Page 83 of Definitely (Maybe) Dating
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Piper hadn’t beenin the back of a cop car since she was sixteen and had a momentary affliction of sticky fingers and shoplifted those galoshes. It had never landed her behind bars or with the possibility she’d have to spend the night in jail, so she wasn’t sure of the exact protocol, but she did know she was granted a phone call.
Only, she wasn’t sure who to call. Skye was one cell over. Rebecca had, thankfully, been allowed to sit in the bullpen with a nice and understanding female officer who just wanted this all to disappear.
Piper could get behind that but wasn’t holding her breath.
“Can I have my phone call?” she asked, not sure who she’d call. Her one-call person was behind bars, hollering about civil liberties, trying to incite a protest in the bullpen, refusing to be silenced until the city of Portland recognized the time and passion that artists put behind their work.
Then there was Josh. Not the ADA who could easily pull a favor to make this all go away, but the man who’d told her he always showed up for the people in his world and had promised her that when she fell, he’d catch her.
Well, she’d fallen and had no idea if the safety net would appear.
“Hello?” she called out, feeling as if she’d just helped negotiations between two warring countries.
Darcy’s call had been to Gage, who’d let it slip that all of this was, indeed, Margo’s doing. He hadn’t wanted to tell her the entire story, but Darcy had ferreted out enough to make Piper’s chest tighten painfully.
First, the owner of the silo hadn’t been the one to notify the police. In fact, he hadn’t even known that his silo had been painted. Nope, the caller in question was Neighborhood Watch Commander, Margo Easton. When she couldn’t get a rise out of the property owner, she’d called the police station personally, even trying to connect Rebecca to a tag on the stop sign at the end of Margo’s street.
The second thing, and most devastating, was that Rebecca’s name came from Josh’s mouth. She hadn’t heard that from him and wanted to give him a chance to explain himself when she saw him next, but today it seemed explanations only complicated everything.
“I don’t get it,” Piper said quietly. “Why did she single me out? Even using a teen to get to me. Who does that?”
“Margo,” Darcy said quietly from inside her cell. “My guess is that she saw the fireworks between you and Josh and got nervous about losing another son.”
“I’m not taking him away. We’re not even really dating.” Even as she said the words, she knew they weren’t true. Josh felt like more than a real boyfriend than her last real boyfriend—and they’d lived together.
“You are most definitely dating,” Jillian said. “If he’s seen your O-face more than three times in a single week, you’re dating.”
“It’s true,” Darcy said.
“Three times equates dating,” Gage said, walking over the Darcy’s cell. “Then what does that make us?”
“Engaged,” Darcy said, light and flirty, and like someone who knew exactly who their one call would be to.
“I can’t wait for marriage then,” Gage said. “And I never thought I’d be into the bad girl vibe, but I’m looking forward to tonight.”
Piper worked hard to school her features, because she was the bad girl Gage was referring to. More disheartening—it was the truth, wasn’t it? No matter how hard Piper tried, trouble found her, or she found it. She’d never done well with authority, was too scared of not measuring up. She was terrified that all the weight she carried would drag the people around her under.
Just look at Darcy and, in a way, Rebecca. Yes, the teen had painted on the silo and yes, she knew trespassing was against the law. But Piper had gone behind Rebecca’s back and used a photo she had no right to make public.
She’d gotten so far ahead of herself she didn’t consider the girl’s right to privacy. Even worse, she’d assumed Rebecca stole the camera and told Josh about it, swearing him to secrecy, but he’d told his mom, who practically used a blowhorn to tell everyone she came across. It was like graffiti telephone.
This whole situation could have been avoided had she and Josh had kept their word. Wasn’t that the theme of her life lately? Getting too far ahead of herself.
The deputy unlocked Jillian and Darcy’s cell, and Gage took her into his embrace. Piper had to look away. Watching what a real unbreakable bond, a love that would go the distance, was too much right then.
“After adding hardened criminal to your street cred,” Gage said to Darcy, “how about we go home and take a nice, hot shower. Cuffs optional.”
Darcy looked from Jillian to Piper to Skye and shook her head. “I can’t leave them here.”
“Honey, this isn’t my first rodeo.” Skye waved her off. “Plus, Officer Miller said dinner’s Salisbury steak and smashed potatoes from Phil’s Diner. That means the potatoes have roasted garlic and a pound of butter and cream.”
Gage turned to Piper. “All of your bail has been posted.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Don’t thank me. Thank Josh, who made a lot of promises to get this handled quietly.”
