Page 32 of Story Of My Heart

The thoughts leave my head.

In this moment, Piper transcends the realm of simply being my assistant—she’s the epitome of every unspoken dream I’ve ever had. Standing there, she’s not just beautiful; she’s breathtaking, commanding every ounce of my attention without saying a word. How have I been so blind? Or perhaps, it was not blindness but a defense, my subconscious dismissing what it deemed too perfect, too vital, too much for someone like me to ever hope to deserve. As the reality of wanting her—probably forever—crashes over me mingled with a pang of self-reproach. Piper is everything, and I, perpetually wrestling with my own worth, fear I may never be enough to stand by her side.

“Are you okay?” The vision in floral print casts me a glance over her shoulder as she fiddles with the back of her earring. There’s an intricate series of twists and braids starting at the top of her head, the rest of her hair cascading down in soft waves that drape along her shoulders. She’s forgone the glasses again, choosing instead to wear contact lenses, catching me with the full force of her chestnut eyes.

“Um… do I have male patterned baldness?” Jesus, did I just ask that?

She laughs full-on, but that makes her even more beautiful and me even more tongue-tied.

She walks closer to me and then I watch as her head tilts to one side. Her hair follows, flowing over one shapely shoulder. “No, why would you even ask that?”

I will my racing heart to calm the hell down. “Have you always been…” My words fail me, a rare occurrence, and I realize that I’m still standing in the doorway, letting the cool air out and the mosquitoes in. Stepping inside, I close it behind me and run a shaky hand through my hair.

“Tall?” She tilts her head in confusion, which makes the hair tumble down in front of her in a way that looks even more alluring than it already did. Reaching for the hem of her skirt, some insanely fitted silk number that I didn’t think you could buy outside of Milan, let alone in somewhere like Sunset Lake, she lifts the fabric, showing me her shoes. They’re a pair of tall, slim nude platform sandals, and the straps that run along her ankle and lower calf serve to accentuate the muscle tone there. “No, it’s the heels.”

I force a swallow and try to clear the grit from my throat. “No, so..”

“Tan?” Piper looks down at her bare arms and shrugs. “No, that’s from the cornhole.”

My thoughts, my feelings, are so damn twisted up over her. “I’m trying to say you look…”

The tension falls from her face, melting into a knowing smile. She’s been screwing with me from the minute I walked in. The bottom of her dress flutters as she crosses to me with a warm laugh, and I feel like my heart is going to burst out of my ribcage.

Her lashes flutter. “Just kiss me already.”

I bring my lips toward hers, and am intercepted halfway to my target by the alarm on my phone. Fallon is a stickler for punctuality, and will skin me alive if I’m late to this thing. I settle for a quick and messy peck on the side of her mouth, before scrambling into the bathroom to smooth out my hair and gargle with some mouthwash. Piper, gift that she is, already laid out a pair of slacks and a blazer for me, and I’m able to change and head right back out the door in less than ten minutes. I don’t realize until we’re standing in the lights around the boat that she chose my clothes specifically to match the dress she’s wearing. No one deserves a woman this competent, least of all me.

I’m making a mess of things, when I so want tonight to be perfect. But it’s like my brain has gone offline.

The beauty of the girl on my arm isn’t doing enough to distract me from just how many lights are on this boat. Fallon must’ve spent days decorating this thing, and I can’t imagine how much money it’s cost the resort. All for a party for my brother and his fiancée, who I’m sure aren’t being charged a dime for any of this. Numbers start flashing through my mind. It must show on my face, because suddenly Piper’s elbow is in my ribs again. Not nearly as hard as the last time, but enough to make me jump.

“Not a word,” she hisses, waving as we’re spotted by my sister. “Lights are cheap. This is your brother we’re talking about.”

My lips roll together. “I didn’t say a word.”

“It was the face.” Piper speaks through a tight smile, bracing for the incoming hug from Fallon.

We may have been a convincing couple on the cruise with strangers, but this is going to be something else. Everyone on this boat knows Gibson, which means that almost everyone knows me. Or at least knew me, back when I was a quiet sullen teenager who didn’t want anything to do with any of them. There is an onslaught of introductions, people who I haven’t seen in years and can barely remember myself. Piper handles them all with ease, charming everyone within a few feet of her, tossing around polite smiles and genuine compliments like they’re going out of style. Everyone seems to walk away from her lighter than she found them, and I’m left awestruck by the entire affair.

I watch Piper work the room like a pro, her vibe completely unshakable. She’s got this magic trick where she blends into any crowd, warming them up as naturally as the sun heats the sand. Her laughter rings out, real and cheerful, cutting through my nerves like a knife through butter. I’m seriously grateful she’s here with me, upping my game. Her knack for mingling makes up for my awkward pauses, her smooth chatter filling in when my words fumble. As she floats through the crowd, she’s more than just a lifeline—she’s a spotlight, making the whole room glow and somehow making a space for me right in the middle of it all.

With a jolt, I realize I can’t tear my gaze away from the stunning woman before me. The way her cleavage overflows her tight bodice. The way her eyes sparkle as brightly as the twinkle lights overhead. The way her fingers twine with mine in the perfect fit. God, I can’t wait to get her back to the cabin and peel that form-fitting dress right off her body so I can show her how much I need her.

The glasses of sparkling wine seem to have helped lubricate the situation, if the rose-tinted swipe along the top of Piper’s cheekbones tells me anything. I’m thankful for Fallon’s budgetary prudence once again, choosing sparkling wine over a more expensive champagne, as I find myself downing just as many to keep up. Being around Piper makes me a less tightly wound, braver version of myself. I feel like we could conquer the world right now, taking our little party boat and intrepid band over toward Luminara.

In addition to commending her frugality, I have to once again admit that my sister is an excellent event planner. Having the guests start at the resort and take the boat over to the restaurant, docking in their marina, feels so extravagant and yet is the simplest thing in the world. It’s sure as hell cheaper than trying to rent limos for this many people, and the open air and leisurely speed of travel add an element of luxury to the whole affair. As we disembark, Piper’s hand in mine, I find there is more magic and personality in traipsing down this rickety dock to our reserved patio than in all of the soulless parties I’ve been to, where anything with bubbles costs its weight in gold and every guest is just there to network.

There’s a small check-in station set up outside of the patio area, for guests to discard any unwanted jackets or baggage, and an employee has been left with a glass fishbowl, pencils, and ample scraps of paper. The goal is for every guest to write down a memory of Gibson and Avery and toss them in the bowl to be read later. A collaborative speech making process, instead of leaving it all to some beer-soaked potential best man, who in this case is Avery’s brother, Aiden. The concept is serviceable, but as I sit at a table with my paper and pencil, I find myself at a total loss.

“For the first time in my life, I have nothing to write down,” I muse, scribbling a series of loops and circles around the edge of the paper, hoping that something will come loose in my mind.

“Perhaps we should call the Star & Tribune,” Piper teases, running her nails along the back of my hand. The sensation sends a shiver down my spine. “What do you remember?”

“They coupled up while I was gone. Before that…” I tap the pencil against the surface of the table. My brother is getting married, and he and his bride-to-be are as much strangers to me as the kebab guy down the street, or Terry from the cornhole tournament. “Nothing.”

“Did they go to school together?” She prods gently.

“There was a crush,” I admit, some fuzzy recollections starting to stitch themselves together. “They weren’t supposed to act on it because Gibson was best friends with Avery’s brother, Aiden. You know the whole brother’s little sister is completely off-limits thing? Wait.” Piper’s little pushes and pulls have started to untangle a memory for me. “I think I have something.”

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