Chapter Two
L ife for Piper Monroe had always been eventful, and even moving from Pennsylvania to Texas couldn’t change that. Adventure, mayhem…no matter the label, it was always her shadow. She’d learned long ago to accept that normal for her meant a touch of chaos. Because of that, not much surprised Piper anymore, but introducing herself to her hot neighbor with a full-on body slam while trying to escape the path of an out-of-control vehicle was a bit extra, even for her.
“Oh my God.” The guy who’d almost pancaked her scrambled from his car, his brows furrowed and gaze frantic. “Are you okay, miss? Are you hurt?” he asked, rushing toward her.
Before she could reply, her gorgeous neighbor and his handsome friends stepped in front of her, using their fit bodies as a shield. A sense of safety immediately washed over Piper. She hadn’t felt that level of cared for and protected since before her husband had passed.
“She’s fine, no thanks to you,” her neighbor stated in a harsh tone.
“I-I w-wasn’t trying to hit her,” the man stuttered. He was clean-shaven, in his mid to late sixties with small scar on his cheek, and short brown hair. “There was a car…on the other side of the road, heading straight for me. Didn’t…didn’t you see him? I…I blew my horn, but he kept coming. You have to believe me. I would never hurt anyone.”
One of her protectors stepped forward and glanced up and then down the street before he turned to face the driver. “I don’t see anyone.”
“That’s because he drove off and didn’t stop like I did.” The poor man was growing pale now as his gaze bounced from each of her self-appointed bodyguards and then to her. “There was another car. I swear it.”
“One way to find out,” her neighbor stated, turning toward the alley where people spilled out of the ESI building that she’d been heading for in the first place. “Carter, check the feed.”
With a nod, a tall, cute, dark-haired man held up his hand from the back of the crowd. “I’m on it.”
The driver frowned. “You have security cameras facing the road?”
“Yes,” her neighbor replied. “We’ll see if you’re telling the truth.”
“Good, because I’m not lying.”
Having remained quiet long enough, Piper pushed past her breathing wall of security and stopped in front of the driver. “I believe you.”
Relief flashed through his eyes before he momentarily closed them. “Thank God.” When they reopened, they were a bit misty with emotion. “Thank you. I promise, I wasn’t trying to hit you.”
Taking a moment to replay the event slowly through her mind, Piper recalled a few details. “I think I saw that other car swerving to miss a dog or something.”
He straightened. “Yes, yes, that had to be why he swerved.”
“It was,” Carter said, returning to the alley with a few more people in tow, one of which was a new friend she’d made last night at her first wine and painting class.
Rylee had invited Piper for the “best coffee” in town that morning and was the reason she had been headed to ESI.
“My God. Piper, Ty, are you okay?” Rylee asked, rushing to them.
So, the hot guy’s name was Ty.
“I’m okay,” she replied, and as he echoed her response, Piper took the opportunity to study him.
He had dark blond hair, almost buzzed on the sides, but long enough on top to run her fingers through. Not that she would, of course. His gorgeous eyes were deep blue—unlike hers that barely had any color—and the scar near his left eye that traveled up to his temple was red, telling her it was fairly recent. He had a five o’clock shadow on his face, even though it was around seven in the morning. His lips had a nice shape, not thin, not overly muscled, perfect for…someone else to think about because she was not going there.
Her heart raced as if she were trying to outrun an out-of-control car. Piper held back a snort at the analogy. Not the best time. Or was it the perfect time?
Maybe she was more shaken up than she realized, because these were thoughts she never entertained. Not on a personal level, and not since she was widowed four years ago.
Ty.
A sexy name for a sexy guy. It suited him, and she was going to leave it at that. He had great cheekbones though, a strong jaw, and a gaze full of shadows. She ran her thumbs across her fingertips. They itched to get him on canvas.
Holy…what?
Piper’s heart skipped another beat. For the first time in years, she was actually inspired to paint something, not that she’d ever really stopped. No. She put to canvas what people commissioned, but the deep-seated need, the itch to turn a feeling or essence into something she could see and touch…that had been missing in her life for far too long.
No wonder she couldn’t find her muse. It’d been here in Texas.
“Are you sure you guys are all right?” Rylee asked again, regaining Piper’s attention. “I mean, I watched the feed. That was some collision.”
One of the nearby men who’d been one of her protectors smirked. “Yeah, I’m pretty sure your brother fell hard.”
Brother?
Piper frowned, glancing from her unsmiling neighbor, then to Rylee. Her friend’s eyes were green not blue, but she did have similar cheekbones.
“I’m fine,” Ty grumbled.
“Where are your glasses?” Rylee asked.
Ty shrugged. “Must’ve fallen off.”
Shoot. It was her fault. Piper stepped back to get a better look at the space and heard a sickening crunch. Great. She sent an apologetic look to Ty. “I think I just found them.”
