by A. M. Myers
Piper
I barely resist the urge to chuck my phone across the room and toss it onto the desk instead. Why the fuck do I even still have it? When I first got that email, I thought it was a joke and sent her an email back telling her she wasn’t funny but the next day, there was no reply and the day after that, still nothing. I lost my shit and three other guys had to drag me back to my rack where I spent the night imagining all sorts of scenarios where my wife had been kidnapped or something. The next day, I called my dad and asked him to go check in on her. He drove all night and when he got to our house in North Carolina, he found it empty and all her stuff gone. Truthfully, I still didn’t believe it. I knew there had to be some kind of explanation but when I came home from deployment six months later and walked into that house, it hit me like a ton of fucking bricks. At first glance, it looked almost exactly like I left it but when I started going through things and noticed her clothes missing along with the few mementos that were most important to her, it really drove home the fact that she was gone. The thing that really took it over the top for me, though, was her wedding ring sitting on the kitchen table with a note that just said, “I’m sorry.”
As I stare at the papers, I swear I can feel her here with me, like she is just in the next room or standing over my shoulder with that sweet smile on her face and I shake my head. She is a ghost in my heart, pieces of her embedded in my soul that I’ll never be able to get rid of, and I have to wonder if all this dating I’m doing is pointless. Could I ever really find the kind of connection I had with Piper? Do people get more than one of those in a lifetime?
Glancing at my watch, I whisper a curse. My dinner date with Violet is in fifteen minutes and I was already running late when these damn papers caught my attention and now I’m stuck here, unable to pull myself away from her.
How fitting…
Can someone who is still alive even haunt you? She sure as hell feels like a ghost in this house and in my life but she is still very much alive. At least, I think she is. She sure as fuck was four years ago when she sent these papers. Shaking my head, I run my hand through my hair and drop my gaze to the bottom of the paper where I’m supposed to sign.
Jesus Christ.
What the hell is wrong with me?
Why haven’t I ever gotten around to signing these damn things?
Standing up, I grab a pen off of the desk and position it above the dotted line as I read over the first page. My gaze gets stuck on Petition for Divorce printed at the top and I suck in a breath, my mind going back to the same question I’ve been asking for ten years. Why?
Just sign the goddamn papers, Landry.
Get this shit over with… finally.
My heart races as I lower the pen to the paper but before I can sign my name, my phone pings with an incoming text and I drop the pen like it’s on fire before grabbing my phone with a sigh.
Violet:
Running a little late but
on my way now
“Shit,” I hiss as I turn away from the papers and grab my keys off of the counter before turning back to glance at them one more time.
Whatever.
The goddamn papers are just going to have to wait until I get back.
As I leave the apartment and walk out to my bike, I try to push thoughts of Piper and our divorce out of my mind. It would be nice if I could go on one motherfucking date without thinking about my ex-wife first. Is that too much to ask?
Climbing on my bike, I start it and some of my stress melts away as the engine rumbles to life beneath me and I check the address of the steakhouse Violet wanted to meet at before pulling away from the curb. I don’t know much about Violet since we only talked long enough to realize that we both wanted to go out and get to know each other better but she seems cool and she’s fucking gorgeous, based on the photos she had on her profile. Hopefully, this one goes better than the last or I really will just delete that damn account and say “fuck it” on the whole wife and family thing. Like I said, maybe people don’t get more than one soul mate in their life and despite it all, I still believe Piper was that for me. But that doesn’t mean that everything will work out and you get the happily ever after. And it sure as hell doesn’t mean that I have to be miserable for the rest of my life… right?
Driving through the streets of downtown Baton Rouge with the wind in my hair, I imagine what my life might have been like if I’d never married Piper, if we had just drifted apart after graduation but the more I try to picture it, the harder and harder it is to see. What she and I had… there was no way we would have just drifted apart. Which leaves me wondering yet again, what the hell happened in that six months I was gone to make her throw everything away but I know I’ll never get the answers to those questions. She made damn sure of that when she walked out of my life with nothing more than a half explanation and a shitty ass apology.
As I pull into the parking lot of the steakhouse, I pull into a spot near the back of the lot away from other cars and push my ex-wife out of my mind once and for all. Or, at least, try to. Like I said, she’s fucking persistent and if I haven’t been able to accomplish it in the last ten years, I don’t know what it will take to finish the job. But I can attempt to forget about her for the next couple hours, at least, so I don’t ruin this date. Shoving my hands in my pockets, I walk across the lot and stop next to the front door of the steakhouse, leaning back against the building where Violet and I agreed to meet. As I wait, my mind drifts back to my last date and I blow out a breath as I shake my head. Maybe I should have taken a page out of Shiloh’s book and asked Violet what she was looking for before we ever agreed to meet. The last thing I want to do is have an amazing date and see a future with someone only to find out they aren’t looking for a relationship.
Sighing, my gaze wanders around the parking lot and when I still don’t see her or the red dress she told me she would be wearing, I pull my phone out of my pocket and check for another message from her but there are no notifications.
