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Lover 56
PiperMy head’s throbbing, and my mouth’s so dry. I feel like I ate a bag of flour and washed it down with sawdust.“I’m never drinking again,” I grumble as I step out of the shower and pad across the tiles to the bedroom.Cannon’s sitting on the end of the bed with his head in his hands. He looks like he hasn’t slept at all. For some reason, that makes me happy. I’d have been pissed if he had come in here with his perfectly styled hair and ironed suit like nothing had happened last night.Everything happened.Our entire world changed.Because of him. And because I care so much about West.“How long have you been here?” I ask. When I got in the shower, the house was quiet. “And how did you get inside?”“I got the spare from my parents’ house,” he says. “Don’t worry, they didn’t ask any questions.”“Are you staying?” I ask him as I adjust my towel. I’m too naked to be having this conversation.“I called off work.”“Why? Won’t you miss seeing your boyfriend?”I’m halfway to the closet w
Lover 57
My husband’s standing in the same room with the two people who mean the most to him, and I’m running out of air to breathe.I feel it.I notice.They have something. Something more than just sex.And that breaks every remaining piece of my heart.“Get the fuck out of this house,” I tell him. And then I turn to Cannon. “Why did you bring him here?”“He’s a lawyer, Piper.”“So what? So are you.”The man on the couch hands me an envelope. I stare at it for a minute before I take it from his hand. “What’s this?”“Divorce papers,” he says. “And, if you ever try to keep Cannon out of this house again, I’ll have more papers for you.”Tears well in my eyes until I can barely see the outline of Cannon. Here I was, thanking my lucky stars he was being civil and I was holding it together, and then he goes and does this. I should have known he didn’t show up to just keep the peace. He finally has freedom, and no more secrets.Cannon’s ready to live his truth for the first time in his life.I tuck
Lover 58
I laugh. “It’s been a nice vacation, but it might be time for me to go home.”I’m surprised by how much I tell Eddy during our phone calls since I’m not normally one to open up. But what we’ve established over the phone is an understanding of each other’s lives, a friendship where nothing is off-limits. There is no judgment. Just someone to listen, to help me work things out when my thoughts are too clouded. Of course, I usually do most of the talking, but Eddy knows I’ll listen whenever he needs it.“Really?” he says. “I thought it would have taken a little longer for the city to start calling you back.”“I miss it, man. Not just the ice. I mean, all of it.”“Have you watched a game yet?”The guys are scheduled to play Tampa in a few weeks, and I’m planning on going to the game. Eddy knows that. He also knows I’ve started watching the highlights on ESPN, just enough that I can hear the standings and injury reports and see highlights of each game.“Not a full one. I’m getting there.”
Lover 59
I turn my head and stare at Tilly leaning against her pearly-white Range Rover. It’s brand-new, and I’m sure, if she opened the door, the ocean breeze would waft the new-car smell right through my window.“What’s wrong?” she asks. “Forget how to open that mouth of yours? Or is your jaw just too tired from sucking my husband off all night?”“Why are you here, Tilly?” I don’t have the strength to sit in the sweltering heat, listening to her bitch. I just don’t.She walks around to the other side of my car and opens the door. Climbing in, she fans her face and looks around. “This is pathetic, Piper. Really fucking pathetic.”My car isn’t old, but it’s not new either. I bought it brand-new with my own money a few years back and have taken care of it. It’s not pathetic; it just didn’t cost a fortune. “I didn’t ask you to get in.”“But that’s the thing; you kind of did,” she says as she drums her acrylic nails against her purse.I stare at her, waiting for her to continue. But she takes her
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I debate lying, but something tells me she already knows the truth. That she’s done enough research over the years to bury me without batting her eyelashes twice, especially if her family knows Chad as well as she said.“We had sex, Tilly. But I didn’t know he wasn’t available.”“Did you even bother to ask?” she says with enough bite that I know she’s pissed. Really fucking pissed.“Why would I have asked? He asked me out on a date. That usually means you’re single.”“Or maybe you just didn’t care. You fucked my husband behind my back. That’s what you do. But I promise you, you’ll never have what it takes to keep him satisfied, Piper. West has needs, very specific tastes, and he likes it often. So, I suggest you walk away before you crash and burn again. He’s been through enough.”“And, if I walked away, you’d leave me alone?”“Probably not.” She laughs. “Nothing brings me greater satisfaction than watching you squirm.” She holds out her cell phone and shows me a picture of her fuckin
Lover 61
I slide the balcony door closed. I see the glass of wine next to her. It isn’t even noon yet. I’ve never seen her drink this early.“You okay?”She doesn’t look at me. She just keeps staring at the ocean. Her profile shows a flushed cheek and an eye that’s puffy and red. She’s on one of the lounge chairs with her arms wrapped around her bent knees, her body rocking like she’s riding out the waves.I sit in front of her and reach for her. When she doesn’t fold into my chest, I grab her ass and pull her closer to me. “What did she say to you?”She shakes her head, refusing to look at me.“Piper, I just ran into her downstairs, and she fed me a lie about coming here to see the hotel manager. Don’t protect her. Tell me what she said to you.”Her eyes fill with tears, and when the wind hits her face, it blows the drips down her cheeks. “I didn’t know,” she whispers.“What didn’t you know?”She doesn’t answer, so I cup her face and hold it, squeezing until our eyes finally connect. “Whateve
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If Tilly doesn’t stop, I’ll step in. But, until I know what this is really all about, all I can do is wipe Piper’s tears.PiperI wish I could say I felt better after my talk with West, but all he did was open more doors of doubt. I’d thought we had more time. More time to get to know each other. More time to lie in bed and do nothing. Just time. But time has never been on my side.And, now, he’s getting out his luggage for his trip to Boston tomorrow.My ticket has been sitting on the table since he checked in for the flight, and printed out the passes. He didn’t have to print them; he could have used an e-ticket on his phone, but he wanted me to see it. He wanted the option to be right in front of my face, for it to be real.His plan is working. Between his luggage and that damn ticket, all I can think about is what it’ll be like if he goes on this trip without me and accepts a position with a network. Just like that, one quick flight up north, and we’ll be over.My life is in Flori
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“Let me guess; this was all part of Tilly’s speech?”I stare at my fingers and nod. “She has pictures. Really awful pictures of her fucking Cannon. It was like being in your house all over again, watching it happen.”West runs his hand over his face. “You know I have to say something to her. I can’t let this go, Piper.”“That’s why I didn’t want to tell you. If you talk to her, it’ll only make it worse.”“When I’m done with her, she won’t come near you again. I can promise you that.”Anything he says won’t help my case. I’m scared that Tilly won’t stop and that those pictures will end up all over the internet, shaming the two of us and ending Cannon’s career. Then, they’ll both come after me.“West, you can’t. Please.”“Are you with me?” he asks.“What do you mean? I’m sitting in bed with you.”“I’m asking you if you’re mine, Piper. Are you my girl?”“Yes, but that doesn’t mean you have to handle this. I can take care of myself.”We both know that’s a lie. Without West, I’d be stuck i
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