Page 25 of Make You Mine

This was far from over. I knew it. Work had always been my escape. What was I supposed to do now?

“Piper, please.” She had followed me outside, tugging on my arm until I turned around.

“Don’t push me, Dana. We need boundaries.”

“Fine,” she snapped back. “But you know this isn’t about boundaries. It’s about cowardice. You want to hide? Fine. Run away from the hard stuff. I’ll email you.”

“Good, we agree on emails. I can’t do this with you.”

She glared at me as if the situation was my fault. “Have the day you deserve, Piper.”

“Me?”I sputtered. “You’re mad atme? You are unbelievable. You have the dayyoudeserve, you backstabbing, duplicitous twat. I hope the rest of your day is as shitty as you are.”

I watched her flounce back inside, slamming the shop’s door with a huge bang.

“Great,” I muttered. “That went so well.”

“Hey, Piper! Everything okay?” I spun to see Lucy approaching, walking Larry, one of the llamas our grandparents kept at the Inn, on a leash. He was also her inspiration. She wrote a popular series of children’s books based on him. She was in jeans and a pink sweater, her long butterscotch waves flowing over her shoulder in a ponytail.

Even the ridiculous sight of my sister walking a llama like a dog didn’t make me smile. My mind still reeled from the confrontation with Dana. I wiped my trembling hands down my jeans, then my chin started wobbling, and my nose stung. Shit, I was about to freaking cry even more now.

“Yeah,” I squeaked. “Everything is just peachy.”

She raised an eyebrow, knowing I was full of crap. “Want to talk about it?”

I eyed Larry, who was now eating the plants in our window box like they were part of his own personal salad bowl. He looked up at me and snorted, daring me to make him stop. I shrugged—Dana had planted it. She could suck it.

“Not really. I just had a huge fight with Dana. Richard is still an ass. I don’t have Cody back yet. And I can’t just forget them both and move on. I’m stuck. I have to work with her. How am I supposed to do that?”

She tugged gently on Larry’s leash. “Quit it, Larry. Let’s go to the park. He’s going to cause trouble if we stand still. Want me to kick her ass for you? I’ll do it.”

“You sound like Paige.” Our eyes met as we headed back into the park, and she laughed.

“Sometimes her methods are sound. Honestly, a lot of the world’s problems would be solved if some people got smacked around when they were acting up.” She held a hand up. “I mean grown people, not little kids, so we don’t need to argue about this. Also, I might rethink this later. I’m pissed on your behalf, it makes me ragey.”

“No, do not kick her ass. Well, maybe? No.” I nodded decisively. “Violence is not the answer. And why are we more willing to stand up for each other than ourselves? That’s something to think about.”

“Right? But, the offer stands if you change your mind…” She tilted her head with a grin.

“I won’t. If there’s going to be any ass-kicking going on, I’ll do it myself.”

She nudged my shoulder with hers. “So, what are you going to do then?”

I sighed, kicking a loose pebble on the path. “Figure out a way to work with her somehow? I don’t really have a choice. And Richard—I don’t know. I’ll just try to keep my distance, I guess.” I thought of Ren and felt relief that I wouldn’t have to go to the dumb grand opening alone.

“I’m just going to say this because I know it’s on your mind. You don’t have to worry about Cody. I see him with her at the dog park almost every day when I’m out with Larry. He likes her, and she’s nice to him.”

“I know. Richard used to give me updates before he started in on this whole forgiveness thing. I know he’s fine, but I’m still not letting him go.”

“Of course not. He needs you.”

We walked in silence for a bit, the sounds of the park filling the space between us. Larry trotted ahead on his leash, no longer attracting stares like he used to whenever Lucy took him out. People were used to him now.

Finally, I broke the silence. “Maybe I’ll try talking to her again.”

“Bitches like her don’t listen.”

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help smiling. “Yeah, but I have to try something. I can’t just avoid her forever.”

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