Piper is gorgeous, and I’ve mentioned it before, but this time it comes out more sincere.
Piper’s head whips around. Her eyes flicker to mine briefly before falling to my lips. I’m tempted to suck that puffy bottom lip of hers into my mouth. We both blink away at the same time. I casually hook my arm around her shoulders, and I feel her muscles relax and release into me.
“How does takeout for dinner tonight sound?” This is the first time I’ve had her in my arms since the night we got married in Vegas. It feels good.
Piper tucks her head under my chin with her ear resting on my chest. “Don’t we have to attend that new restaurant opening tonight?”
“We should be going, but honestly, I don’t think it’s that big of a deal if we don’t. There will only be a few influential community members there anyway.” I try to sound convincing even though we should be going. But tonight, I need to spend some time with Piper. I’ve been a little distant since she arrived yesterday morning, and I should make up for that. It was never my intention, but I’ve been struggling with how to act around her.
“We’re going to have dinner and actually hang out together?” she asks with slight sarcasm in her soft voice.
“Yeah. Do you want to have dinner with me tonight, Mrs. Bradley?”
“I would love to have dinner with you.” She snuggles a little closer.
“What do you feel like?”
“Pizza and wine.”
I laugh. “That was quick.”
“I had to eat cucumber sandwiches and drink fruit-infused water all day with that damn woman. I think I deserve an entire medium cheese pizza to myself.”
I draw my head back and release my arm from around her shoulders to look her in the face. “Why are you so cool?”
“It’s hard work, but between the two of us, someone has to do it.”
I look down, grinning. “Sassy Piper might be my favorite.”
She giggles, slips out of my arms, and flips onto her stomach. “Hmm, let’s see what we can find,” she mumbles and grabs her phone from the other side of the bed, leaving her cute, round ass in the air. The sheer fabric of her coverup is riding higher than where her toned legs meet her bottom. My mouth waters at the thought of the only thing that’s separating me from her delicious skin being that thin, hot pink bikini.
I quietly bite my fist.
“According to Google, the closest pizza place is right down the street. It looks like they have great reviews, and we could walk there to pick one up?” she suggests, crossing her legs behind her back. Now, her bright pink-polished toes are in the air, taunting me as her feet pump up and down on the bed.
Sweat beads form on my forehead. “Perfect. Let’s go,” I say, popping up eager to get my mind out of imagining my face inside of her ass.
Piper twists her body around, propping herself on one elbow. “Yeah? We’re walking?”
“Yep. Let’s go,” I say again before grabbing my jacket and heading toward the door.
“Wait, let me change first!” she says, crawling off the bed.
I only have to wait by the door for a few minutes before Piper emerges with tight jeans on, a hoodie, and a pair of bright pink Converse. I can’t take my eyes off her as she slings her purse across her body and walks toward me.
“What?”
“Nothing.” I blink a few times. “I’ve just never seen you in such casual clothes.”
“Is that weird?”
“No.”
“Then, why do you have that strange look on your face?” she presses, twisting the strings on her hoodie.
She looks adorable, yet sexy at the same time. I warm at the thought of her jumping on me for a piggyback ride while her arms are wrapped around my neck. She brings this playful and carefree spirit out of me. I can almost feel her heartbeat against my skin.
“It’s nothing.” I open the door for her to step out first.
We walk the short distance down the narrow restaurant and hotel-lined street. Our arms and shoulders brush against each other here and there, but she keeps her hands securely tucked into her hoodie pocket, and I do the same, hiding mine in the front pockets of my jeans.
“What was it like growing up out here?” We cross the empty street.
I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know. It’s a small town, so everything you could imagine living in a small town would be—plus tourists.”
Piper glances up at me from the corner of her eye. “And you came all the way to Arizona for college? Aren”t there great colleges here in California?”
“Yeah, but I wanted to get away. I needed something different. I wanted to live in a place where I could be myself. I was tired of being ‘Bradley Wines.’”
“I can understand that. You wanted to get away—to breathe,” she continues as we approach the red doors to the pizzeria. “To just be yourself.”
“Exactly.” I smile.
The delicious smell of crisp pepperoni pizza hits us when we walk through the doors. The packed small restaurant buzzes with people dining at red and white checkered tables, and the sounds of arcade games fill the air. Piper and I take our spot in line behind a couple and a young boy.
We both stare up at the illuminated menu on the wall behind the order counter.
“We’ve already established that you’re going to be eating an entire medium cheese pizza by yourself,” I tease her, bumping her shoulder with mine.
“That’s right.” She giggles and nudges me back. “You better order your own because I’m not sharing.”
“I would expect nothing less. Besides, I need more flavor in my life. Cheese is boring. I like mushrooms, pepperoni, bell—”
“Jack Bradley?” The man with the family in front of us turns around. He looks familiar, but I struggle to place him.
With my eyebrows knitted together, studying his face. “Cole Hopper?” I ask, still a little unsure.
“Yes! How the hell are you, man?” he greets me enthusiastically before sticking his arm out to shake my hand.
I haven’t seen this guy since high school. I would love to say I’m surprised to run into him here many years later, but I’m not. Most people who grow up in Dupara County never leave Dupara County.
“I’m doing well. It’s nice to see you.”