“Wyatt?”
My head jerks up and I blink in surprise as a leggy brunette walks toward me, her red sundress swishing back and forth with the sway of her hips and her dark hair tumbling over her shoulder. The red lipstick she’s wearing conjures up images of her on her knees in front of me and she flashes me a smile.
Fuck.
She’s gorgeous.
“You are Wyatt, aren’t you?” she asks, her voice a mixture of nerves and playfulness and I nod dumbly as I push off the wall and scoff at how completely hopeless I am.
“Yeah, I am. It’s really nice to meet you.”
“You, too,” she answers, her gaze raking over me slowly before she glances over at the door to the restaurant. “Shall we?”
Nodding, I close the distance between us and place my hand at the small of her back before leading her inside. We stop at the hostess stand and a teenage girl with braces smiles up at us.
“Name?”
“Landry,” I answer and she glances down, scanning her list for my reservation before nodding and grabbing two menus from the shelf behind her.
“Follow me, please.”
Violet peeks over her shoulder, a coy smile on her face and our eyes meet. A blush creeps up her cheeks as she turns away from me and my dick takes notice immediately. Okay, this is definitely going better than the last time. The hostess leads us to an intimate little table in the back and I smile, pulling Violet’s chair out for her before taking my own seat. After the hostess hands us the menus and promises to be back in a minute with a pitcher of water, I turn to Violet.
“So…” I mutter, my brain shorting out as I try to come up with something to say. She giggles and glances down at her menu before meeting my gaze again.
“I have this theory. You want to hear it?”
I nod. “Absolutely.”
“I think if something is awkward, like first dates,” she continues, motioning between us. “Then if you just say it’s awkward, you steal its power.”
/> “Ah, I see. So if I just say, ‘goddamn, first dates are awkward as hell’…”
She nods. “Then, viola, no more awkwardness.”
“You know what? I think it’s working,” I tell her with a laugh, feeling my body release some tension and she smiles as she leans forward and props her elbow on the table and resting her chin in her hand.
“See? Like magic.”
“I’m impressed.”
The hostess interrupts us before she can say anything else, dropping off a basket of rolls and a pitcher of water before assuring us our waitress will be by in a minute. Once she’s gone, Violet flashes me an expectant look.
“Give me one random fact about you, Wyatt.”
I arch a brow as my mind goes blank. “Uh, like what?”
“Too vague?” she asks and I nod. “Okay. How about this, what do you do for a living?”
“I’m a private investigator and a member of the Bayou Devils MC.”
“Oh, I’ve heard of you guys! You help women in domestic violence situations, right?”
I nod, grabbing a roll from the basket and slathering it in butter. “Yeah. What about you? What do you do for a living?”
“I’m a cosmetologist but I don’t really consider it work since I love it so much.”
I nod as a waitress stops at our table and flashes us a smile. “Good evening, you two. I’m Kelly and I’ll be taking care of you tonight. Can I get you started with a beer or glass of wine, maybe?”
“I’ll take a glass of red wine,” Violet says and Kelly turns to me.
“A beer, please.”
She nods, slipping her pen and notepad back into her pocket. “I’ll be right back with those.”
“So,” Violet says as soon as she leaves. “We’ve covered what you do but what else can I ask you? Hmm…”
Leaning back in my seat, I cross my arms over my chest and watch her run through all the questions she’s been thinking of all damn day with a smile on my face. Finally, she meets my gaze.
“How old are you?”
I arch a brow. “Is it important?”
“No,” she answers with a shrug, a lighthearted smile on her face. “Just curious but now that you won’t answer, I’m a little concerned.”
“Well, there’s no big mystery. It’s just a number.”
She narrows her eyes but they still dance with playfulness. “If it’s just a number, why won’t you tell me?”
“Because you’re so damn cute when you’re suspicious.”
Her lips part and a blush stains her cheeks as she pulls her gaze away from me. “Oh.”
“But, to answer your question, I’m thirty. Now it’s your turn.”
“Oh, Wyatt,” she whispers, shaking her head as her eyes connect with mine. “Don’t you know it’s rude to ask a woman’s age?”
I shrug. “So I’m rude, then. And see, now I’m concerned since you won’t tell me.”
“I’m younger than you,” she answers and I lean forward, narrowing my eyes and pretending to study her.
“Please tell me you’re at least eighteen.”
A laugh bubbles out of her. “Flattery will get you everywhere, sir.”
The waitress stops next to the table, interrupting our banter and after passing both of us our drinks, she pulls the notepad and pen out of her apron again.
“Y’all ready to order?”
Shit.
I haven’t even glanced at the menu.
“I’ll just get the steak,” I tell her, guessing it is a pretty safe bet for a steakhouse and she nods as she jots it down in her notepad.
“How would you like that cooked?”
“Rare.”
She nods. “And your sides?”
“Potatoes and whatever vegetable you’ve got.”
Kelly turns to Violet, who slaps her menu shut. “I’ll get a half rack of ribs with a salad and mac and cheese.”
