Page 50 of Finding Romance
“I wish I hadn’t imagined my best friend the entire time,” Drew winces.
“Damn, Drew, that’s fucked up,” Gray says as we all laugh awkwardly.
“Yeah, it sort of was, but the guy turned out to be a prick, so I suppose I dodged a bullet with that,” he adds with a shrug.
There are some grunts of understanding from the other guys. A silence follows as we all take sips of our drinks.
“I think,” Roxy begins and she has our full attention. “That a woman wants to feel special. So, the main character probably just wanted her love interest to treat her like she was the most precious and important thing in his life. And he did, in his own way, so I guess that’s what counts.”
I half listen for the rest of the night as Roxy’s words reverberate around my brain. A woman wants to feel special. She wants to be treated like she is the most precious and important thing in his life.
Even after the book club ends and I’m back in bed, I don’t read, I just lie there thinking of what I can do to make Piper feel special.
It’s around three in the morning that the idea hits me, and after I carefully plan out Saturday’s date, I fall asleep, where dreams of a gorgeous woman with different-colored eyes have me wishing Piper was here in my bed now.
I knock on Cornelia’s door and Piper answers it. After making sure Cornelia would be alright without her, I told her we were going to have an overnight adventure. She is standing there in thick tights, a short skirt, boots, and a sweater that hangs off her shoulder. Her long hair falls in waves down her back. She’s fucking gorgeous. Her lips are glossy and it draws my eye to them.
“You ready?” I confirm after taking her in for a beat.
“Yep, let’s roll,” she answers. “Bye, ladies. Behave!”
“You kids have fun,” Cornelia yells.
“Hope you’re taking her somewhere good,” Margie says from the kitchen.
“I am. She deserves a night away and I guarantee she will enjoy it,” I say as I wink at Piper and she turns beet red.
“She does. She’s been such an angel,” Cornelia says with a sigh. “I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
“Oh, Aunt Cornelia, you know I’d do anything to help you,” Piper says, and I see her eyes mist over. I had no idea that her great-aunt meant that much to her, but it’s evident now as I watch her reaction to the kind words.
“I know, sweetheart. Now, go have fun,” Cornelia replies, and I swear I hear emotion in her voice, which is very un-Cornelia-like.
I hold out my hand and Piper takes it. Shaking my head, I motion for her bag. She hands it to me and I sling it over my shoulder and then hold out my other hand. She entwines her fingers with mine. I rub my thumb over the smooth skin on the palm of her hand as we walk out to my waiting car.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” she asks.
I shake my head. “It’s a surprise.”
I open the car door for her and she gets in as I lean toward her. “There’s only one rule. If you don’t like something this weekend, you have to promise to tell me, OK?”
“OK,” she whispers, her big multicolored eyes searching mine.
“Good,” I state as I close her door and walk around the car, tossing her bag in the back with mine as I hop into the driver’s seat.
I drive us out of the city a ways until we reach the exit for our location. The roads narrow and there’s hardly another car. We finally come up on a giant farm property. There’s a vineyard in front, but it’s the building in the back that I stop at and park.
“Where are we?” she asks.
I walk around the car and open her door. She exits and looks around us.
“Come on, I have arranged for an activity before dinner,” I explain as I motion for her to follow me into the building.
We enter and she gasps. I may have had to pull a few strings, but in the end, the look on her face is worth every conversation I was forced to have for the last seventy-two hours.
“I…what?” she stammers as she looks around us.
A man crosses the room and extends his hand. “Ms. Dawson, I’m so pleased to have you join me tonight. Mr. Saddler said you are looking to illustrate books. So, I offered a lesson,” he says. “I’m Buckley Sullivan, but please, call me Sully.”
