She rolls her eyes in mock annoyance but I can see the fear underneath the attitude. “What does it matter now?”
“Fine,” I snap, her words grating on my nerves. What does it matter? It’s fucking everything and I don’t know why she can’t see that. “I’ll make you a deal. You look me in the eye and tell me you don’t love me anymore and I’ll never bother you again.”
Her gaze slams into mine and she doesn’t need to say anything. The nineteen-year-old girl I left behind when I deployed is staring back at me, love shining in her eyes as she shakes her head again.
“Just stop, Wyatt. The rocks you’re poking under are not pretty.”
I scoff as I pull her back into my arms. She can run as many times as she likes because I’m never going to make the same mistake I did ten years ago. This time and all the times in the future when she runs, I’ll be right behind her.
“I didn’t sign up for pretty, Pip. I signed up for forever, for better or worse. So, one way or another, you are going to tell me what happened back then and when you do, we are going to figure out how we can move forward from here.”
“It’s not that easy, Wyatt,” she whispers and I get the feeling that she is talking about more than just us. Whatever split us up ten years ago, whatever drove her away from me, is big and our biggest hurdle is going to be getting Piper to open up to me again.
“No one said it was going to be easy but I’ll be damned if I let you walk away from me again.”
Chapter Fourteen
Piper
“You almost here?” Lillian asks as I pull into the parking space outside of the restaurant and I sigh, putting the car in park as I lean my head back against the headrest. It’s been one hell of a day and somehow I let Lillian talk me into going out to dinner when I should have just stayed home with a big glass of wine and my comfiest clothes.
“I just parked.”
“Oh, the waitress is here. Do you want me to order you a drink?”
I nod as I turn the car off and grab my purse out of the passenger seat. “Yeah, a berry sangria and make it a large if you can.”
“It’s been one of those days, huh?” she asks before relaying my order to the waitress and I nod to myself as I step out of the car.
“Yes, it has.”
“Well, get your butt in here so you can tell me all about it. I gave them your name at the hostess stand.”
We hang up and I’m just about to slip my phone into my bag when it starts ringing again. I let out a groan. Between dodging Eden and Wyatt’s calls today, I’m about ready to just shut this damn thing off and be done with everyone. Glancing down, I roll my eyes at Wyatt’s name on the screen before declining the call and slipping the phone into my bag.
I honestly don’t know how to take my conversation with him this morning. For so long, all I knew was that I ruined us and anything we could have had so to have him show up and declare that he wants me back just as soon as I tell him what made me leave has me… off balance. Not to mention, that anytime he pulls me into his arms, I want to beg him to never let me go again but I have to force myself to close off around him and push him away. Although, now that he knows I didn’t cheat on him, I don’t see that happening. Telling him the truth, though… I just don’t know if I can. I’ve run it through in my head a hundred times and each time, all I can see is the look on his face - the one that says I’m weak, the one that will be full of disgust once he knows everything.
Shaking my head, I step into the restaurant and a young brunette looks up from the hostess stand with a smile. “Hi. Just one?”
Party of one?
That’s me.
I resist the urge to scoff… or burst into tears.
“No. I’m meeting someone. My name is Piper.”
“Oh, yes,” she replies with a nod. “Follow me, please.”
She turns and I follow her as she walks away from the entrance and into the dining room. The smell of tomato sauce and garlic bread hits my nose and my stomach growls. I press my hand to my stomach as my mouth waters. Oh, God, I’ve been so consumed with what Wyatt said before he left this morning that I forgot to eat anything. At least I didn’t have any in-studio shoots scheduled for the day so I didn’t have to be around Eden and keep up the silent treatment.
“They’re in the back corner,” the hostess says, pointing toward one of the tables and I scowl. They? I follow her outstretched hand and stumble when my gaze lands on Eden, sitting across from Lillian and looking guilty as hell. I grit my teeth as I close the distance between us and cross my arms over my chest.
“What the hell, Lil?”
She holds her hands up in surrender. “Listen, you guys need to talk and I knew you would never hear her out unless I forced you to.”
“I would have… eventually.”
“Well,” she replies with a shrug. “Eventually is now. Have a seat.”
With a huff, I sit next to Lillian and take a sip of the large sangria in front of my plate before leaning back in my chair, arching a brow and pinning Eden with a look. “Well?”
“Pippy, I’m so so sorry, okay? You know I love you like a freaking sister and I just hated seeing you in pain all the time so I thought if I put you guys together, things would… you know?”
I nod my head. “Oh, yeah… I know and guess what, your little plan worked. Wyatt knows I didn’t cheat on him and he wants me back just as soon as I tell him all the ugly, nasty details about what happened ten years ago so thanks for that.”
“Wait, what? It worked? You guys are getting back together?” she asks, barely resisting the urge to clap her hands in glee and I level a glare across the table.
“No! Yes… I don’t know. Did you miss the part where I have to bare my soul to him?”
She shrugs. “So do it, Piper. All I’ve heard for the last six years is how much you love this man. Why would you let him go again?”
“You know what,” I snap. “Not the point right now. I’m still really mad at you and it doesn’t matter that it worked because you went too far. I’ve trusted you with some very deep secrets and you almost lost that trust.”
“Only almost?”
I keep my glare on her for another second before sighing. “Yes, almost… just don’t do it ever again and I suppose I can accept your apology.”
“Done,” she answers with a nod. “Now, can we go back to why you won’t just tell him?”
Lillian raises her hand. “Back up. We’re going to start with what happened after the texts Eden sent because I feel like I’m missing a whole chunk of information here.”
Sighing, I launch into the whole story, telling them about Wyatt coming over to my apartment and demanding answers before we both got caught up in our feelings and we ended up sleeping together. Eden slams her hand on the table, her eyes shining with interest as she stares at me.
“You slept together?” A slow grin spreads across her face. “This is even better than I imagined. How was it?”
I scoff. “Not the point, Edie.”
“Oh, I disagree,” Lillian adds, smiling. “I think it’s exactly the point.”