He takes a step in and closes the door behind him, locking it for good measure. “Why isn’t the door locked?”
“I forgot?” I shrug my shoulders. “But seriously, what are you doing here?”
Him being in my space will make it that much harder for me to try to forget I kissed him.
He glances toward the living room. “I know how much you hate storms, and I wanted to make sure you weren’t alone.” He gestures toward the coffee table and laughs. “I see you’re prepared, though.”
“Shut up.” I smack him on the shoulder. “I’d offer you food, but all I have is frozen pizza. I can make you one.”
“I’m good.” He grabs my hand and leads me toward the sofa. “Besides, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Nothing good ever follows those words.”
“This is good, I promise.” He sits down and pulls me to sit next to him. “You know how I prepared those marketing plans for you?”
“Yeah.” Lot of good they’ll do since my brother turned down the idea. “Hopefully they didn’t take too much of your time.”
“That’s the thing, Piper. My boss wants me to work on it with you to see if it can be done on a minimal budget. And I could get a promotion out of it.”
“That’s amazing.” It is, and I’m so freaking happy he’s getting this opportunity. But that means I’ll be spending even more time with him. Tamping down my feelings for him over the years has been easy, until I freaking kissed him. Now everything feels awkward. At least, it does on my end.
“So are you cool with moving forward with it.”
“Absolutely.” What else can I say? I’d be a shitty best friend if I said no. Especially when he’s supported every idea I’ve ever had. Now I need to figure out how to cast these feelings I have for him aside. Once and for all. I’ll ask whoever pops up on my dating app next on a date. It’s the only way.
eight
. . .
beau
She saysshe’s excited to work on this marketing plan with me, but her face doesn’t match the delivery. Most people wouldn’t be able to tell, but I know her expressions. The one she has right now says she’s agreeing under duress.
“You can say no.” I squeeze her hand. “It won’t hurt my feelings. But this is a way we can try the things you want with no budget and it’ll help both of us out.”
How we’re going to do it without her brother knowing is another story entirely. But she also doesn’t know that her brother gave me a warning about letting her go through with her ideas. I don’t want her to lose her job. At the same time, this is the perfect way to prove to him her ideas are solid.
There’s a boom in the distance and she scoots closer to me. Practically in my lap. As shocked as she was that I came, it’s probably a good idea I’m here. She shouldn’t be in the storm alone.
“I’ve got you,” I whisper into her hair.
“Just like always,” she replies. “And it’s not that I don’t want to do this whole marketing thing. I do, more than anything.”
“But?” If I don’t prompt her with questions, she’ll beat around the bush without actually getting to the point of what she wants to say.
“But,” she drawls. “Pierce is already mad about the stories I posted the other night. He hasn’t come out and said anything directly to me, though. Parker showed up at my house to let me know.”
“I can see how that would be a problem.” There’s no way that’s the only reason. She lives to test her boundaries with her brother. “Is there anything else?”
The rain picks up momentum. The drops are loud against the roof and I already know I’m going to be here for a while.
Piper moves away from me and picks up the lighter on the coffee table. One by one she lights the candles on the table, preparing for a possible power outage. She has more to say. This small talk is only so she can put it off a tad longer and gather her thoughts.
“Piper?”
She sets down the lighter but doesn’t face me. She’s hunched over so far, I’m worried her hair might touch the flames. My hand moves of its own volition to tuck the strands away, but I stop. Any sudden movement may break whatever she’s about to say.
“It’s just that things are awkward now…since the other night.” She doesn’t have to say when she kissed me. We both know what she’s referring to. “Spending that much time together could make things even more weird, and I don’t want anything to jeopardize our friendship.”
