by Cindy Kirk
“I appreciate it.” Beck crouched down so he was face-to-face with his daughter. “You’ll be spending the night with Nana and Papa. Be a good girl. I love you.”
“I will, Daddy. I love you, too.” Sarah Rose flung her arms around him and kissed his cheek, then shot her grandfather an impish smile. “Ready to skip?”
As the two headed off, the child skipping, Steve walking, Beck smiled at Anders. “I knew I’d like being a dad. I just never realized how much.”
“You’re involved.” Piper’s eyes took on a faraway look. “That’s huge.”
They chatted for only a minute more before Beck hurried off in the direction of Muddy Boots.
“He’s a good father,” Piper murmured.
“Back in Georgia, Beck had such a hectic lifestyle.” Anders watched as his brother skirted a crowd of teenage girls. “I wondered if he’d ever be able to slow down.”
There had been a time when Anders had wondered whether he himself would ever be able to settle down in one place.
He glanced in the direction of several bright red sleighs and shifted gears. “Ever gone on a sleigh ride?”
Piper shook her head. “They’re new this year.”
He took her hand. “Let’s give it a try.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Anders slipped the carriage driver a couple of extra bills for a longer ride. When Piper pulled out her wallet, he waved the money away. “This is my treat.”
As the sleigh started moving, Anders slipped his arm around Piper’s shoulders. It was the perfect evening for such a ride. Bells jingled in the cold air, and the pleasant scent of pine wafted from the large trees flanking both sides of the road. Even better, the brisk wind had died down.
Piper glanced around as the sleigh glided easily across the snow-covered path. “This is nice. Thank you for treating me.”
“Thank you for coming with me.”
Piper settled back into the seat and snuggled against him, resting one gloved hand on his chest. “After the week I’ve had, I needed this.”
Anders cocked his head. “Things hectic at the store?”
“Black Friday and the day after were busy, but encouraging.” She shook her head. “It’s been dead since.”
He pulled her closer. Though the driver sat higher and far enough away from them to be out of earshot, Anders kept his voice low. “Is being slow normal for December?”
“No.” Piper expelled a ragged breath. “In the past, business remained fairly steady. This hasn’t been a normal year. Sales were slipping even before I left the other location.”
“Do you think it’ll improve once it gets warmer and people are out and about?”
“The problem is that buying habits have changed. More and more people do their shopping online.” Worry filled Piper’s dark eyes. “Moving away from the hustle and bustle of Main Street only made things more difficult. I don’t know how I’d have managed if David hadn’t given me a good deal on the rent for this first year.”
Anders squeezed her hand.
“I’m so far below projections,” she went on, “if I wasn’t getting the income from my sister’s wedding dress, I wouldn’t be able to pay even the reduced rent. Once the money for the gown is gone...”
Piper lapsed into silence, staring at the majestic pine trees to her right.
Anders thought about his conversation with David. He considered telling her about his plans, but hesitated.
The last thing he wanted was to make her think he was suggesting she throw in the towel, or give her the impression that other people were discussing her struggles.
“I believe everything becomes clearer in time. If it gets to a point where you can’t make rent, you deal with the problem then. In the meantime, you do the best you can.” He gave her gloved hand a reassuring squeeze. “You’re a smart and capable businesswoman. If anyone can make a go of Swoon, it’s you.”
“I appreciate the vote of confidence.”
“How’s your sister doing?” Anders was curious, but also determined to steer the conversation to a different topic.
“That’s a whole other worry.” Piper pressed her lips together for several seconds. “Little things Sasha says and does make me wonder how excited she really is about the wedding. She’s dragged her feet on this dress so long we’re at critical mass.”
“If he’s the same guy he was when he was with you, she may be having second thoughts.”
“Perhaps.” Piper’s gaze shifted as the sleigh made a slow turn and headed back toward the business district.
After a second, she heaved a sigh and returned her attention to him. “I’m going to miss you, Anders.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” He patted her knee. “I’m right here beside you.”
She chuckled, then sobered. “I wasn’t talking about right now, silly. I was referring to after Christmas when you leave.”
Anders cleared his throat. “I’ve got good news. I’ve decided to stay in Good Hope.”
Piper’s mouth dropped open.
“Stay?” Her voice pitched high. “Here? Since when? I mean, that’s wonderful.”
“I feel good about my decision.”
She flashed a brilliant smile. “What made you change your mind?”
Pleased with her reaction, he relaxed against the tufted seat. “You guessed it before. I am dipping my toe into the retail market. I’m opening a store.”
“Really?” Puzzlement replaced the delight in her eyes. Her brows pulled together. “All the times we’ve spoken about my shop, you never mentioned you were interested in going into retail yourself.”
“Well, I’m not thinking about selling dresses.” His tone turned teasing. “Though if you want to design a wet suit with a skirt, I’ll happily support you.”
“A wet suit?” Piper inclined her head, and Anders could almost see the wheels turning in her head. “You’re going to sell sporting goods?”
“You’re headed in the right direction.” Just the thought of the business had excitement spilling into his voice. “I’m looking to open an outfitter operation. One with rentals, excursions and a retail store with clothing and accessories.”
