Hometown Hope: A Small Town Romance Anthology

by Zoe York

  “Why didn’t you use the money from that to buy the paper in the first place?”

  That certainly would’ve been handy. “I don’t gain access to it until I’m married.”

  Her eyes widened. “Dear God, tell me you didn’t just ask Piper to marry you for this. I know you haven’t turned into that kind of asshole.”

  “No. Actually, the whole thing was Piper’s idea.”

  “She thought you should have this out of the blue wedding just to save the paper?” Skepticism dripped from her voice.

  “My girl loves a crazy plan.” He explained how the whole thing had come about.

  “That’s messed up, Myles.”

  “Little bit,” he agreed. “But I’m not going to lose the paper, so set your mind at ease.”

  “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

  “Me too. And listen, keep that to yourself. I don’t want anyone worrying needlessly.”

  She nodded. “Fine. But keep me in the loop. If something goes wrong…”

  Myles crossed to Simone and took her shoulders. “Nothing’s going wrong.”

  “Right. You’re getting married in eight days to a woman lunatic enough to think this was a good idea. What could go wrong?”

  “Don’t say that. It’s temping the fates. I’ve got to get on. Piper’s waiting for me.” It struck him then, that after next week, she’d be waiting for him every night. What would it be like going home to something other than silence and solitude? Because Myles was confident life with Piper would never lend itself to something so mundane as silence. Life with her would never, ever be boring.

  On the short drive to The Mudcat, Myles decided he could do with a little boring after all the drama this week. He hoped he wasn’t about to walk into more of it. Over the last several months, he’d become friends with most of her friends because of the show and because Wishful was a small town. But he really didn’t know how they’d respond to the news. Surely if Piper ran into trouble, she’d text or call another 911 like she had when Gram showed up.

  A wave of sound hit him when he walked into the bar. Some days he loved this. The noise, the sound of people. Today wasn’t one of those days. But no way was he leaving Piper to fend for herself. They were in this together. Resolute, he made his way through the throngs of people, until he spotted her in a booth in the back. The fatigue slid away at the sight of her smiling and laughing with the others.

  One more week and that smile would be waiting for him every night.

  I am a lucky S.O.B.

  “Please tell me the three of you are available to go dress shopping tomorrow. Because if you don’t go, then it’ll be just my mom and Leah and maybe Myles’ scary grandmother to make sure I don’t pick anything that will embarrass the family. I need allies.”

  “You’ve got one in me,” Myles said, sliding into the booth beside her. “I’ll have the minister add that to my vows. Love, honor, and protect from scary grandmother. Only fair since you ripped my dad a new one at the engagement dinner.”

  Piper wrinkled her nose adorably. “He deserved it. And you can’t come. You aren’t allowed to see the dress. Also—” She grabbed a fistful of his shirt and tugged him forward for a kiss.

  Myles felt the last strain of the day bleed out.

  She grinned. “Hi.”

  He grinned back, loving that she was a little bit breathless. “Hi yourself.”

  “You get everything straightened out?”

  “Yeah, it’s all set. Everything okay here?” He shifted his gaze to the others.

  Norah was fairly bouncing with excitement. Given she’d been planning her own wedding for the past several months, she was absolutely in that mode. Miranda, whom he didn’t know well, seemed amused more than anything else.

  “I understand congratulations are in order.” Tyler’s brows were arched as she looked from Piper to him.

  “Congratulations? No threats? Attempts to talk us out of it? Lectures on practicality and the way things are supposed to be done?”

  “Please. I’ve known Piper since we were in diapers. Any of that would fall on deaf ears. Besides, given the role you played last fall in getting Brody and me back together, I can only assume you’re a kindred spirit and perfect for her. Sneaky bastard.” Her smile took the sting out.

  Myles laughed. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  Tucker, who’d remained silent, tipped back the last of his beer. “Can I have a word with you in private? There’s been a new development in that matter I was handling for you.”

  Myles doubted that. “Oh?”

