“So, you have been avoiding me?” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. At least I know I was right. Not that I doubted myself.
“Maybe?” She shrugs and leans back. “Ugh, I’ve ruined everything by kissing you.”
“Hey, I’m still here, aren’t I?” I wrap an arm around her shoulder. The same way I’ve done a million times before, and she sinks into the embrace. “You haven’t ruined anything. We will always be best friends. Kiss or no kiss.”
Another crack of thunder permeates the air. This time I can see sparks in the night sky. Seconds later the TV and every single light in the house goes dark. She must have a sixth sense with lighting the candles.
“Well, she leans her head on my chest. I’m definitely glad you’re here right now.”
“So, we’ll work the marketing plan?” Yes, I’m like a dog with a bone, but I need to know how to move forward. Pierce will be a problem. Hopefully, I can handle that without causing too much fuss. Who knows, he might not have a problem with it if it isn’t going to cost the winery any money.
“Yes.” I can almost feel her rolling her eyes. “We’ll do the marketing plan. It has to be under the radar as much as possible, though. Pierce will blow a gasket if he finds out I’m going behind his back again.”
She’s not wrong. He’s not much for giving people space to do their jobs how they see fit. He always has to have his finger in the process.
“We’ll figure it out.” That’s the one thing she doesn’t have to worry about. I’ll do everything in my power to make sure she doesn’t get the brunt of his disapproval.
“I guess this means you’re staying the night?” She lifts her head back to see my reaction.
“Won’t that be awkward?” Is it shitty of me to throw her words back in her face? Absolutely. Do I care when she’s this close to me and in my arms? Not in the slightest.
“Shut up.” She head butts me in the chest. “I mean you’re already here. There’s no power and I do not want to spend the evening alone in a dark house.”
“Still scared of the dark? I thought you outgrew that ages ago.”
She snorts and it’s the cutest sound. Most people wouldn’t agree. It’s a good thing I’m not most people.
“I did until I moved out on my own. It’s creepy out here with no lights or sound.” She glances out the window and shivers despite the heat. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think this whole piece of land is haunted.”
The laugh bubbles out of my chest. “How many times have we talked about this. Nothing is haunted. It’s just the trees making weird noises.”
“Doesn’t fix the creepy factor.” Her phone buzzes beside me and she reaches around to grab it before glancing at the screen. “My brother is an idiot.”
She shows me the text and I shake my head.
Parker: Hey scaredy cat. Need me to come down there and chase the ghosts away. Or at least bring a generator?
Piper: No. I’m good. Beau’s here.
Parker: Of course he is. Hi Beau. I know you’re reading this over her shoulder.
She locks the screen and tosses the phone to the other end of the couch.
“He knows us too well.” I chuckle.
“Or he thinks he does.” She argues. “So, what do you want to do? Whatever it is, it can only be done by candlelight, obviously.”
There isn’t really much we can do. “Do you still have the boardgames and cards in the closet?”
“Yeah. I don’t know if everything is there, though. Peter got mad when he was losing one night and threw a bit of a tantrum.”
I shift her to the side and leave the couch. “I’ll go get them. If anything, we can pass the time with card games, even if all the pieces aren’t there.”
Piper shrugs and pulls the blanket from the back of the couch, wrapping it around her. “It’s better than sitting in the dark bored.”
As much as I’d love to make things interesting as we play whatever games I can find, I don’t want to press my luck too much. She’s on board with the marketing plan and hopefully doesn’t feel embarrassed about the kiss anymore. Not that she should in the first place. Right now, everything feels like it did before that night, and I don’t want to ruin it.
Ugh. I’m too old for this shit. Sleeping on the floor never bothered me as a kid, but now…it’s not so great on the back. If we would have gone to Piper’s room like I suggested, I wouldn’t be in this situation. She refused to leave the living room because it was too dark in her room. It’s a valid fear. Especially way out here in the country.