“This is my wife, Annie, and my son, Levi.” Cole gestures toward his family. “Jack and I went to high school together,” he tells his wife.
“Hello.” His wife glances at Piper and me.
“Nice to meet you both,” I say, then dip my head down to Piper and wrap my arm around her. “This is my girlfriend, Piper.” The fact that Piper’s face flushes when I introduce her as my girlfriend doesn’t go unnoticed. Heat prods at my cheeks and stings my ears after I see her reaction, and now I bet I look red too.
Piper smiles. “It’s so nice to meet you both.” Then she bends down to Cole’s son, Levi. “It’s good to meet you, Levi. How old are you?”
“I’m five and in kindergarten,” he answers Piper and flashes us a smile with his two bottom teeth missing.
“How exciting.” Piper stands and slides back under my arm. My muscles flex, tightening around her. Thank god this interaction is slightly more natural between us.
“Are you up here visiting? Last I heard, you were still living in Arizona,” Cole asks, lifting his son into his arms.
“You know my dad passed away over the summer, and with that sudden loss, I’ve decided to move back to run the winery,” I explain.
“I heard about your dad, and I’m so sorry I couldn’t make the services.” I open my mouth to thank him, but he continues, “But I thought Preston was going to take over?”
My jaw clenches, followed by irritation flying up my back at the mention of Preston or that people think he might take over my dad’s business.
Cole’s wife takes his son. “It was so nice to meet you both, but it’s our turn to order,” she says, shifting her focus back to Cole.
“Alright, you guys order, and I’ll meet you at the table,” he says as she and his son head to the counter to place their dinner order.
“What would make you think that?” I ask in an accusatory tone.
Cole crosses his arms at his chest. “That’s what the word around the town is.”
As if sensing my frustration, I feel Piper’s tiny hand slip into mine. She calmly intertwines our fingers and gives them a gentle squeeze.
Adrenaline starts coursing through my veins. “Interesting.”
“I think because everyone thought you weren’t going to come back. You’ve been gone for so long,” Cole tries to explain his admission.
“Yeah, well, I am back. I have every intention of taking over.” I hope my old buddy Cole takes it upon himself to spread more accuracy among the community—one which I still feel bitter toward.
“I think it’s our turn,” Piper sweetly interrupts.
“Yes, we should order.” I force a smile. “It was great seeing you, Cole. Your family is beautiful.”
“You too. I hope I didn’t upset you. Hell, I bet people would rather have you as a leader in the community than Preston, anyway. But that’s my opinion.”
I pat him on the back. “Don’t worry about it, man. We’ll see you around.”
Piper’s hand stays locked in mine until we leave. It wasn”t until I started carrying out two medium that she released her grip.
“Who is Preston?” she asks as we walk through the parking lot of the villa’s property.
I pause before speaking, “Preston is one of the reasons why you’re here. I knew he and his dad wanted to take over the winery, but I didn’t know that they were sharing that information with other people.”
“Wait.” She stops abruptly on the flower-lined path. “Sophia mentioned being engaged to a man named Preston today. It’s the same guy, isn’t it?”
I blink slowly. “Yeah, that’s Preston Waters. He’s the son of my dad’s best friend and business partner. Someone who also used to be one of my closest childhood friends and now is engaged to my high school girlfriend.”
Piper’s bright green eyes dilate, giving me a clear view of the little brown specks that dot the rim. “What the actual fuck? This is some crazy drama. What did you drag me into?”
I start walking again, and she picks up pace right beside me. “I guess I didn’t realize how complex it actually was.” I turn to her when we reach the front door of the villa. “But in my defense, I did tell you that my dad’s partner and his son were trying to take over the winery.” I give her a playful wink.
“Yeah, you did say that, but you happened to leave out that this is clearly personal and not just about business,” she says, lifting the two pizza boxes from my hand so I can unlock the door.
She’s complaining, but her body language is telling a different story. She wants to be here as much as I need her to be.
“I didn’t even think of it that way. Are you upset with me?”
Piper grabs a cold bottle of white wine from the fridge. “I’m not upset, but if we’re going to be partners in this, I need you to communicate with me like a partner.”
“You’re right, and I haven’t been,” I say, completely understanding where she’s coming from. This whole thing was my creative idea, and yes, I may be wasting twenty thousand dollars if it doesn’t work, and yes, I may have been able to pull this off by myself, but I’m starting to realize how much better this could be with her. I need to stop viewing this as my problem to tackle alone—I need to utilize her more because she’s clearly willing to help.
“No more surprises. I’m here to help you—yes, you are paying me, but regardless of that—I’m here for you.” She pops open the bottle.
“I know. No more surprises.” I head out to the patio and set both boxes on the table. Is she really going to eat this entire pizza herself?
She soon joins me, carrying two glasses of chilled white wine in her hands. Piper hands one to me before settling into the seat on the other side of the table. As she takes her first bite, I get caught by how tiny her nose is. The bottom has a more prominent button shape to it, with a few freckles scattered on top.
I stare at her with a smirk on my face.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asks.
‘I’m looking forward to seeing you demolish that whole thing by yourself,” I say as my eyes scan the features of her delicate face. The orange hue from the dusk sky shines off her strawberry blonde hair, making it look like a deeper shade of red.
Piper cocks her head. “You have no idea what I’m capable of. Just sit back, watch, and be amazed.”