  “Some new information has come to light that might change things.”

  Translation: I have things to say to you that I’m not going to say in front of the others.

  Fine.

  They slid out of the booth and headed for the patio door.

  Tucker rounded on him as soon as they stepped outside. “What the hell, Myles? When I said that about Vegas, I was making a joke. I did not intend for you to go out and propose to one of my closest friends in the name of getting access to the money.”

  Here was the objection he’d been braced for.

  He kept his voice even. “My relationship with Piper is none of your business.”

  “What relationship? You don’t have a relationship. Or you didn’t before a week and a half ago. I don’t care what she said about you dating in secret. I’ve known Piper all my life. I know when she’s lying.”

  No sense in contradicting him. “Can you blame her? She’s already had to deal with both our families losing their shit. She really didn’t want to deal with it from y’all, too.”

  Tucker stared. “Is that supposed to make me feel better? I swear to God, if I wasn’t bound by attorney-client privilege, I’d be telling her exactly what was behind this grand gesture.”

  Though he’d expected this, Myles found himself pissed off that someone else who called him friend would think he’d use Piper in the name of saving his own ass.

  “There’s nothing you can tell her that she doesn’t already know. I told her everything. Including your joke about Vegas. I never dreamed she’d suggest we get married.”

  Tucker’s mouth fell open, his head of steam escaping as his assumptions got turned upside down. Myles had to feel a little bit of gratification at seeing the other man speechless, when he’d been so certain who was in the wrong.

  Tucker shoved a hand through his blond hair and heaved a sigh. “We’re talking about the woman who convinced me to fake a broken leg so Brody had to step in as understudy and Tyler would have to talk to him again. Piper loves lunatic schemes.”

  “I know. It’s one of my favorite things about her.”

  “But you should have said no, not gone and put a ring on her finger. She’s made it through life this far without one of her plans blowing up on her because she had the rest of us to be voices of reason.”

  “I’d think the ring would go a fair way toward proving that I’m serious about this, about her.”

  “For all I know, it’s just an expensive prop.”

  Temper stirred and Myles lost some of the calm. “That ring is a family heirloom and not something I’d give to someone I didn’t want or expect to keep as my wife.”

  Again with the speechlessness. Tucker’s expression shifted to a consideration that made Myles hope he never faced the man from the witness stand.

  “I hope that’s true. I hope the whole thing works out for both of you. Because if I find out that you’ve done this purely as a means of accessing that trust, I’m going to break you in half.”

  Myles shot him a humorless smile. “I suppose this is a bad time to ask you to be my best man.”

  Tucker blinked at him. “Are you serious?”

  “You’re one of the best friends I’ve made since I moved here, and I know it would mean a lot to Piper to have you stand up there with us.”

  Tucker laced his hands behind his head and paced away. “Way to make me feel like an asshole.”


  “Same goes. But you’re looking out for Piper. I’m not going to be offended by that—much—since I’d do the same damned thing in your position.”

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Look. I know this is completely insane. We both know that’s Piper’s specialty. But if it reassures you at all, I’m absolutely crazy about her. Have been from the moment I auditioned with her. And I swear to you I will do everything in my power not to fuck this up. The last thing I’d ever want to do is hurt her. Besides, being best man will give you a front row seat and opportunity to kick my ass if you think I’m out of line.”

  He laughed. “Then I guess I’m getting fitted for a tux.”

  “There’s one more thing I need your help with.”

  “What’s that?” Tucker asked warily.

  “This wedding…the way my grandmother is planning it, the whole big public spectacle isn’t what Piper wants. I can’t do much to change that. But with your help, I can at least do something to make the whole thing a little more…Piper.”

  “What’d you have in mind?”

  Myles outlined the plan that had been kicking around his brain all afternoon. “The deadline is insane, but if we can pull it off…”

  Tucker clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Brother, that does more to put me at ease than anything else you’ve said. Everybody will be delighted to help. You just leave everything to me.”

