Page 27 of Tell Me No Lies

My business has grown exponentially over the past few years, and that growth has brought in more employees to worry about and more moving parts to juggle. The only way I keep from living in a constant state of panic is by balancing the books nearly every day. Making sure everything stays within a range I can stomach.

I thought my fear of being poor again would eventually go away, but so far that hasn't been the case. If anything, it's gotten worse. It feels like the more I have, the more I have to lose.

As a result, I’ve never been able to enjoy the success of my thriving business. The better it does, the more terrified I get. It's fucking exhausting on a good day. And today isn’t a great day. I’ve got way more than letting my employees down financially weighing on my mind.

That’s why I’m in here, doing this. Maybe knowing one thing is as it should be will ease the guilt I’m carrying over what’s happened between me and Piper. What will happen between us next.

I can’t deny there won’t be more any longer. Not when I’m actively making moves to bring her into my world on a much more permanent basis.

I spend the next hour meticulously going through the bills, paying each before settling in to look over the damage. I’m barely logged into my online banking portal when there's a tiny knock on the door frame.

The squeeze in my chest that always comes when I balance the books relaxes a little at the sight of Piper. She gives me a small smile and lifts up the insulated paper cup in her hands. "I brought you coffee." She walks to my desk, her slight limp a little less pronounced today than it has been. Hopefully that means she's been taking it easy. I doubt it, but I can still hope.

She sets the cup in front of me, but doesn't leave. Her gaze moves over my face, brows pinched in an expression that looks a lot like concern. "You look tired."

I pick up the coffee and swallow some down, hoping the caffeine will give me a boost. "I am tired."

She presses her lips together, eyeing me for a second. "Probably because you've been ignoring your bedtime."

I lift my brows, this new tidbit of an admission refreshing me way more than coffee ever could. "And how would you know that?"

Piper rolls her eyes. She hasn't been doing it at me as often as she used to, so I make sure to savor every one. "Don't flatter yourself." She leans against my desk, bracing her fingers on the edge. "I live right next door to you. If I need a drink at night, I'm going to notice that all the lights in your house are on."

She tries to act nonchalant. Unfortunately, Piper is never nonchalant, and it gives her away. "And at that point you might as well look to see what I'm doing, right?"

Her eyes open wide, like she can't believe I made that jump. "You go to bed at the same time every night. Seeing all your lights on that late worried me. I thought something was wrong with you."

I lean back in my seat rocking a little. "What I'm hearing you say is not only have you been watching me work, but you also worry for my well-being."

Piper rolls her eyes again and it feels good to fall back into our old ways. As much as I like the sweet, soft Piper I’ve been lucky enough to catch fleeting glimpses of—especially since I’ve never seen her like that with anyone else—I fucking love snarky, sarcastic Piper. "You took down the sheets on your windows. Of course I’m going to be curious about what's happening."

I nod in agreement. "Of course."

All the exhaustion that's been dragging me down lifts away like fog in the sun. If Piper’s been watching what I’m doing, she likely knows my reasons for doing it. I haven’t done shit in years, and then she comes over and suddenly there’s a fire under my ass? Not a difficult conclusion to make that I’m doing this because of her. For her.

She’s quiet for a minute, head tipped down as she lines up the pens and pencils strewn across my desk. "It looks like you've gotten a lot done."

"I have." I like that she’s lingering here. Looking for reasons to be near me. To talk to me.

I’ve done the same thing. I took full advantage of her car needing work last week, using it as an opportunity to get more time with her. But then it was done and, outside of our evening after the show, I haven't been able to find another reason to get her alone.

Now she's unknowingly dropped one right in my lap.

"I need to start picking paint colors and I have no idea what I should choose." Leaning forward, I rest my elbows on the desk between us. "Maybe I could bribe you into helping me?"

She lifts her brows, obviously interested. "And what are you using to bribe me? Lasagna?"

I slowly shake my head. I'm not a one-trick pony, and she's about to find out just how closely I've been paying attention. "Chicken wings."

Piper’s eyes lock onto mine, widening just enough that I know she’s surprised at my knowledge of her preferences. "You drive a hard bargain."

I smile because she has no idea just how good this bargain is. "And fried pickles."

Piper laughs, the sound filling my office the way I want it to fill my house. My life. "You just cost yourself money. You had me at chicken wings." The sound of the bell from the front door has her glancing over one shoulder.

She's gotta go, but not until I lock her in. "Wait for me after the shop closes. We'll head out once I'm finished with all this shit."

Piper takes a step back, moving toward the door. "Since now you have to buy me pickles too, I might be persuaded to help."

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