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“He looked upset. Must really love working here.”
I can’t tell if she’s teasing or not.
“More bummed about missing football.”
Piper shakes her head before taking a sip from her mug.
“I talked to Hudson earlier. He’s planning to come by tonight to go to a bar in Mayville. It’s about twenty minutes from here.”
She nods. “Okay. Hope you guys have fun.”
I shake my head. “You’reinvited, Piper. I mean, you should come. If you want to.”
“You should go out with your friend. I have some work stuff I should tackle anyway.”
She doesn’t elaborate on what thework stuffis, and I don’t ask her to.
We haven’t discussed her job at all since Piper told me she was done talking to me about signing a new contract. And true to her word, she hasn’t brought it up again.
I have no clue if she’s had conversations with Carl or anyone else at the label about me. No idea how soon they’ll pull the plug on her being here.
“There’s a local band playing. Unsigned.”
I catch the interest on her face before she quickly wipes it away.
“And it’s not just me and Hudson going. Julia and Ella will be there too. So will Tommy and Morgan and Danny. Same crowd as at Wagon Wheel probably. Maybe more.”
“More?”
I smile at her surprise. “Small towns have big communities.”
“I guess so.”
“And…” No way it won’t get mentioned tonight. “It’s kind of a birthday thing too.”
“Whose birthday?”
“Mine.”
Piper coughs a little, mid-sip. “It’s yourbirthday?Today?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Were you going to mention it?”
“I just did.”
She exhales a laugh. “Um, okay.”
“Hudson will be here at eight,” I say, then head inside.
* * *
There’s a smoky smell in the air when I walk into the living room, sweaty, dusty, and exhausted.
“Piper?” I call out, quickly kicking off my dirty boots and rushing into the kitchen.
The smell is stronger in here, but nothing looks amiss. Clean counters, nothing burning on the stove.
