by Harlow James
“She hates me, Birdie,” I finally whisper, turning my attention back to my painting.
“No, I don’t think she does, Cash. I think she’s frustrated with the only side of you that she’s seen. Why not show her the man you truly are? The man I raised you to be…”
I twist my head back to her, swallowing hard as I watch her face soften. Knowing she’s right, I grab her hand and give her a reassuring squeeze, letting her know I hear her, but I can’t talk about this anymore around all of these people.
“Everyone has a part of them they reserve for only a select few to see. Maybe Piper is one of those people that deserves that part of you.” Her gentle smile hits me hard in the chest before she turns back to her painting and the conversation ends.
We sit next to each other in silence for the rest of the activity, only occasionally speaking in regards to the picture as Birdie’s words swirl around in my brain. By the time we finish, I’m pleased with how well my painting turned out. I don’t normally consider myself a very artistic person, but Piper made the picture easy to recreate and by the looks on everyone’s faces in the room, I’d say she did a fantastic job making everyone feel like a Picasso for the evening.
“Alright everyone, that’s it! Thank you so much for hanging out with me. If you could fill out the comment cards before you leave to give to Terrence, I would appreciate it so much,” she addresses the room as the crowd breaks out into a subtle applause. “Oh, you guys are too sweet. Thank you. I really had a wonderful time.” She flashes her brilliant smile before her eyes land on me, and a nervous look takes over her face as she turns away and begins to clean up her station.
As I help Birdie and Samuel put away their brushes, dump their water dishes in the sink, and throw their paper plates full of paint in the trash, I sneak glances at Piper, contemplating Birdie’s words.
Can I show her the other side to me? Do I even know who that is? Birdie is the only person I have ever been myself with, but Piper makes me want to be more transparent—the desperation I feel to prove to her that I’m not just an ass that dates women based on a bet or fucks them and doesn’t care about them otherwise is so strong, it rattles my usual confidence. Do I want Piper to see that part of me, the not so confident man that she’s turned me into? Can I share pieces of myself with a woman when I’ve never had the desire to before? I’ve always just been the flirt, the cocky sheriff that had ladies lined up waiting for their turn for a ride. But this woman doesn’t want me, even though the way she kissed me back says otherwise. And fuck if that makes me want her even more. This is new for me, and I don’t know how to get her to see that there’s a change happening inside of me that she’s responsible for, and I sure as fuck don’t know how to handle it.
I’m suddenly very aware of my tongue and I can feel sweat rolling down my back.
“Go help her, Cash,” Birdie whispers in my ear as I hug her goodbye. Samuel stands by her side and urges me with a confident nod.
“She’s something else, Cash. Don’t let that one slip away if you feel more,” he says and then grabs Birdie’s hand as they glide out of the craft room, leaving just a few more people and Piper behind.
Turning back to find her, I notice her stacking paint bottles back in the cupboard stationed in the corner of the room.
“Here, let me help you.” I stride up next to her a little too enthusiastically, but I flash her my best panty-melting grin as I grab a few bottles and line them up by color the way she already started.
“Uh, thanks.” She shoots me an inquisitive look and then continues to clean up. The last few members exit the room, leaving the two of us alone.
“You did great, tonight. I’ve never done that before, but I definitely enjoyed it. You’re a natural,” I offer, hoping a compliment not laced with flirtation will help me here.
“Oh. Thank you. I used to volunteer back home and taught painting, but it had been a while. I was actually quite nervous,” she says as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, smoothing blue paint that was left on her finger over the chunk of hair.
“Shit. You just got paint in your hair,” I chuckle, reaching for a napkin and then stroking the strands in an attempt to remove the glob, effectively giving her a dye job in the process. The blue hue covers her strands as I wipe, making her look more like a Smurf, but the bulk of the paint is gone.
“Crap. Well, I tried to make it better.”