  “Where’s your mom?” Tyler asked.

  Piper clenched her jaw and shoved open the door to Brides and Belles. “Not coming.”

  Norah hurried after her. “Why? What happened?”

  “We got into an argument at breakfast. Her feelings got hurt and now she’s in a snit. Why the fact that I do not give a rat’s ass what color the table cloths are justifies hurt feelings or a snit, I cannot explain, but I do not have the time or patience to talk her down, so we’re dress shopping without her.” Piper fixed a smile she absolutely didn’t feel on her face as she stepped up to greet the store’s owner. “Hi, Mrs. Wofford.”

  “You look like you could use one of our mimosas. I’ve already got a bottle of champagne chilling back in the dressing room.”

  “Oh my God, that sounds amazing.”

  “Did you remember your underthings?”

  For a moment Piper balked. Of course, she’d put on underwear this morning. Then she realized Mrs. Wofford meant a strapless bra and Spanks. “I didn’t. Kinda didn’t think about that.”

  “I did,” Norah announced.

  “Of course, you did. Because you are all knowing and awesome. Thanks.”

  “You just head on back and get undressed. Fitting room one. I’ve already got a few dresses laid out for you to try.”

  “Thanks, Mrs. Wofford. I appreciate you fitting me in so last minute.”

  “Oh please, darlin’, call me Babette.”

  Norah and Tyler followed Piper to the back.

  “Miranda got called in at the hospital, so she won’t be able to make it,” Norah said.

  “I’m on drink duty.” Tyler went to work pouring mimosas as Piper went in and pulled the curtain. “So, what was the fight really about?”

  “Underneath it all, the same old crap. She’s offended by me being me. God forbid I get to do that for my own wedding.”

  Norah thrust the strapless bra past the curtain. “Did she miss the memo that you’re awesome?”

  “Awesome does not have the same definition in the world of Twyla Parish as it does for us. I am the black sheep daughter. I’ve always been the black sheep daughter. Leah’s the one who did everything Mom wanted, cared about all the same things, got married right out of school and gave her an adorable grandbaby. Me, I can’t do anything right.”

  “That’s really not fair, Piper.” Leah’s voice was thick with hurt outside the dressing room.

  Naturally she’d shown up in time to overhear that.

  Because she needed something to do with her hands, Piper unzipped the dress that seemed the least complicated and began to shimmy into it. “I’ve never thought it was fair. I’m a completely different person from both of you and nothing I’ve ever done has seemed to be enough to earn your approval. Almost all my life it’s been ‘Why can’t you be more like Leah?’ And now I’m getting married and suddenly you’re both all smiles and happy because I finally did something right. I’m sorry if I resent the hell out of that.” She threw back the curtain and stalked out, one arm holding the dress across her breasts. “Somebody zip me, please.”

  Norah hurried to comply.

  Leah’s cheeks flushed pink. “We’re happy for you and you’re going to criticize us for that?”

  Piper closed her eyes and counted to ten. She didn’t want to fight with her sister. She didn’t want to fight with anyone. “That isn’t what I’m saying.” Blowing out a breath, she accepted the mimosa Tyler held out and downed half of it. “I appreciate the fact that you’re both happy for me and that you’ve thrown yourself into the cause to help pull together this wedding last minute. I really do.”

  At Babette’s urging, she stepped up onto the platform in front of the three-way mirror. The dress had an empire waist, with an explosion of beading on the bodice and a simple drape all the way to the floor.

  “No,” Norah and Tyler chorused.

  Piper turned away from the mirror.

  “Then what’s the problem?” Leah asked.

  “None of this is what I want.”

  Everybody went stock still, like deer in the headlights.

  “Um.”

  Piper’s gaze shot to the doorway, where Skye stood, mouth hanging open. Augusta stood just behind her.

  Perfect. Just perfect. She’d insulted her future mother-in-law’s husband just two days ago and now Augusta was going to think she was backing out of the wedding.