She glanced down at the ground and winced at the wire frame half under her boot. First, she knocked the guy down, and now she’d broken his glasses. After bending to retrieve them, Piper straightened and slowly held the mangled mess out to him.
“I’m sorry. I’ll pay for a new pair.”
He shook his head. “That’s not necessary.” He straightened out the frame before donning the glasses that now only sported one lens.
“Of course, it is,” she said. “I smashed them.”
He shook his head again. “I only need the left lens, and it was the right one that broke, so I’m good.”
Frowning, she turned her gaze to Rylee, who nodded.
“Yeah, the right lens was clear.” Her friend gave her head a shake then smiled. “I’m sorry. Where are my manners? Piper Monroe, this is my brother, Ty Bryson. Ty, this is my friend, Piper.”
Everyone’s attention turned toward them. Even the driver looked on with interest.
“Nice to formally meet you,” Ty said, holding out his hand.
“You, too. I think we’re neighbors.” Piper shook his hand, doing her best to ignore the tingling warmth that instantly spread through her body. Because it felt incredible, way too incredible, she released him and shoved her hand into her coat pocket. It was bad enough she found the guy attractive. She didn’t need to feel it too.
Her move to Texas hadn’t been to look for a man. She was here to open her own gallery, and she had a lot to do to make that happen. All she’d managed so far was to purchase an old building and strike up an agreement with the owners of Champion Bakery to let her run a wine and painting class bi-weekly after bakery hours until the remodel on her building was complete.
“This is my husband, Dex,” Rylee introduced her to a broad, dark-haired man and then to the rest of her handsome co-workers now gathered in the alley.
A few of the women from last night’s class were there now because they were supposed to meet for the “best coffee”, too. It was interesting to discover that their husbands were part of the ESI crowd. Their presence helped Piper relax a little from all the testosterone surrounding them. It was like she’d found herself in the middle of a hot guy convention.
“Piper just moved here from Pennsylvania two weeks ago,” Rylee told the guys.
Because everyone’s attention was now on her, she nodded. “From the Poconos.”
Mac, the owner of ESI raised a brow. “Do you know Brandi and Keiffer Wyne? Well, she’s Brandi Dalton now.”
She knew them well.
In fact, several months ago, Brandi was the one who’d suggested she should move to Harland County and was instrumental in helping her secure a temporary place to stay, as well as hooking her up with a realtor who’d found her the perfect building.
Piper smiled. “Yes. My sister Faith went to high school with them. I was in junior high at the time. You know, the younger, pesky kid.”
Great, now she was babbling.
“I doubt you were ever pesky,” Ty said quietly.
Her heart fluttered.
Piper wasn’t sure if she was more surprised by his remark, or the heat funneling into her cheeks. She hadn’t blushed in years.
Poor Ty was looking a bit stunned too. Piper felt sorry for him but refused to dissect why.
As luck would have it, fate intervened with the arrival of the local sheriff and an ambulance.
“Aw, Rylee, seriously?” Ty mumbled.
Her friend raised her brows. “I didn’t call them.”
“I did,” Mac said.
“As he should have,” the sheriff stated. He was big and tall and handsome with startling blue eyes that looked somewhat familiar. “Jesus, Ty, are you okay? How’s your shoulder? Maybe you should have it x-rayed to make sure it didn’t fracture. And have Doc Harrison check your eye.”
Piper’s heart dropped to her stomach. She’d plowed down an injured man? His scar looked recent, but not that fresh.
“Relax. I’m fine, Mother Hen ,” he muttered, rolling his eyes and his shoulder, garnering a few snickers from the crowd. “See? It doesn’t hurt. It’s all good.”
The concern in the sheriff’s eyes was palpable, and the name on his shirt made the reason clear.
Bryson.
Just like Ty.
Even if the name hadn’t been there or the informal way Ty addressed the man…the bone structure, startling blue eyes, and tilt to the head gave it away. They were brothers.
“But it—”
“I’m fine, Gabe,” Ty said, cutting the guy off as he set a hand on the sheriff’s broad shoulder. “Shouldn’t you be questioning the guy who almost ran Piper over? Taking statements? Watching feed?”
The sheriff narrowed his gaze, obviously unwilling to drop his push for Ty to seek medical attention, and Ty cocked his head and stared Gabe down, apparently equally determined to stand his ground.
“See what I had to deal with growing up?” Rylee sighed. “Neither of my big brothers are going to budge, so here’s what we’re going to do. Gabe, you go take your statements, and, Ty, you’re going to let Tanner check you out.” She pointed to one of the paramedics heading toward them, then turned her gaze on Piper. “And once he’s done with Ty, he’s going to check you out too. Then maybe we can go in and have our coffee.”
