Page 89 of Meet Me in Ivy Falls

I pushed back from the bed and headed for the door. ‘I’ll be right outside.’ I gave Torran a brief smile which she barely returned.

Once out in the hallway, I was greeted by a pacing Tessa. Pete stood a few feet away looking at his phone.

‘How is she?’ Tessa asked.

‘Groggy and very sad. But she’s coherent and talking so I don’t think there’s any permanent damage.’

‘We’re all here for you. Whatever you need,’ Pete said.

‘I’m going to take a leave of absence,’ I said to him, guilt knotting in my gut. ‘I know we just landed the Brinkley account, and I hate to let you down, but Piper is a mess. All I can think about right now is getting her back into rehab.’

Pete gave me a weighted look that warned I wouldn’t get away easily with my decision.

‘Listen, Beck, I’m not letting you walk away from what we’ve built. I’m your friend first. Partner second. Take all the time you need. Get Piper settled and healthy again. Teddy Ray and I can get to know each other until you’re ready to return.’

‘Thanks.’ I barely choked out the word. He gave my shoulder a firm squeeze and then disappeared down the hall, checking his phone again.

Tessa’s gaze stayed on the door as if she was waiting for Torran to reappear.

‘She’s talking to Piper. It may be a little while.’

‘Okay. Tell her I’ll be in the waiting area.’

‘I will,’ I breathed out.

She stepped in close. ‘She’s a strong girl. You’ll all get through this. It’ll just take time.’

Time.

I wished it could be that simple but I knew better. Because of my thoughtless choices, I’d stirred up the past and sent my sister back to a world where drugs and alcohol were her only comfort. I had to own that decision and accept that it would cost me any future I had with Torran.

Chapter Forty

TORRAN

Figure Out A Way To Be Whole Again.

Piper poked at one of the many bruises coloring her arms. Tubing sprouted from her wrists like she was a tree growing extra limbs. She focused on her injuries, refusing to look at me.

‘Beck said you don’t hate me, but I can’t see how that’s possible after what I’ve done,’ she whispered.

I sat in the chair next to the bed, the seat still warm from Beck. ‘I’m confused. Worried about you. But your brother is right. Hate is not an emotion I’m feeling right now.’

‘Why not? You worked night and day on the house and my stupidity ruined it,’ she gulped. ‘I begged them to leave, to not take anything, but they wouldn’t listen. And then someone offered me another shot.’ She stopped and shook her head. ‘I knew then I’d messed up and all I wanted was to disappear.’

‘How did you get in the house in the first place?’

She thumbed the edge of the white cotton blanket on the bed. ‘There was never an audition or waitressing job in New York. My landlord kicked me out for having too many parties. The last money Beck sent me covered a few debts I had and my plane ticket to Nashville.’

A single tear tumbled down her pale cheek.

‘I thought if I got away from that life I could have a fresh start here. Seeing the house being restored, it felt like a new beginning. But the more I watched you and Beck together, the more I was reminded of my parents and what I’d lost.’ Her voice rattled and she gripped the blanket tightly to her chest. ‘The world started to get dark around the edges, and that aching need I tried to extinguish in rehab resurfaced. I stole Beck’s key and made a copy.’

Piper’s small body trembled in the bed. A part of me wanted to say she didn’t have to relive the night, but deep down I needed to know what happened.

‘After he dropped me off at the airport, I waited a few minutes and then took a bus downtown. For over an hour I walked along the river until I couldn’t fight it anymore.’ She shook her head like she didn’t want to recall the memory. ‘I went into the first bar I could find. When they kicked me out after last call, I took a ride-share to the house. My plan was to hide out for a while until I could figure out my next move.’

‘How did those people know about the house?’