She did a double blink. “Sounds as if you’ve really thought this through.”
“When I took that family-reunion group cross-country skiing, it struck me how much I love teaching and being outdoors. I’ve grown tired of the wandering, of never belonging anywhere. Good Hope is different than anywhere I’ve lived. I feel like I’m finally home.”
It sounded silly, especially considering all the years he’d spent in the South. Still, he could think of no better way to describe how he knew—just knew—Good Hope was where he was meant to put down roots.
A look of understanding filled Piper’s eyes. “I still have friends back in Georgia. My family is all there. Yet, when I had the opportunity to start a business, I chose Good Hope.”
He smiled. “Great minds think alike.”
“I have so many questions I don’t know where to start.” She gave a little laugh. “Where will you locate your store? Where will you live?”
“There are several possibilities for locations, but I haven’t found the perfect one.” Anders chose his words carefully. “As far as living accommodations, I haven’t given that any thought. Everything is still up in the air.”
The end of the ride was in sight. While so much was unclear, one thing Anders knew for certain.
Leaving Piper was not an option.
“So, you don’t think it’s a little weird that he never mentioned to me he’s interested in retail?” Piper called out to Bea from the dressing room. Desperate to get Sasha’s dress finished, but with her sister not here, Piper’s only choice was to be her own mannequin and make alterations later.
Thankfully, Bea had agreed to pop over from Book & Cup to help her while a few ladies from one of the book clubs held down the fort.
“Maybe a little weird,” Bea called back, “but maybe he’s the type who needs
to sit with an idea until it’s almost complete before he starts talking about it. Or maybe he didn’t want to burden you with questions when you’ve got so much on your plate.”
“But he asks me questions about Swoon all the time. He asks lots of questions and always seems genuinely interested in my answers. It’s one of the things I like about him.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing, but if you’re concerned, why not just ask him?” Bea’s response was punctuated by a ping from her phone. “Piper, are you almost ready? Etta just texted me from the store. I need to get back.”
Piper looked at the dress. It should have been tight, but it fit her perfectly. “Sorry. I’m coming.”
Still frowning, Piper stepped out of the dressing room. “Sasha must have given me the wrong numbers, or I wrote them down wrong. These are more my measurements than hers.”
“It looks amazing on you.” Anders stood in the center aisle of the quiet store, wiry hair peeking out from under a ski cap. He gazed at her with a look on his face akin to awe. “Simply amazing.”
Piper stared at him, shocked. He must have walked into the store while she was changing.
Bea stepped from behind the counter and rushed over to her. “Oh, Piper, the dress is perfect for you.”
Piper held up a hand. “Thank you both for the kind words, but this is Sasha’s dress. The way it fits me tells me it’s not going to fit her properly.”
“It’s still gorgeous, and I love it.” Bea squeezed her shoulder. “Sasha is going to love it, too. I know she will.”
Bea started toward the door.
“Hey,” Piper called out. “I still need to get out of this.”
“Etta said there’s a delivery that I need to sign for.” Bea jerked a thumb in Anders’s direction. “This guy volunteered to watch the store.”
When Piper said nothing, Bea cocked her head. “You don’t mind if I leave, do you?”
Piper shook herself from her stupor. “Of course I don’t mind. Go. Get your delivery. I’m going to get out of this dress.”
She made the mistake of glancing at Anders after Bea scurried out the door.
His eyes were dark with desire, and she had a feeling she knew what was on his mind. Because it was on her mind, too.
He stepped to her. “Did I hear you say you need help getting undressed?”
At five, Piper left to meet Charlotte just inside the town hall. Every year, Good Hope had a gingerbread house competition, and for two days, citizens could walk through the rows of entries, for a nominal fee, and vote for their favorites. Door prizes were given away every hour, and food and beverage vendors could sell their wares.
As Piper and Charlotte were both working on Saturday, they had decided to meet up and do a walk-through once Charlotte finished with her last appointment at five.
“I just realized,” concern filled Charlotte’s eyes, “that your store is usually open until six. I hope you didn’t have to get someone to cover the last hour.”
Piper gave a snort of laughter. “Hardly. Why pay someone to stand around? Other than Black Friday, I can’t recall the last time I had a customer come in between five and six. Next week, I’ll be changing my closing time to three.”
“Is business that bad?”
“Worse.” Piper sighed.
“Think you’ll be able to turn it around?”
They paused in front of a red gingerbread barn complete with a rooster in the upper window and a perky wreath over the barn door.
“I’m afraid that would take a miracle. I’m not seeing any miracles in my future.” Piper kept her voice matter-of-fact as she smiled at the sheep and cows in the replica’s surrounding yard.
“Is there anything I can do?” Charlotte barely glanced at the next display, a gingerbread cabin complete with antlers made from pretzels over the front door.
“No. But thank you for caring.” Piper let out a shuddering breath. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. I’m going to speak with David and see what it would take to get released from my lease.”