Piper brushes my hand away. “It’s fine, it will wash out. But thank you,” she peers up at me beneath those dark lashes and her brilliant blue eyes draw me into her again for the hundredth time since I met her. All I can think about is kissing her again. Is she thinking about that too?
“No problem. Well, looks like everything’s clean. Anything else I can help you with?”
With a furrow of her brow, she cocks her head and then hits me with her concern. “What’s wrong with you? Why are you acting so nice and helping me? Shouldn’t you be mad at me for smacking you? Or better yet, shouldn’t you be rushing out to Tony’s to pick up your next conquest?”
“Well, you did give me a false diagnosis of Chlamydia, which I’m sure Misty has spread around… so the likelihood of nailing down a woman in the near future is probably pretty slim.” Besides that, the only woman who makes me hard anymore is standing right in front of me.
“Well, karma always comes back around,” she replies, clearly still pleased with her stunt she pulled last week.
“I have to admit, I was pretty impressed with your boldness. And, if it makes you feel any better, you made me feel like an ass.”
“Yes, that actually does make me feel better.”
“Look, I don’t usually go out with women based on a bet. It was a stupid thing that Cooper and I did in the moment months ago, but it’s not my normal behavior, okay?”
Piper shoots me a lift of her eyebrow. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you don’t like the fact that I call you on your bullshit. Why do you care what I think of you, anyway?”
I sigh. “I’ve been asking myself that same question for weeks. Look, all I know is that I want to start over. We’ve clearly gotten off on the wrong foot, and you think one way of me. But I assure you, that’s not the only version of me there is.”
“Does this have something to do with what Birdie said to you earlier? Who, by the way, is one of the sweetest old women I’ve ever met.”
I can’t help the nostalgic smile that graces my lips when I hear Piper talk about Birdie. “Yeah, Birdie is the best.”
“She said you were her son… and I’m not gonna lie, I’m kind of confused,” she chuckles.
“Well, obviously she’s not my biological mother. But that woman is my mom in every other sense of the word.”
I watch a piece of Piper’s armor fall away as I start to open up to her, offering her a piece of me that no one else knows about—not even Cooper.
“Well, I feel like there’s definitely a story there,” she says, reaching down for her canvas bag and hoisting it up on her shoulder.
“Yes, there is… maybe one we could talk about more over dinner some day?” Am I actually asking this woman out right now? Fuck, I think I am and I want her to say yes more than makes me feel comfortable to admit.
“Whoa there, Deputy. Let’s not jump in with both feet so fast. You may be surprising me right now with how nonabrasive you’re being and helping me clean up, but being a decent human being for five minutes is not enough for me to agree to a date with you.”
“Man, denying me again, huh? I think that’s twice now you’ve stabbed me in the heart, Piper,” I joke, using my humor to deflect the letdown I feel. “But I do know that when I kissed you the other night, you kissed me back, so you obviously don’t hate me as much as you want me to believe you do.”
She pats me playfully on the chest as she passes by, headed for the door. “I think you’ll be alright. You can find someone else to build your ego back up for now.”
“I don’t want anyone else to r
epair it. I think if you’re doing the damage, it should be you doing the healing too. You do have magical healing powers, you know, being a nurse and all.”
Her only response is a laugh as I watch her ass while she walks away from me.
I follow her out the door as she turns back to see me trailing her. “What are you doing?”
“I’m walking you to your car.”
“I’m a big girl, I can do that myself.”
“I don’t care how much of a badass you think you are, Piper. It’s dark and you’re a woman walking to her car alone. I’m not going to leave until I know that you’re safely inside.” This protective instinct comes out of nowhere, although I would do that for any lady. But the rush of possessiveness I feel for making sure Piper is safe is a surge that almost knocks me down.
“Well, okay then. Thank you.” She opens the trunk when we arrive at her car to place her bag inside, fetching her phone from it first, before she slams the lid shut.
