Page 9 of Wild About You
I’ve dreamt about this day. How I would look (ahhh-mazing!), what I would say (oh, so many things—all perfect and cutting), and most importantly, the validation I would feel when I realized he no longer makes my body come alive with a single look.
Instead, I’m standing here in a thrift store dress that’s a size too big, I can’t seem to make anything coherent come out of my mouth, and worst of all his stare still ripples over my skin like electricity.
It pisses me off. All of it.
“I should go before she takes off with my car. It was really good to see you, Piper. I, uh…” He shifts like he’s trying to figure out how to say whatever is on his mind. Eventually he shakes his head. “I’ll see you.”
Only when he’s out the front door do I release a breath and pull out my phone to read his text.
You look even more beautiful than you did four years ago.
4
ANGST AND EXCITEMENT
TYLER
“Heads up,”Ash calls as he tosses me a beer and then another to Leo.
“No thanks.” I set it on the coffee table.
“You’re no fun anymore, Sharpie. You have to learn to release some of that tension.”
He takes a seat on the chair across from me and kicks his feet up. “Your sister is outside talking on the phone telling someone you’re sending her back to Iowa. That true?”
“I should,” I say. That was the bargain. Everly wouldn’t mess up and I wouldn’t send her back to live with Mom.
“At least they didn’t suspend her,” Leo says quietly.
“No, not this time.”
“Tough situation, man.” Ash offers a sympathetic smile. “But first week at a new school has to be tough. Especially if it’s filled with a bunch of pretentious pimple-faced assholes.”
My head snaps up. “You know Park Academy?”
“No, but I overheard Everly saying that verbatim.”
“Eavesdrop much?” Leo asks him with a chuckle.
“What can I say? I love some good, old-fashioned high school drama. Nothing exciting happens around here anymore since this one settled down.” He points a finger wrapped around his beer toward Leo.
Ash sighs and looks at me. “Remember when he was hooking up with Scarlett behind Coach’s back? Those were the days. Angst and excitement.”
Leo rolls his eyes, but his lips twitch with amusement. Since he and Scarlett got engaged, Leo is all smiles. I’m happy for him. But it drags my thoughts back to Piper.
“I ran into her.”
They exchange a look and Ash asks, “Who?”
“Her. Piper. My Scarlett.” I wave a hand toward Leo. “Except without the sneaking-around drama.”
“She sounds kind of dull.” Ash’s lips quirk up when I glare at him. “I need more information.”
“We dated in high school—long distance.”
“Why’d it end?” Leo asks.
“Because I was a stupid teenage boy.”