Once Kelly leaves to give our orders to the kitchen, Violet leans back in her seat and studies me as her fingers drum against the table top.
“Come on now, darlin’. I know you’ve got more questions brewing in your pretty little head.”
She nods. “Okay, but remember you asked for it… Have you ever been married?”
“Yes,” I answer, nodding my head as Piper’s face pops into my mind. She nods, looking a little more apprehensive than she was a moment ago. Shit. I knew Piper was going to ruin this damn date.
“How long ago?”
I scrub my hand over my jaw. “Ten years ago.”
“Oh, wow,” she says as her eyes widen. “You were young.”
“I was.”
“High school sweethearts?” she asks and I nod, that all too familiar pain reaching back into my chest and constricting my heart.
“Yep.”
She studies me for a moment before letting out a sigh. “Are you still in love with her?”
“No,” I scoff, shaking my head. “Definitely not.”
“Look, Wyatt… I’m not going to be mad if you are but I’m also not willing to invest myself into a relationship with someone who is still hanging onto feelings for someone else so just be upfront with me.”
“My wife left me for another man when I was deployed,” I tell her, pain ripping itself through my body as those memories come rushing back. “So the subject is not one of my favorites but I haven’t seen her in ten years.”
She breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank God.”
“Now it’s my turn to ask you an uncomfortable question.”
“Shoot,” she answers, nodding her head. Shit… do I really want to ask her this and potentially ruin this when it’s going so well? Then again, I certainly don’t want to get to the end of the date only to realize she’s just looking to head back to my place for a one-night stand.
“What are you looking for? ‘Cause I gotta be honest, I’m kind of over casual.”
Nodding, she lifts her wine glass and takes a sip before setting it back on the table. “I’m not looking for something casual either. I had my fun but I’m ready to settle down with someone special.”
“Since you asked about my past,” I prompt, toying with the beer bottle in front of me. “I have to pass the same question off to you.”
“Have I ever been married?” she asks and I nod. She shakes her head. “No. Came close once but things didn’t work out.”
“I’m sorry,” I tell her because it seems like the right thing to say. She smiles.
“Don’t be. I was heartbroken at the time but I realized that it was for the best. He and I wanted different things from life and it wouldn’t have been fair to either of us to go through with the wedding.”
I nod. “How long has it been?”
“Eighteen months.”
Sucking in a breath, I lift my beer bottle off of the table and take a sip as thoughts race through my mind. What the hell does it say about me that, after ten years, I’m still reliving my breakup with Piper and asking myself “what-if” when she split from her fiancé only eighteen months ago and she has already come through the other side?
“Okay, so what else should I know about you?” she asks, pulling my focus back to her as she arches a brow and takes a sip of her wine. “Do you have any kids?”
I shake my head as my chest aches. “No. I can’t wait to have a couple rug rats, though.”
“Oh,” she whispers, her smile falling away as pain streaks across her face for a second before she gets it under control. “Well, shit.”
“What is it?”
Sighing, she sets her wine glass down on the table. “That’s the reason my ex and I split. He wanted to have kids and I… don’t.”
Well, shit.
“And this was going so well,” she says, pain in her voice and when I meet her eyes, she blinks away tears. I drop my head as my stomach tightens and my limbs feel heavy. “I’m so sorry. I have to go.”
Without another word, she grabs her bag and stands up, not even sparing me a glance as she marche
s toward the front door with determination in every step. I shake my head and scrub my hand over my face before grabbing my bottle of beer and chugging half of it.
“Oh,” someone says and I glance up. The waitress stands next to our table with a tray in her hand.
“Could you just throw those in boxes and I’ll take it to go?”
She flashes me a sympathetic look. “Sure, sweetie.”
While she hurries off to fulfill my request, I lean back in my seat and finish off my beer before gazing out at the rest of the dining room. The couple at the table across from me keep looking over at me with sympathy on their faces but I ignore them as I start picking at the label on my beer bottle.
God, this is so fucking stupid.
My mind goes back to earlier when I promised myself if this date didn’t work out, I would delete my account and I pull my phone out of my pocket to do just that when I see the message from a woman named Eden.
Jesus Christ.
Apparently I’m a complete idiot because as I read her cute little introductory message, I can’t help but wonder if I should keep trying. I mean, yeah, dates one and two didn’t end well but I was really starting to like Violet and I think there could have been something there if the whole kids thing hadn’t gotten in the way.
Shit…
Am I really going to keep doing this?
Isn’t this the goddamn definition of insanity?
Staring at her message, I shake my head and click reply as every cell in my body screams that it’s a bad idea but I can’t stop now. Not when it feels like maybe I was finally getting somewhere.
Besides, third time’s the charm, right?
Chapter Six
Piper
“Good morning,” Eden practically sings as she breezes into the office and I turn in my chair, arching a brow as I raise my coffee cup to my lips and take a sip. What the hell is she so cheery about this morning? Eden usually isn’t much of a morning person. She points to the steaming mug in my hand. “Please tell me there’s more of that.”
I nod as I study her. “In the back.”
