Page 84 of Make You Mine

“I still need time. I have to get him out of my head. I don’t like how I feel right now. And it’s not fair to drag you along while I get over all of it.”

“I understand.”

She released my hand and stepped closer, her eyes searching mine. “I need to figure out how to deal with all this. I don’t want to keep making the same mistakes. But I promise you, it won’t take long.”

I nodded, feeling a mix of relief and anticipation. “Take all the time you need. I’ll be right here when you’re ready.”

She leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to my cheek. “Thank you for bringing Cody back to me. And I’m not talking about years, Ren. Maybe like a day or two.”

I laughed. “Good. How could I ever live without my golden girl?”

“I won’t make you find out. Okay? I promise.”

As she turned to walk back inside, the sun cast a warm glow over her silhouette, highlighting the vibrant colors of her caftan. I watched her disappear through the doorway; my heart full yet aching with the weight of patience.

With a hopeful smile, I whispered to myself, “Just a day or two.” Then I turned to go home. And wait.

Chapter26

Piper

“Falling in love the first time is easy. Falling in love again is a leap of faith that takes a tremendous amount of courage.” The softly murmured words woke me up.

I rolled over in bed to see my sister on her back, covered with my cats and staring at the ceiling with an oddly contemplative look on her face. “Paige? Did you wake up possessed by the spirit of some wise old sage? Who even are you right now?”

“Shit,” she muttered, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. “I don’t freaking know. I woke up and then started thinking and couldn’t stop. I have to stop doing that, honestly, it’s annoying.” She sat up, Nimbus settled at her side as she pulled Smog into her arms and nuzzled her face into his soft fur. “But I have to admit something to you,” she whispered.

“What? That you were trying to set me and Ren up? It was pretty obvious.” I grinned at her. “Not your best work. Effective, but not subtle.”

Paige sighed deeply, a hint of melancholy in her expression. “Actually, there's more. I wasn't just trying to set you up with Ren. I wanted you to find happiness again, Piper. After everything you've been through, you deserve it.”

I felt a rush of affection for my sister; her intentions were always pure, despite her sometimes-clumsy execution. “Thank you, Paige. I appreciate it. Really.”

“He’s just so sweet—all stoic and kind of sad, maybe a little bit grumpy, but not in the bad way. And you were brokenhearted and reeling from Dick. I thought, why not? Right? At the very least, you’d end up with a good friend. Ren doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He’d never hurt anyone.”

My eyes widened in alarm. “God, I hope he didn’t hurt Richard to get Cody back.”

“He didn’t, don’t worry. Hunter told me everything on the phone last night. He made a lot of legal threats. Hunter was the one who threatened to kick his ass, which is not surprising.”

“Remember when he beat up Eli for you after prom?”

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” She rolled her eyes, a playful smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. “He’s still the same old Hunter—ready to fight anyone who messes with his friends.”

I chuckled, recalling countless memories of Hunter's fierce loyalty. “True, he’s always been like that. He was by your side your entire life. I always wondered why you didn’t end up with him.”

Nimbus purred loudly, demanding attention, and Paige scratched his head absentmindedly. “I guess I just never saw him as anything but a friend. It’s hard to change that perspective.”

I gave her a sympathetic look. “I get it. But sometimes, the best relationships start from friendship. You already know each other so well.”

Paige shrugged, a mix of resignation and hope in her eyes. “Maybe. But right now, I just want to focus on getting through each day without any more drama.”

“Maybe you should think about your feelings for him. I’m pretty sure he thinks about you a lot. Since your divorce, he’s always around. Falling in love for the first time is easy. Falling in love again is a leap of faith that takes a tremendous amount of courage.” I threw her words back at her.

“That was for you. I’m different. I can’t go there with anyone. I think I’m broken—no more feelings for Paige. I just want to binge-watch random shit on TV and eat Cheetos. No more thinking, contemplation is out. I have my kids; I won’t get lonely.”

“If you say so.”

She stuck her tongue out at me. “I do say so.”

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