The Private Serials Box Set(87)
I opened my arms to her and she wasted no time stepping into my embrace. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and felt her sigh against me, relaxing into the hug. We stayed that way for a long moment, then she pulled back and resumed her stance across the small kitchen, watching the coffee drip into the pot.
“How long will you and Lena stay here?”
My hand came up and rubbed the stubble on the underside of my chin. “I don’t know. As long as she wants, I suppose. I’m not in any hurry to leave and she’s the one who’s made a life here.” I shrugged. “If I want her to stay with me, I’ve got to make it easy for her. She deserves at least that.”
Piper nodded. “She’s lucky to have you,” she said with a smile, even if it was a little sad. I tucked her sadness away in my mind, wanting to help, but not knowing what I could do for her. I’d done everything I could think of, everything in my power, and it seemed like her happiness going forward was in her own hands.
“How long will you stay here?”
She shrugged. “Sam has invited me to stay with her in Portland. You know, just until I can get back on my feet.”
In the two months I was separated from Lena, Sam had been an invaluable ally to me. Sure, at first she’d literally tried to maim me, but after I convinced her I had been set up and only wanted to help Lena, she’d come around and become a friend. “Sam’s great.”
“Yeah,” she said.
“You know Parker would take you in, or even Mom and Dad. You could even stay at my place. I’m not sure when I’ll be back, but you’d have privacy there.” And I could keep track of her using the surveillance equipment that’d been installed.
She shook her head. “Parker is almost as overprotective as you are and would make my life hell if I lived there. And you know how Ma is. She’d try to set me up with all of her friends’ single sons, she’d start forcing me to go to all of her social functions—it would be embarrassing. Besides, I get along with Sam. Plus, I think she feels a little lonely without Lena around all the time anymore.”
I’d never force Lena to go back to Portland, but if she could get past the idea that Portland held all the terrible memories of Derrek, I feel like there was a lot of good there, that we could be happy there again.
“Lena has to be comfortable wherever she is and I won’t force her to go back there if it’s not what she wants.”
“No, of course not,” Piper said quickly. “I guess I just wish all the good parts of my new life could all be together. You and Lena, Sam, my independence,” she said with a small grin. “I know I came here to help you keep tabs on her, but I really care about Lena.”
“I know, Piper,” I said. “And she knows it too. She’ll miss you when you leave.”
She smiled at my words, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Can we all do dinner tonight? Maybe one of those fun luaus? I know Sam really wants to go to one before she leaves and it would be great to spend an evening all together.”
“I don’t see why not. Sounds like fun.” I gave her a smile and then stepped forward to pour some coffee into my waiting mug. I poured Piper’s too, and then reached into the refrigerator and handed her the creamer I knew she wanted. When both our coffees were just the way we liked them, we walked silently onto the attached balcony overlooking the ocean. It was just early afternoon, but the heat was already making the air muggy. We sat down next to each other and looked out to the ocean. My hand found hers and we sat in silence, just content to be near each other.
After nearly thirty minutes of silent contentment, Piper finally asked the question I knew had been burning in her mind since she walked into the apartment.
“Do you think we’ll ever be together again, like, in the same state, for good?”
I gave her hand a squeeze before pulling mine away, using both hands to bring my coffee mug to my lips, trying to piece together an answer for her.
“In a perfect world Lena would choose to go back to Portland and we could all be in the same city. But I don’t know if she’ll ever want to go back, and I’m not willing to pressure her about it.” I took another sip, still not looking over at Piper, knowing her face would be sad yet strong. “If I were her, I probably wouldn’t want to go back there. I have to support that if I want her to stay with me.”
“Do you remember being young and being captivated by magnets? Remember how they either stuck together with so much force you could hardly pull them apart, or they repelled each other and you couldn’t get them to touch if you tried?”
“Yeah,” I said, quietly.
“For most our lives we were stuck to each other, Preston. I knew if I turned around you’d be there. I could feel your presence all around me, supporting me, backing me up. It was something I could always count on. But, suddenly, one of us flipped over and now it’s as if we’re pushing each other away.”
“I’m not pushing you away, Piper. I could never do that.” I’d never heard her talk this way, never gotten this vibe from her at all.
“No,” she said, turning her head away from me, pretending to look out to the ocean as she used the hand farthest from me to wipe her cheek, trying to hide her tears. “But, we’re going in opposite directions, and it feels more permanent now than it ever did before.”