“I’m gonna wear you down, Piper. There’s nothing I love more than proving someone wrong,” I say, placing my hands in the pockets of my jeans so I’m not tempted to reach out and touch her, pull her into me and slam our lips together again. Does she want that? With the way she’s been sneaking glances at my lips while we talk, I think her mind is in the same place as mine.
“See, that’s the problem. I’m a challenge to you, Cash, a conquest. I’m probably one of the first women to say no to you and you don’t know how to handle that. Am I right?” She shakes her head with disappointment before turning to open her car door to leave.
Fuck if this woman isn’t just as perceptive as Birdie, calling me out on my shit so honestly, it makes me hard. Thank God my hands are in my pants so I can discretely adjust myself. Think, Cash. Show her something, anything to convince her otherwise. Something that gives her a glimpse of the other side of you.
“I moved to Emerson Falls to be closer to Birdie.”
“Huh?” Piper tilts her head back to face me as I continue to speak.
“Birdie was my housekeeper/nanny growing up. My parents had money and we lived in a rich town and surrounded ourselves with other families where appearances were everything. My mom and dad barely showed me attention, especially as I got older, so most of my time was spent with Birdie. She was more of a parent to me than either of my biological parents were. Before I graduated from high school, Birdie had already decided to retire in Oregon, so I chose a college down here, away from Washington, where I’m from, and I followed her. I graduated, joined the academy, and applied for a position in Emerson Falls to be close to her. She is my family, the only person who matters to me in this world, and that’s why I’m here.”
By the time I’m done speaking, I feel like I need to catch my breath. I’ve never told anyone that, and by the look on Piper’s face, I’d say she’s just as shocked by the truth that came out of my mouth as I am.
“Wow. That’s…”
“That’s me. I may be crass and cocky and a shameless flirt, Piper… but I’m loyal to a fault. And hell if I know, but there is something about you that I’m drawn to. You’re beautiful and smart, caring and confident. You’ve captivated me from the moment I met you. I know you’ve seen some not so pleasant sides to me, but you are more than just a challenge, Piper. I have this inherent need to show you that I’m not this asshole you think I am. And all I’m asking for is a chance.” I feel like my heart is going to pound out of my chest with my words. I’ve just bared an honest part of me to someone I don’t even know, yet it feels right to give her that truth.
Piper faces me completely now, her body lining up to mine. She takes a few steps, landing so closely before me that her breasts are brushing against my chest, her arm rising as her palm lands softly on my cheek—quite a difference from the slap she gave me a few nights ago.
“Cash… you are…” she starts and then closes her eyes while she contemplates her next words. When her eyes finally pop back open, she continues. “Thank you for sharing that with me, sincerely. I’m shocked by your story and how strongly you love Birdie, and it definitely makes me see you in a different light. But you are a complication, a glitch in my plan, my reason for being here. I appreciate your honesty, but I’m sorry. Nothing can happen between us. I know we kissed a few nights ago, and it was… something else,” she shakes her head, shutting her eyes again at the memory. “But I just don’t think this is a good idea. Good night.” She drops her hand from my face and then steps back, reaching for her handle, opening her door, and sliding inside her car.
I watch her drive away, a dull ache in my chest as I process her words and mine, the words I’ve never uttered to another soul. But I don’t feel regret. No. I feel open for the first time in my life. Never have I felt the urge to bare a part of my life to another soul, and Piper gave me that. She may say that nothing can happen, but I felt her internal war, her struggle to put her desires before whatever it is that she is fighting.
I’m a complication? A complication to what? I can sense her fear—there’s something she’s scared of, and I don’t just think it’s me. Her words should make me want to retreat, throw my hands up and walk away from the puzzle Piper is proving to be. But all they did was light a fire under my ass to wear her down even more.
Chapter 10
Piper
Six Months Earlier
“Mason? Are you home?”