Completely in awe at how easily and confidently Rylee had handled the situation and the two obstinate men, Piper nodded. That was pure perfection.
Twenty-six minutes later, Piper was seated inside the ESI breakroom, coffee in one hand and a blueberry donut in the other as the five girls explained how each week, they took turns hosting these before work coffee gatherings. This was Rylee’s week.
“Well, that was one way to make a strong impression on a guy.” Mel grinned. The pint-sized redhead was married to Carter and owned the tattoo parlor in the strip mall. She had a big personality and told it like it was, and Piper appreciated her honesty.
“That’s for sure,” Christa agreed, cutting a glazed donut in half. She was married to the ESI guy named Hunter and worked for Mel as a tattoo artist.
Their paintings last night reflected their talent.
“I’d say you got his attention.” Stef smiled. The pretty brunette was married to Mac and owned the graphic arts store next to the tattoo parlor. Her painting last night was Piper’s favorite. The woman knew how to capture light.
“Yeah, I agree,” Abby said with a grin. The stunning blonde owned and operated the local hair salon. She was sweet and kind and the sister to one of the ESI guys, Carter, and married to another, Cooper.
It was interesting. Out of all the men, those two were the most easy-going of the bunch. She wondered if they were born with mischievous grins.
“You definitely left an impression,” the blonde added before lifting her cup to her lips.
Piper snickered. “Pretty sure the only impression I made was that I’m hazardous to his health.”
The women chuckled.
“Nah, I saw the way my brother looked at you when you shook hands.” Rylee grinned. “Trust me, you made an impact on him.”
Not knowing how to respond and because she was uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was headed, Piper changed the subject. “I got the impression from your other brother that Ty was recently injured. What happened to him?”
Rylee set her coffee down and sighed. “There was an explosion on base last October. He suffered a broken clavicle and an injury to his eye that ended his Navy career.”
“Yeah, he was a Top Gun like Cruise was in that movie,” Mel said, reaching for a donut. “It’s a shame.”
Piper’s heart squeezed. “Oh, I’m so sorry. That’s terrible.”
It explained the shadows in his eyes, and why she rarely saw him smile, and the reason he stood in his backyard and stared up at the sky…not that she noticed him much.
“Ty had always wanted to be a pilot.” Rylee sighed again. “When he was sixteen, he got a part-time job at an airfield and somehow managed to secure a special dispensation to take lessons and get his license, and then he talked my parents into allowing it.”
“You Brysons have always been resilient and driven,” Abby stated as if she’d known the family a long time.
Mel snickered while licking powdered sugar off her finger. “Don’t forget stubborn.”
“Hey! Yeah, you’re right.” Rylee laughed. “That one tops the Bryson attribute list. And Ty is definitely all of those. But it helped him get accepted to the Naval Academy right out of high school.”
Abby nodded. “Your parents were so proud of him because usually only ten percent of applicants get accepted, right?”
“Yes, but it gets whittled down even more,” Rylee answered. “He applied when he was a junior in high school, then jumped through and exceeded all the required hoops and hurdles and made it into the academy.”
Mel curled her fingers around her palm and stuck her thumb up. “So, he’s a brainiac like my husband.”
Rylee nodded. “Oh, yeah. Ty’s really smart. He graduated with honors in aerospace engineering from the Naval Academy, got accepted into flight school, excelled through all the different tracks, then he was eventually accepted into the Top Gun program in Pensacola.”
“Let me guess,” Stef said. “He was chosen Top Gun of his class.”
Again, Rylee nodded, a sad smile tugging her lips. “Ty was born to fly. He intended to stay in the Navy for life.”
“That sucks!” Mel exclaimed into her raised cup, and Piper and the rest of the women nodded.
All that sacrifice, all the training and hard work only to be let go. Her heart squeezed tight again. Poor guy. He must feel so lost and angry.
“He excels at everything he tries, right?” Stef asked.
Rylee narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, why?”
The brunette wiped her hands on a napkin and shrugged. “Sounds like he needs new motivation to focus on.”
“I think that motivation could be close by,” Mel said, glancing at Piper.
Unease flickered down her spine. The woman’s gaze held a little too much mischief.
“Yeah.” Christa nodded. “Real close.”
Five gazes locked with hers. “Oh, no. Wait a minute. Leave me out of this. Ty doesn’t need a woman to satisfy him.”
Mel snorted. “You know something we don’t?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t mean it that way. I’m just saying, he needs to find a purpose in life. One that fulfills him.”
“Like loving a good woman.” Mel cocked her head and stared at her, daring her to deny it.
But she couldn’t. “Yeah, that would help him in a supportive kind of way. But he still needs a life’s purpose. A job that fulfills that need.”
“Sounds like you’re speaking from experience,” Stef said.
She nodded, knowing they were going to get around to this conversation sooner or later. Best to get it over with.