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“We had dinner,” I say.
“Like a date?” Piper’s eyes light up with excitement.
I shake my head. “Not a date. Ella invited me. She kind of insisted. And I felt bad disappointing a kid, even though I wasn’t sure if Linc actually wanted me there. But then he smiled at me and said he’d love for me to come for dinner. So, I said yes.”
She smiles. “Is Ella playing matchmaker?”
I shake my head. “I don’t think so. I think she just likes having me around. She’s only got guys in that house. We talk about hair and clothes. She even had me brush her hair tonight instead of Linc.” I smile, feeling my heart catch at the memory of her climbing into my lap. “She’s so sweet, Piper.”
Piper smiles. “She’s such a great kid. Luke and I adore her.”
“Me, too,” I say.
“What did Linc say?” Piper asks, confusing me with the change in topic.
“Huh?”
“On the phone earlier,” she says. “You said Linc said some things that made you wonder. What did he say.”
“Oh. Right.”
I take a sip of wine as the memory of his words washes over me. How does he know all those things about me? We barely knew one another in high school. And why did he tell me all of it tonight? I’m so confused. But that’s why I’m here, right? To get Piper’s opinion. I shift on the couch to face her more fully.
“We were talking after dinner. It was just the two of us in the living room. We were talking about him and Ella and I said I felt bad about keeping him away from her in the evenings. He insisted he wanted to help. Then I asked him why he’s doing all this. Why he’s helping me when he barely knows me. He got this look on his face. He looked almost angry, Piper.” I shake my head.
“Then he just started listing off all these things that he knows about me. My favorite foods and stuff from high school. Random things going all the way back to 5thgrade. How I hate thunderstorms but love the rain. How my mom used to grow roses.” I trail off, my throat growing tight at the memory of his words. I turn to look at Piper.
“Why does he know all those things? Why does he remember?”
Piper’s eyes are wide as she takes a large sip of wine. “Wow,” she says after lowering her glass. “What happened after he said all that?”
I shake my head. “Nothing,” I say. “I was going to ask him how he knows all that stuff, why he knows all that stuff. But then Ella came in and asked me to brush her hair. The moment was gone.”
“Wow,” Piper says again. “No man pays that much attention to someone without a reason. What if I was right before and he’s been crushing on you for all these years too?”
I smash down the tiny sliver of hope that tries to rise up inside me and shake my head.
“Not a chance,” I say. “He’s probably just a really observant person. You’ve seen him when we’re out at Peach Fuzz. He’s always so quiet. Listening and paying attention to everyone else. He probably just has a good memory for details.”
“Those are some pretty specific details,” Piper says. “I didn’t know you hate thunderstorms.”
I roll my eyes. “That’s because you’ve been distracted by Luke Wolfe.”
“I heard that,” Luke calls from the kitchen.
I turn wide eyes to Piper. “Has he been in there the whole time?” I hiss.
She shakes her head. “No, he was finishing up some work in his office.”
“I swear, I wasn’t eavesdropping,” Luke says, walking over to give Piper a quick kiss. “But you know she’s probably going to tell me everything later, right?”
Piper smacks him lightly in the stomach. “Not if she doesn’t want me to.”
I roll my eyes. “I know couples tell each other everything. I figured Luke would hear it all eventually.”
Piper looks only a tiny bit guilty. “Sorry,” she says.
I shrug. “Don’t be. Maybe a man’s opinion is what I need.”