“I thought you said the money from making your sister’s dress would tide you over.” Charlotte kept her voice low at the sight of Anita Fishback standing several feet away, frowning at a dilapidated gingerbread house covered in graffiti that had “trash” in its yard.
“It will help me get through this month. But there will be costs with closing down the store, so I’ll need the extra. If David won’t let me out of the lease, well, I’ll deal with that at the time.”
Charlotte’s hand closed around her arm. “Let’s go speak with Bea right now. Clay will go to his brother and—”
“No.” Piper shook her head. “I’m not involving them in this. This is business. It’s my concern. Not anyone else’s.”
“What about Anders?”
Piper inclined her head. Usually, she was pretty good at following shifts in conversation. Not this time. “What about him?”
“What does he think you should do?”
“I haven’t asked him. He knows the store is struggling, but I don’t believe he knows how close I am to closing the doors.”
“That’s strange.”
“It’s my business, Charlotte, not his.”
Though Charlotte’s expression remained doubtful, she hoped for a change of subject. As they wove their way through the tables of exhibits, Piper tried to imagine her life without Swoon.
From the moment she’d first started working in retail, having her own store had been her goal. Her dream.
Well, she’d fulfilled that dream. Now she was going to have to let it go and move on.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Though Piper hadn’t thought it possible, business on Thursday ended up being worse than it’d been on Wednesday. Only one person walked through the front door the entire day. The lack of customers at a time when the store should be bustling with happy Christmas shoppers fueled Piper’s belief that the writing was on the wall.
As soon as she closed the store, Piper went to her sewing machine, intending to work on Sasha’s dress. She couldn’t summon the energy. Deciding to call it a day, she climbed the stairs to her apartment. Once there, she downed a couple ibuprofen, hoping to quell the headache forming behind her left eye.
She grabbed a cola and guzzled it, another trick from the past. Coupling caffeine with the pills seemed to have a synergistic effect.
When her phone pinged, she didn’t lift her head from the back of the sofa. She knew Anders was busy helping Beck and Ami get ready for the upcoming Victorian Home Tour.
Beck and Ami’s home was one of the most popular, and homeowners decorated their houses and dressed in period costumes for the event.
Anders had invited Piper to help out, but she’d already made plans with Charlotte this afternoon. Even if she had been available, she wouldn’t have been any help with this headache.
The phone pinged again. This time, Piper reached over and tipped the screen. Sasha.
Only the fact that she’d left three messages for her sister in the past two days and hadn’t gotten a return call had her accepting the FaceTime request.
“Hi, Sasha. I appreciate you calling me back.”
“Piper.” Her name came out on a strangled breath.
Piper jerked upright, the sudden movement sending sharp bursts of pain bouncing like ping-pong balls in her head. Placing a hand to her throbbing head, she blinked Sasha into focus and saw her reddened face and swollen eyes.
“What’s wrong?” Piper’s breath caught. “Did something happen to Mom or Dad?”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Sasha’s question barely registered.
“Tell you what? Is something wrong with Mom or Dad?” Piper demanded with more urgency.
“They’re fine,” Sasha snapped. “Answer the question.”
“I don’t understand what you’re asking.”
“Why didn’t you tell me Heath cheated on you? Or did you plan to keep your little secret forever?”
The room began to spin. Piper closed her eyes. Big mistake. Opening them, she swallowed against the bile rising in her throat and fought for calm.
“If the situation was reversed, wouldn’t that be something you’d want to know?” Sasha demanded.
Piper cleared her throat. “I hoped he would be different with you.”
The excuse, while true, sounded lame even to her own ears. But she didn’t add her other reasons. Sasha probably wouldn’t have believed her, and Piper hadn’t wanted to jeopardize their warming relationship. And for all she knew, Heath actually loved Sasha, like he hadn’t loved Piper. “How did you find out?”
“Dad told me. Taking Heath with him to Hilton Head wasn’t simply a guys’ trip.” Sasha swiped at her eyes. “Apparently, Dad ran into Heath at an Atlanta restaurant while Heath was getting cozy with another woman. Heath claimed she was a business associate. Dad didn’t buy it.”
Piper wasn’t surprised. When they’d been growing up, their dad had always been able to spot the guys with less-than-honorable intentions wanting to date his daughters.
“Dad was determined to discover the truth,” Sasha went on. “That’s the reason for the golf weekend in Hilton Head.” She took a steadying breath. “The Friday after Thanksgiving, they played three rounds, then finished off the day with dinner at the club. After several drinks, Dad confronted Heath about cheating. Heath assumed Dad got his info from you and accused you of spreading lies. Dad didn’t know what he was talking about, but rolled with it.”
Sasha paused to take another shaky breath.
Piper stayed silent, giving her sister room to say what she needed to say.
“Heath said he knew the story you were telling everyone and insisted that you didn’t walk in on him with another woman. He said you were trying to sabotage our engagement because you’re jealous and angry that he chose me over you.”
“Sasha—”
“I’m not done.” Sasha’s tone turned to ice. . Heath made it clear he’s never cheated on me, but Dad gave Heath two weeks to speak with me about what happened between you and him. If he didn’t, Dad would tell me what he knew.”
