“I’m good with anything you do.” She tugged me close again. “When are you going to get that through your head?”
43
PIPER
Strawberry Springs Neighborhood Watch
Dale Garrett:You know what? My BBC has been safe and unused for months! Thank you all for finally leaving it alone and not breaking the lock.
Comments:
Piper M:Finally, I get to see a mention of the BBC in its full glory.
Jade Clark:PIPER!!!
Piper M:Yes?
Jade Clark:I just love you so much.
Kerry Winsor:GUYS! Keep your weirdness down! The group is gonna get banned!
Jade Clark:Okay, Ms. Arrest-That-Cat. We’ll be normal.
Kerry Winsor:They were my beautiful sunflowers! My babies!
Piper M:Don’t you have actual children?
Jade Clark:Get ’em, Piper.
The sun was barely peekingthrough Theo’s curtains when my phone rang. Blearily, I reached for my phone with a frown. Theo was already gone for the day, but I had a fuzzy memory of him kissing my cheek as he left. At first, I thought he was calling to tell me something had happened, but there was another name on the screen.
“Joey,” I said. “Are you okay?”
“Piper, thank God.” He blew out a breath and I sat up. Sleep was the last thing on my mind now. His voice was tense in a way I hadn’t heard in years. “Where are you?”
“Theo’s place. What’s going on?”
“Uh, I need you. Like now.”
I blinked. Joey hardly ever asked for anything of me. He always wanted to be the rock in my life. If he said he needed me, then it was important.
“Yeah, okay.” I shook my head to try to wake up more. “I can come to Knoxville.”
“Really?”
I knew I would dread going into Knoxville alone on such short notice, but I’d manage. “Yes. Of course. You need me. Give me an hour.”
“Okay. Thank you. I’ll see you soon.”
Unease churned in my stomach as I threw on clothes. I sent Theo a message telling him about what happened before I made it to my car.
Fear made my throat tight, and I’d have to process all of this at some point. Being in the place where I felt so trapped didn’t feel great, but I was more worried about what could have Joey so upset.
My mind went over the things it could be as I drove.
He could’ve reconnected with his family. He could’ve had a fight with Mitch—something that hardly ever happened.My heart was in my throat for nearly the whole drive and my hands were shaky by the time I pulled up to their house.
I knocked on the door as I tried to keep myself together.
