“Mom and Dad’s. They don’t want us making the grassy areas by the tables a mess.”
“I’ll see you in a few. Try not to murder your brother before I get there.”
“I can’t make any promises,” she sing-songs. “See you in a bit. Bye.”
“Bye.”
When I get there, I’ll pull her away to tell her about the promotion, and finally unburden myself from this secret. It’s only fair to be completely honest with her, just like she has been with me.
“Can you grab that dish and bring it out to the patio?” Mrs. Summers asks as she backs toward the door with some sort of dessert in her hands.
“Sure thing.” I pick up the dish in question and follow her outside. I think it’s potato salad. It doesn’t look like the one she normally makes, and I wonder if she’s experimenting in the kitchen again.
After setting the dish on the table holding all the food, I search for Piper. As soon as I pulled in her mom put me to work. I didn’t even get to tell Piper hello. Now I get where Peter is coming from. I mean, Mrs. Summers has always treated me like one of her own, but she’s never made me do anything.
Not that she forced me to help, I could have said no. How could I, though? I spent most of my teenage years in this very yard. Even in my college years after I went no contact with my parents because they were horrible and didn’t give a shit about me. The Summers were always there to make me feel like I belonged.
“There you are!” Piper jumps into my arms, hers going around my neck. I almost fall backward with the force, but catch myself on a nearby tree. “I didn’t think Mom was ever going to release you from her clutches.”
I shrug my shoulder. “You know I’m always willing to help.”
“Maybe a little too much.” She gives me a quick peck on the cheek. “You don’t have to prove your worthiness to them. You’ll always have a place here.”
“I know.” I sigh. “I just feel like I owe it to your parents for pretty much taking me in this whole time.”
“You owe them nothing. Believe me, they are happy to have you around. Sometimes I think you might be their favorite.” She says the last sentence in a whisper as if afraid someone will overhear.
“Please.” I shake my head. “You are the baby, you’ll always be the favorite.”
“Maybe.” She tilts her head to the side. “But that doesn’t really matter as long as I’m your favorite.”
Her lips crash into mine and I lean against the tree, letting her fall further into me. Being with Piper feels like home. Like this is right where I’m supposed to be. Wrapped up in her without a care in the world.
When she pulls away, I fight the urge to reel her back into me. “I need to tell you something.”
“Uh oh.” She cocks her head. “That doesn’t sound good.”
“My boss called and offered me a promotion based on our efforts with Starlit Fields.”
“That’s amazing.”
“Yeah, it is.” I’ll tell her the part about her brother knowing later…when we’re alone. Then she can lash out at me in private and I won’t subject her family to me getting my ass chewed out.
“Why don’t you sound happy about it?” The concern she shows makes me feel like a bigger ass for not being honest.
“I won’t be helping small businesses anymore. He plans to move me over the bigger businesses. Which is great because there’s a chance for a higher commission, but I don’t want to work the hours.”
“Doesn’t everyone have the same hours as you?”
“Yeah, but they are always at the beck and call of their clients. Most of them end up working evenings and weekends. That isn’t something I want to do…especially now.”
“Yeah, that sounds gross. I don’t even work every weekend here.” She looks over her shoulder. “The one perk of working with family is they enforce rotation on the weekend shifts, so we pretty much only work one weekend a month. Unless you’re Pierce. He doesn’t know how to do anything but work here.”
“See, that’s the type of person I’m trying not to become. I don’t want to work to live.” I glance down at her. “What do you think I should do?”
“How long do you have to mull it over?”
“At least the weekend.” I glance at the leaves above us. They almost form a bubble between us and the rest of the world. “But he told me not to take too long because he might offer it to someone else.”
