Page 13 of Love is a Lyric
“I hope you’re going to take a break too.” He nodded toward the book.
She shrugged. “You know me. No rest for the wicked.”
“I thought the wicked was already resting.” He cracked a smile at his own joke, but she knew he didn’t mean it. He loved her sister, always had.
“Just go.” She laughed. “I have a date with a washing machine.”
He looked to her open suitcase where neatly folded clothes sat clean, and his face darkened as he must have realized whose laundry she’d be doing on the first day of vacation.
“It’s okay.” She stood and shoved him out the door. “Really.”
“Piper.”
“Just don’t, okay? I don’t want to cause any problems.” She never had. She let others dictate her life because it was easier than being a burden, someone Quinn had to look out for, someone the Evans had to raise.
He put his hand on the door before she could shut it. “Fine. Are you… I really don’t want to ask you for anything right now, but can you meet me tomorrow somewhere Quinn won’t see us? She told me she’ll have a new song by then, and I need your help.”
The insecurity in his eyes nearly broke her. Piper loved being needed for something other than laundry or coffee. This, helping Ben, gave her just one more reason for staying.
And she’d never say no to him.
“Okay. Tomorrow.”
The grin he rewarded her with was worth losing some of the precious time she’d need for everything Quinn wanted her to do. With a shake of her head, she shoved him the rest of the way out of her room and shut the door, leaning her back against it.
When her phone dinged with a text, she released a breath and lunged across the bed to grab it.
Drew:Think you can get away for a meeting?
Matt gave Piper Drew’s number, but they’d never communicated directly before.
She hesitated before responding.
Piper:Why do you want me?
He could have his pick of assistants. No matter what Matt had told Drew about her, he could surely find a better one. A part of her couldn’t help think this was about taking her from his rival, and she wanted no part in that.
But the other part of her… the one that wanted to be seen, respected, knew it was time to move on no matter how much that made her heart hurt.
Drew:Because I know how much you’re worth.
Drew:Do they?
That was the million dollar question, wasn’t it? Piper thought back on what Julia said to her. She wasn’t famous, but it didn’t make her any less valuable as a person.
Piper:Okay. I’ll meet you.
Drew:I’ll call you when I get back into town later this week. You won’t regret this.
She got the distinct feeling she very much would regret it. But that didn’t mean it wasn’t the right move. She wasn’t ready to close the door on another opportunity. If she took it, if she truly left Quinn, would anything be the same again?
Quinn would never forgive her, but maybe that was the point. As much as Piper loved her sister, she had to stop living her life for someone else.
