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“Is Piper okay?” I ask, my muscles locking up at the idea of something bad happening to her.
“She’s fine.”
“So, what are you here for?”
He sighs and leans forward, resting his elbows on his legs and looking up at me. “I need to know what this thing is you have going on with Piper, and how long it’s been going on.”
I wasn’t prepared to have this conversation right now, but at least it’s better than one that involves his fist connecting with my jaw. “Uh, are you sure this is what you want to talk about?” I’d hate to make him uncomfortable.
He chuckles, the sound weird coming from him since I haven’t heard it in weeks either, and he shakes his head. “No, I’m not sure, but I need to understand… this.”
“Well, it didn’t start right away, and it definitely didn’t start when she was younger. You have to know I’d never do anything like that, right?”
“Yeah, Beau, I know,” he says, followed with a sigh. “It was the only thing I could imagine when I saw that picture of you two though, can you understand my reaction? Imagine if it was a daughter of your own, what would you think?”
He’s not wrong, I wouldn’t exactly be thrilled to find something like that out about my own child, but would I accuse John of taking advantage of her? I’m not sure, and I guess I’d never have to find out. “I understand, but that doesn’t make it hurt any less. We’ve been friends forever, yet the first chance you got you assumed the most heinous things about me.”
“I’m sorry.”
I nod, accepting it for now. “As for Piper and I, it started after the party you threw for her. It was completely professional at first until I saw her in that dress.”
John groans. “Okay, I get it, maybe we should skip some of the details.”
Fair enough.
“At first, it was only exploring. I didn’t know what the feelings I had were, only that they were there. So I explored them with her, then they turned into a lot more than that.”
“What does that mean?”
I give him a small smile and shrug. “It means I learned that I’m in love with her. My chest physically aches when I’m not around her, and I don’t smile nearly as much as I did when I was around her. She brightens every inch of my life, and now all I see is darkness without her presence.”
John nods and rubs his chin. “What are your intentions with her?”
“Well, that’s the thing, John. I have every intention of marrying her one day, but only if I can manage to get your blessing.” I run a hand through my hair. “Just as Piper is important to me, you are as well. I’d hate for a relationship between Piper and I to come between the friendship we’ve had over the years.”
“Okay, but what’s more important to you, Beau? A relationship with my daughter, or the friendship between the two of us?” There’s a darkness in his gaze that makes me think this is a trick question, so I take a moment to think long and hard about my answer.
Which one is more important? That’s the exact question I’ve been trying to ask myself since I left Piper’s and I’ve yet to come to a conclusion on my own. I can’t deny that both people are important to me, but it comes down to who’smoreimportant.
In these two weeks, who have I thought about contacting the most?
Piper.
What hurt me more, driving away from Piper, or watching the anger on my best friend's face after finding out I kissed his daughter?
Piper.
And who has my chest ached for the most during these last two weeks?
Piper.
The answer to John’s question is a simple one, but what if it’s not the one he wants to hear? What if I tell him that his daughter is more important to me and he sees that as me not appreciating our friendship?
I love the friendship John and I share, but can he give me the life that I want? Kids, a home, love that sweeps me off my feet? I mentally roll my eyes at myself.You sound like a love drunk idiot, Beau.
John clears his throat, snapping my attention back to him, and I give him an apologetic smile. “Your daughter, John. She will always be the most important person to me.”
I brace myself as I wait for him to get up and punch me in the face, clenching one hand around the arm of the couch, but the connection never comes. When I glance at John, he’s got a grin on his face, then he gets up and pulls me up to stand with him.
