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“Well spotted,” Liam teases, and I roll my eyes.
“I’m off social, ok? I don’t even know what’s happening in the news most days, much less who everyone is related to.”
“I wish,” Frannie says, running a hand through her long auburn hair. “You do realize when you’re on my team you’re going to have to do something about that, right?” I nearly choke on the sip of root beer I’ve just taken.
“WhenI’m on your team?” I question, and she gives me a shrug, like it’s obvious.
“I mean, the job’s yours, if you want it.” I bob my head between Frannie and her brothers, to Seer, who’s smiling like she knew this was coming. But I just stare. “Hello, earth to Piper?”
“Sorry, sorry.” I shake my head, trying to get my shit together.
“I can put a more formal offer together on Monday, and you two will have to sign a form for HR.” She points between Fitz and me, and he just shrugs, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, which are still in those navy dress pants that work wonders for his thighs. “But yeah, I mean, you can start next Monday if you want.” I squeal, climbing over Seer on the sectional until I’m hugging Frannie in a way that is definitely not professional, nor ladylike, but I don’t care.
“Cuddle puddle!” Frannie calls, and suddenly I’m being engulfed by Seer, by Jasmine, even by Jesse and Liam, whom I’ve just met but already know I like. And as much as I know this is probably the first time Fitz is spending time with this group at large, as uncomfortable as I can tell he is, when I feel a squeeze on my shoulder through the cuddle puddle and look up to see him standing over the back of the couch, the smile on his face is genuine. Because I think he needs this, needs days like today, as much as I do. He just wasn’t willing to admit it.
Chapter 54
Fitz
“Motherfucker,Goddamn-"
“Whoa there.” I laugh, bending over to try and meet Piper’s eye as we sit on her bed after Fred’s graduation party. We left Frannie’s after a couple of hours - the drive back to civilization was long, and I knew Piper wanted to work on something for the Fairy Ball next weekend. What I hadn’t been expecting was for her to pull out a full tub of beads and a needle and thread, and start sewing tiny pearls onto a piece of lace just bigger than her hand. “You good?”
“No,” she moans, sitting back against the bed and letting her head fall on my shoulder. “I think I’ve sewed my finger more than the fabric, at this point.” She holds her hand up, like she’s looking for an invisible tremor. I spot the little prick of blood on her finger, and reach over to the side table, handing her a tissue. “Thanks.” She sets her work down on her side table, holding the tissue to her finger as, in front of us, some sappy scene plays out between the main characters of the Hallmark-esque movie she’d picked. Normally, we debate back and forth on what to watch, but after watching her take down Chris Westfall with a couple of sentences, I think I’d let her do just about anything with no argument from me in sight. At least, for today.
“She plays the dragon lady, right?” I ask, pointing up at the screen where I’m pretty sure the woman from Game of Thrones is visible. Piper quirks a brow at me.
“Dragon lady?”
“You know,” I continue, shrugging. “Derius whats-her-face and-
I stop, because the look she’s giving me is both incredulous and insulted, and I try to stifle a laugh. I fail miserably. It’s the wrong move, because she’s leaning forward, setting the tissue down and turning to look at me fully.
“Are you talking about Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen?” She says it with such ferocity that I sit back, staring down at her.
“Uh, sure.”
“First of Her Name?” Piper continues, throwing the fluffy blanket she’d had on her lap onto the floor.
“Hey!” I protest, picking it up and throwing it over Bex, who burrows out to watch as Piper stands, climbing on the bed where she’d been sitting and towering over me.
“Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms?” And now she’s jumping, bouncing on the bed while her curls fly, getting so close to me I’m genuinely worried she’s going to land a foot in my lap and injure me. “Mother of Dragons, the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, the Unburnt, the Breaker of Chains?”
“Jesus Christ,” I breathe, trying to get her to come down, but she just keeps going.
“You dare disrespect her by calling her dragon lady?” She’s laughing now, and I stare up.
“You’re such a nerd.” I grip at her thighs, but she bats my hands away. “Sure, whatever you say, Daenerys Stormborn, and - uh.” I look up at her sheepishly. “All the things you just said.” She gives a satisfiedhmph, falling back onto the bed with her legs curled under her as I scrub a hand down my face. “You’re going to kill yourself to make a point one day.”
“I know.” She shrugs, but her eyes are blazing with triumph, with amusement. “Being a nerd is one of my best qualities.”
“Among many,” I reply, and while my tone is teasing, she smiles, and it makes my heart jump. “You have lots of qualities that I like.” I reach forward, pushing one side of her hair behind her shoulder, my fingers brushing her collarbone, her string of pearls that I swear she does everything but sleep and shower in. “Lots that I love, too.” She stills at my words, and I feel like we’re both holding our breath. My heart is already pounding, but it just gets louder in my ears.
“Love?” she echoes, and I nod, my hand sliding down her arm to her hand, which I take in mine. I bring it to my mouth, kissing her knuckles, letting her set her palm against my cheek and then turning into it.
“I think I’ve known for a while.” My inner dialogue is screaming at me to shut the fuck up. Am I really about to do this? “Probably a lot longer than I’m willing to admit, because it was all so easy.”
“What was easy?” Her voice is raspy, and she clears her throat. The other side of my dialogue, like the angel on my shoulder that just wants me to be happy, is screaming something else entirely.
