Page 7 of Tyler

Ty shrugged. “Must’ve fallen off.”

Shoot. It was her fault. Piper stepped back to get a better look at the space and heard a sickening crunch. Great. She sent an apologetic look to Ty. “I think I just found them.”

She glanced down at the ground and winced at the wire frame half under her boot. First, she knocked the guy down, and now she’d broken his glasses. After bending to retrieve them, Piper straightened and slowly held the mangled mess out to him.

“I’m sorry. I’ll pay for a new pair.”

He shook his head. “That’s not necessary.” He straightened out the frame before donning the glasses that now only sported one lens.

“Of course, it is,” she said. “I smashed them.”

He shook his head again. “I only need the left lens, and it was the right one that broke, so I’m good.”

Frowning, she turned her gaze to Rylee, who nodded.

“Yeah, the right lens was clear.” Her friend gave her head a shake then smiled. “I’m sorry. Where are my manners? Piper Monroe, this is my brother, Ty Bryson. Ty, this is my friend, Piper.”

Everyone’s attention turned toward them. Even the driver looked on with interest.

“Nice to formally meet you,” Ty said, holding out his hand.

“You, too. I think we’re neighbors.” Piper shook his hand, doing her best to ignore the tingling warmth that instantly spread through her body. Because it felt incredible, way too incredible, she released him and shoved her hand into her coat pocket. It was bad enough she found the guy attractive. She didn’t need to feel it too.

Her move to Texas hadn’t been to look for a man. She was here to open her own gallery, and she had a lot to do to make that happen. All she’d managed so far was to purchase an old building and strike up an agreement with the owners of Champion Bakery to let her run a wine and painting class bi-weekly after bakery hours until the remodel on her building was complete.

“This is my husband, Dex,” Rylee introduced her to a broad, dark-haired man and then to the rest of her handsome co-workers now gathered in the alley.

A few of the women from last night’s class were there now because they were supposed to meet for the “best coffee”, too. It was interesting to discover that their husbands were part of the ESI crowd. Their presence helped Piper relax a little from all the testosterone surrounding them. It was like she’d found herself in the middle of a hot guy convention.

“Piper just moved here from Pennsylvania two weeks ago,” Rylee told the guys.

Because everyone’s attention was now on her, she nodded. “From the Poconos.”

Mac, the owner of ESI raised a brow. “Do you know Brandi and Keiffer Wyne? Well, she’s Brandi Dalton now.”

She knew them well.

In fact, several months ago, Brandi was the one who’d suggested she should move to Harland County and wasinstrumental in helping her secure a temporary place to stay, as well as hooking her up with a realtor who’d found her the perfect building.

Piper smiled. “Yes. My sister Faith went to high school with them. I was in junior high at the time. You know, the younger, pesky kid.”

Great, now she was babbling.

“I doubt you were ever pesky,” Ty said quietly.

Her heart fluttered.

Piper wasn’t sure if she was more surprised by his remark, or the heat funneling into her cheeks. She hadn’t blushed in years.

Poor Ty was looking a bit stunned too. Piper felt sorry for him but refused to dissect why.

As luck would have it, fate intervened with the arrival of the local sheriff and an ambulance.

“Aw, Rylee, seriously?” Ty mumbled.

Her friend raised her brows. “I didn’t call them.”

“I did,” Mac said.

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