Page 21 of Playful Summer

CHAPTER TEN

Piper

I feel like something is wrong with Paxton. I want to ask him, but I’ll wait until we go to bed. I saw him talking to some of the guys earlier and they looked concerned. Rhett and Emiko get up in front of everyone.

“Hey everyone. We want to thank all of you for being here with us today. And for being with our twins so that I can spend a week with my beautiful bride. I promise we’ll be back.”

Everyone laughs.

“I’ve been lucky enough to find love a second time in my life. And a whole new family to celebrate it with. Thank you for taking me, my kids and my family into yours. We love all of you.” Emiko sniffles.

Everyone takes their turn giving them hugs. The kids stay up with us while their parents head to bed. Their flight is at five am. I can’t wait till my own babies are out here playing with the family.

We let the kids play for another hour and then somehow get them all into the living room and laying down. I help make sure all the doors are locked and then head to bed.

“Is everything okay?” I ask him as soon as he comes into the room.

“Why do you ask?” he says as he gets undressed.

“It just feels like something is wrong. Like you’re keeping something from me.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t want you to feel like that. There’s been a few things that have happened. I didn’t want to ruin today for you so I planned on telling you tonight.”

Now I’m worried. My insecurities are creeping up on me and I don’t like it.

“A-are you leaving me?” I whisper.

“Whoa. What? No. Baby,” he says as he pulls me to him. “You’re never getting rid of me. This isn’t about you and me.”

“I wouldn’t blame you if you felt this was moving too fast.”

“Piper. Listen to me, you’re stuck with me. I’ll never leave you or cheat on you. And all I need is for you to promise me the same.”

“I promise,” I say as I get on my tiptoes and kiss him.

Paxton looks at me.

“I love you, Piper. Fast? Sure. But I know how I feel about you. I want to wake up with you everyday for the rest of my life.”

“What if you change your mind?”

“Baby, I’m never going to change my mind. And I’ll tell you that every day of our lives together.”

I lay my head on his chest as he holds me.

Paxton

It kills me to think that Piper’s worried I’ll leave her. And I know it’s because of what Harris did to her. Cheating is the one thing I could never do or forgive.

“What I needed to talk to you about is I’ve gotten two weird texts. One was yesterday and another today.”

I show her the texts.

“Is it Marc?” she asks.

“I don’t know. The guys are looking into it. But we do know that Marc is in southern Montana. And he’s getting farther from Wintervale, not closer.”

“Who else could it be? I’ve never had any trouble except from Marc.”

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