Page 83 of Love Beyond the Illusion
I open the back door to see Piper sitting by the pool on one of the patio chairs with her legs hugged tight into her chest. She’s resting her chin on her knees while reading on her Kindle.
“I’ve got great news.” I cheerfully walk across the small patch of grass.
She quickly sets down her device and gets up from the chair. “You’re back!”
“Yes—”
“Hopefully, this time is better than the last—” she casually interjects. “Never mind, I take that back. Last time went extremely well for me.” She runs her tongue along her front teeth.
I smile, remembering that first night we had together. “It ended pretty well for me too.” She giggles. “But seriously—” I start once again.
“Is it wrong that I was secretly hoping that you’d come home pissed off? So, you’d take your anger out on me once again?” She smirks.
A smile slips, slightly annoyed but also turned on by her admission. “If you keep interrupting my good news, we will have a repeat of last time.” I bring my lips into hers, and I dive my tongue down her throat, playfully silencing her.
Piper laughs, gently pushing me away. “Okay, okay. Sorry. I won’t do it again. Now tell me.”
“So,” I pause, anticipating her interrupting again. She stands with her hands on her hips while biting back a smile. “Pending any further negotiations between our lawyers, it’s official. They’ve agreed to the buyout,” I say excitedly.
Her face lights up, and she jumps into my arms. Her legs swing around my waist, and her arms fold behind my neck. “Stop it! That’s so great!”
Piper’s eyes shine bright green in the sunlight, and I smile because this success is hers too. “I can’t fucking believe that we did it. The winery has never been fully ours. My dad has always had Steve as an investor, but now it truly does belong to the Bradley family.”
Piper sweeps her fingers through my hair. “I bet your mom is thrilled.”
“Yes, she’s cried several times already. I know this is what my dad would have wanted,” I tell her, feeling a sense of pride.
“This is the best decision, and you’ll do amazing. I’m so proud of you!”
I slide her down my body until she’s on her feet. “What I would love to do is to celebrate,” I dip my head to whisper into her ear. “Then, I plan on making a shrine out of you and worshiping every inch of your body.”
Piper sharply inhales. “Anything you want.”
“Don’t move. I bought something for us.” I jog back into the house to grab the 1,500-dollar bottle of champagne I picked up on the way home and two sparkling wine flutes.
With two glasses in one hand and the bottle tucked into my armpit, I head back to Piper. She’s sitting in one of the chairs, her body twisted toward me and her face beaming. I love that I get to share this with her. There’s no one else in the world I’d rather be enjoying this celebration or making this huge life change with.
This means that I will no longer have the need for us to be together. A landslide bowls me over as the reminder hits me. My shoulders automatically drop, and I force a weak smile. A heavy sinking feeling settles in my core. I’m not ready to let her go yet, but she’ll be ready for the divorce I promised her. Until then, I will take full advantage of the rest of my time with her as my fake girlfriend—and wife.
“Mmm, what’s that?” she asks as I approach the pool’s edge.
“I picked it up on the way home from the meeting. I thought we could celebrate.” I shift my body away and aim the bottle outward before popping off the cork and shooting across the grass.
“Yeah!” Piper laughs, grabbing the two glasses I set on the table between our chairs.
“How does it feel to be the sole owner of Bradley Wines and Vineyards?” She lifts her champagne in the air.
“Relief and excitement—and also terror.” I breathe out a chuckle.
We toast, and both take a drink with a quick flash of silence.
“I bet. It’s a big decision, but the correct one. Now all you have to do is get the town to accept you again”—she tilts her—“which, after what I witnessed at the Harvest Dinner during the speech you made, won’t be a difficult feat.”
I smile, but my sense of joy isn’t from my decision. It’s also about the woman I chose to bring along for this ride. “I hope you’re right,” I say, glancing over the rim of my glass. My eyes briefly lock with hers, and I get this bubbly, light feeling in my chest. One that Piper always brings out of me. Looking over at her with a devious half-smile on my face, she notices.
“You’re always so hard to read when you get that little flicker in your eyes and that look on your face.”
I purse my lips together and shake my head. “I don’t have a specific look.”
