Page 35 of Wrecked
“Pipe, if what you’re telling us is true, you either made out with an Oompa Loompa or some mamma's boy with a foot fetish. Can’t say I’m happy about either scenario.”
“You’re nuts.” Piper dragged her seat back and sat heavily, waiting for them to get it over with. The last thing she wanted was either of them ratting her out to Deacon, and if she took off and didn’t reassure them, that’s exactly what they’d do.
Rusty arched a brow. “So which one did you suck face with?”
She slumped back in her seat. “The mamma's boy with the foot fetish,” she lied, again, and chalked this up to the most humiliating day of her life.
“You seeing him again?” Alex asked.
“No. I decided we weren’t a good match.”
Rusty snorted. “Go figure.”
Alex gave her foot a nudge under the table. “You going on any more of these dates? ’Cause I have to tell you, it’s the worst idea you’ve ever had. It’s like some twisted lottery. Only instead of hitting the jackpot, you got stuck with the booby prize. It’s dangerous.”
Piper shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
“We’ll change the subject, once you tell us you won’t do it again,” Rusty said, giving her arm a squeeze.
“Fine.” She had no trouble agreeing, since she’d no intention of going on any more dates, at least not through Perfect Match. “And you have nothing to worry about. Cole’s right next door now, remember? All I have to do is call…or scream…and he’ll come running.” She definitely hadn’t planned on bringing Cole’s name up, but right then she’d use whatever weapons she had at her disposal to calm things down. “I must remember to thank my big brother for that.” She tried to put some venom behind her words but was pretty sure she failed.
Alex had the decency to look sheepish. “You know he worries.”
“I don’t want to hear it. You’ve gone to the dark side. Next thing you’ll sound just like him, like you’ve got a carrot lodged up your butt.”
Alex’s eyes widened, then narrowed. “I will not.”
“You will, too. You’re not going to be one of those married couples that morph together like some weird androgynous clone, are you? Spouting the same crap and wearing the same clothes.” She shuddered and gave the shirt Alex was wearing a pointed stare. “It’s happening already.”
Alex opened her mouth to fire something back, but Rusty got in first. “Enough, you two. And we know you’re not growing a penis, Alex. Chill out.” Her sister turned to her. “We’re just happy you’ve decided not to date any more freaks.” Rusty patted her on the head, and Piper slapped her hand away. “So how is it living next door to Cole?”
They both knew she’d had a huge crush on him, and Rusty had picked up on her renewed interest when he moved back. She thought she’d deflected it, but going by the look on her face, she hadn’t done shit. Which was more than a little worrying.
“It’s fine. I barely see him.” She picked up her bun and took a healthy bite, halting the conversation for a few seconds while she chewed.
Alex lifted her feet, sliding them under herself. “Deke says he’s had it pretty tough. I mean, we all know the car accident had to have been awful, but apparently he hasn’t dealt with losing his job all that well. Deke said he’s been seeing a shrink for months to come to terms with everything.”
Piper ached for him. She’d seen it, the pain. He hadn’t been able to hide it from her. All she wanted was to make it better. Take some of that burden from him. If only he’d let her. The man had an invisible shield around him. Impenetrable.
“Losing the job of your dreams, having to move, suffering permanent physical damage. It’s a lot to take for anyone,” Rusty said.
Alex nodded. “I don’t know, Deacon didn’t elaborate, but I got the feeling there was more to it.” She shrugged. “If that’s the case, counseling’s the best thing for him.”
“Been a long time since I’ve seen him smile, you know, really smile. He used to be so outgoing.” Rusty snorted. “Jesus, and the jokes.” She looked at Piper. “And the way he teased you all the time, Pipe, remember? He’d make us laugh so hard we’d nearly pee our pants.”
Oh yes. She remembered. Piper nodded, all she could manage with her heart in her throat.
Alex frowned. “It’s weird to think how similar Cole and Deke used to be. He had so much confidence, was always there with Deke to get us out of scrapes. I hate seeing how he’s closed himself off. How that light that used to always be there in his eyes, has just…it’s gone.”
She’d seen a glimpse of the old Cole, of that light, last night. Just a glimpse.
And she’d do anything to see it again.
The conversation shifted to the honeymoon, but Piper struggled to focus. All she could think about was the wounded man she’d had in her bed a few short hours ago. How he’d set her body alight. The way he’d talked to her, the dirty, sweet things he’d said, like he’d been unable to stop himself, like when he was with her everything else slipped away.
How he made her feel like she was the sexiest woman on the planet.
And how, more than anything, she wanted him to let her in.