Stepping inside the colonial-style beach house that Mason’s parents purchased for us in the Hamptons as an engagement present, I twist my head in search of my fiancé. White-paneled wood covers the walls on the outside of the structure while the dark grey roof and royal blue shutters offer pops of color. Inside, the house feels open and airy, complementary to the beach landscape right outside of the French doors that lead to the back of the property. Canvas portraits of Mason and I from throughout the years adorn the walls and light grey and blue accents complete the space.
I listen for a response, but silence fills the home, the place I expect to return to every day for the rest of our lives, a thought that should bring me more excitement but somehow falls flat. It’s not that I don’t love Mason, I do. But lately, something feels off. Of course, my head has been buried in books and studying for my NCLEX exam for the past few months, so my attention has been elsewhere. I just need to focus more on our relationship, which will be much easier to do once my exam is done. In fact, I’m almost finished with a prep course one of my instructors from nursing school suggested. Desperately feeling like I needed to invest some time into my relationship, I rushed home to spend the night with my fiancé, hoping to reconnect and bring our dull romance back to life.
“No, please. Just… give me some more time…”
The rumble of Mason’s voice pulls my attention to the hall where I can sense that Mason is inside of his office, most likely on the phone.
“I know. I owe you a lot… but, I need a few more weeks to come up with it.”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I tiptoe down the hardwood, landing gently in front of his office to press my ears close to the door to listen better, all the while attempting not to make a sound so he doesn’t know I’m overhearing a conversation I suspect I shouldn’t be a part of.
“I don’t have any more money. I’m tapped out….” Silence fills the air before he finally shouts, “Christ, okay! Listen, I may be able to get some money from my fiancé’s family… does the last name Winters ring a bell?”
My parents? Money? What the hell is going on?
“Yes, that’s right. I’m engaged to their daughter… give me a day or two and I’ll have it.” I hear a ruffle of papers being shifted across his desk, followed by footsteps. Shit, he’s moving. I can’t let him know I heard him, although I’m thoroughly confused by what I heard.
Shuffling down the hallway, I head for the kitchen, willing my heart to slow down as I pretend to wash dishes to keep me busy. My pulse is frantic, my head is spinning. Why on earth would Mason need money? And wh
y would he mention my family to the person he was talking to? I mean, my parents are very wealthy, there’s no question about that. My father’s investment firm is one of the most successful on the east coast, but Mason’s parents are equally wealthy as mine. His father owns a real estate company where Mason also works, specializing in commercial properties in Manhattan, but branching out all over northern New York. Did Mason do something within the company that requires him to borrow money from my parents, no less? I have so many questions, and no idea how to even approach the subject.
The click of his shoes alerts me to his arrival, followed by the surprise in his voice. “Hey, babe. I didn’t know you were home. How did your class go?” He strides up behind me, his hands encircling my hips as he presses a kiss to my temple.
“Oh, really well. I can’t wait to just take this test already and be done. I missed you. How was your day?” I ask, avoiding his eyes and hoping he’ll share some morsel of the stress I heard earlier in his conversation.
“No complaints. Busy as usual. Landing clients and closing deals. Are you hungry? We should go into the city for dinner.” The calm he exhibits as he speaks sends chills up and down my spine—not only because he can seem so unaltered by whatever was causing him to panic earlier, but because I’ve never sensed he was keeping something from me before, and now I’m questioning every word he’s ever said. Why is he lying? What is going on? How can this man that I agreed to marry all of a sudden appear to be a stranger I’ve been sharing a life with?
I turn to him now, searching his face for any fluster or indication that he knows I overheard his conversation, but he is cool, calm, and collected as usual—classic Mason Thompson. “Dinner sounds great. Italian?”
“Oh yeah. Let me call ahead to Montevallo’s to get us a table. Go change. I’ll wait for you in the car.” He kisses my cheek and then fetches his phone from his pocket, clicking away on the keys as he turns and heads for the garage to gas up the Aston Martin.