  Piper downed the other half of the mimosa. “That isn’t what I meant.” She handed Tyler the glass and stepped off the platform to head for her future in-laws. “I want to marry Myles. I want to marry him next weekend. That isn’t in question. It’s just that...” She trailed off, not sure what she could say that wouldn’t make her sound like an ungrateful bitch.

  “My mother-in-law has come in and taken over?” Augusta suggested gently.

  Piper exhaled in relief. “Yes. And my mom has jumped right on the band wagon.”

  “I’m afraid Suzanne has a habit of doing that.”

  “Have you seen the itineraries she’s given us? This wedding has absolutely nothing to do with Myles and me personally. We might as well be living Ken and Barbie dolls up there for other people’s entertainment.”

  “Why agree to it at all?”

  “Because I felt like I needed to play nice to pacify everybody in the wake of that whole ugly scene when they found out we were getting married in the first place. My mom was offended—by my behavior, not hers, mind you—and I’m pretty sure I made the worst possible impression on Mrs. Stewart.”

  Augusta winced. “I expect her behavior made the worst possible impression on you. Let me apologize for that again and assure you that there’s no need to pacify anyone.”

  “Water under the bridge.” God knew there was no reason to stay upset about it when nothing could be done to change it.

  “For what it’s worth, she admires your moxie. So do I.”

  It was Piper’s turn to wince. “Is that a nice way of saying you’re not mad at me for calling out Myles’ dad?”

  “Warrick is...set in his ways and has never quite gotten over the fact that Myles has a different path. Someone needed to say it. That it was someone not part of our family had more impact than anything Myles has said over the years. So no, I’m not at all angry. I appreciate your defense of my son.”

  “Uh, Piper, you might want to continue this conversation on the other side of the curtain. You’re on a tight schedule,” Norah reminded her.

  “Oh, we don’t want to intrude,” Augusta began.

  “Speak for yourself. I want to get to know my ne
w sister-in-law.” Skye flounced in and plopped onto one of the dainty sofas.

  Augusta wasn’t nearly so comfortable. “Myles mentioned you’d be here this morning, and we thought we might stop in.”

  Piper reached out to squeeze one of her hands, grateful for her show of support. “Please stay. I’d like to get to know you better, too.”

  As Babette unzipped her, Piper made quick introductions. Then she stepped behind the curtain, stripping out of the first dress and working her way into the next.

  “Can we get in on those mimosas?” Skye asked.

  “Coming right up,” Tyler said.

  Piper heard the pouring of more drinks. “I want another, too.”

  “So why not just tell Gram what you want?” Skye asked.

  “Because when I agreed to this, I honestly didn’t think I cared. I was never one of those girls who spent a lot of time fantasizing about my wedding. What was two weeks of crazy when the end result meant I’d be married to Myles either way?”

  Babette zipped her up and made a few adjustments.

  She stepped out of the dressing room and in front of the mirrors. “Plus, I honestly didn’t think she could pull together anything so elaborate in so short a time. Clearly, I was wrong.”

  This dress was a classic princess style, with a sweetheart neckline and miles of tulle making the skirt flare out like a bell.

  “Oh, that’s beautiful,” Leah gushed. Apparently, she’d decided to let go of her snit for now.

  She would like this dress. It strongly resembled the one she’d worn for her wedding.

  “Too floofy,” Tyler declared.

  “It’s not you,” Norah decided.

  Piper retreated back to the dressing room.

  “What exactly did you want out of a wedding?” Skye asked.

  “I wanted to elope and miss the circus entirely. Just him and me and the minister on the beach. Barefoot. Some kind of unconventional, tropical flowers in a loose bouquet. My hair down. Or maybe a partial up-do to keep it out of my face with the wind.”

  “What if you did something more vintage?” Tyler suggested. “Do your hair like you did for the show last fall. Wear something with that kind of forties glam style, like the dress you wore for the scene in The Carousel Club. You were a knockout in that.”