Page 10 of Finding Romance
“I did. Figured she needed it more than me at the moment,” I reply, wishing I had my earbuds in because I hate talking this much.
“Did she find the necklace yet?” he continues on as if we all want to talk. I love the guy, but where he could talk to anyone at any hour of the day, I prefer limited conversation, especially before nine in the morning.
“Not yet. I’m worried she lost it at the hospital or in the ambulance,” Piper says with a sigh. “I know it means a lot to her, but I’m not betting on me or anyone else finding it.”
“We could go down to the hospital and ask. Maybe they have a lost and found or something,” I suggest and then immediately shut my mouth. Why in the hell did I offer that?
“Really? Maybe we could go after we work out?” she asks, her voice laced with so much hope I don’t have the heart to say no.
“Yeah, sure,” I grunt as I run.
I look into the window in front of me again and find her smiling and something about that pleases the hell out of me.
CHAPTER SIX
Piper
“Are you sure you don’t want me to stay here with you?” I ask my aunt as I swish my dress back and forth. Something about long flowy dresses with Converse shoes just makes me happy.
“No, dear. I’ll be fine. I have my book, my water, and the remote. I’ll call you if I need you,” she says.
There’s a knock on the door and I walk over and open it. Kasen is standing there holding a walkie-talkie.
“Here, Cornelia, you can use this and we’ll just keep it on up there so you can talk to everyone,” Kasen offers.
“Oh, that’s so sweet, Kase. Thank you,” my aunt says, her voice perking up at his idea.
He turns it on and does a practice “testing, one, two, three” into his.
“You press here to talk,” he explains as he shows her a red button.
She tries it and they both laugh when her voice rings out from his. She pats his hand, and he gives her a big smile. Interesting, that this broody muscle man has a sweet spot for my aunt.
“You coming up, Margie?” he asks as he walks toward her and extends his elbow.
“Of course,” she states and laces her arm through his.
I wave to my aunt and follow Margie and Kasen up to the roof. I haven’t been up here since arriving. It’s changed a bit since I was here in high school. There’s a whole seating area with a fire pit and a hot tub. The bar has been expanded and now seats four people. But there are still two tables with umbrellas, a few lounge chairs, and the greenhouse where Al grows things year-round.
“Hey, Piper, come on over and tell me what you’d like to drink,” Al calls out from behind the bar. I’m not a huge drinker, so I go with a glass of chardonnay, which he pulls out of the fridge and pours into a stemless wineglass.
“Piper, it’s been ages,” Jessa exclaims as she walks over to me and gives me a big hug.
“How are you guys?” I ask as I get a hug from Troy next.
“Same old, just older,” he quips.
“So when were you last here?” Cam asks.
“Oh, uh, well, a few times in college for an afternoon here and there, but not for a full stay since summer break when I was in high school,” I explain.
“Wow, has it been that long?” Bray asks.
I nod. “I think that was my junior year summer because, after senior year, I went to Europe for the summer. So, like six years ago?”
“That explains why none of us have met you,” Hutch says as he bounces a little girl on his leg. She’s watching me from behind his giant arm.
“And who is this?” I ask.
