Page 33 of Story Of My Heart

I scribble out my thoughts, trying to use penmanship that Piper would be proud of, and toss my contribution into the bowl. While I’d like nothing more than to take Piper and her wonderful new dress into a private corner, Fallon has of course continued to coordinate events and has scheduled a full night of games. There is more cornhole set up outside in the sand volleyball pit, which neither myself nor Piper are terribly excited to repeat, a ring toss game that Piper is so good at that Fallon politely asks her to step away for a while so other people have a chance, and a ring hunt. Candy rings have been hidden all over the restaurant, and whoever finds the most wins a prize. I wasn’t really listening when Fallon went over the rules, not intending on getting too competitive over it. I find one strawberry ring hidden on the railing along the patio, and pocket it quickly, knowing that it’s Piper’s favorite flavor.

She beams at me when I present it to her with all the pomp and circumstance of a Tiffany’s box, and she makes a show of sliding it along her finger to display to all who can see it. Before I can unpack exactly how my heart swoops when I watch her put my ring on her finger, even though it’s made entirely of plastic and high fructose corn syrup, Fallon taps against the rim of her glass with a butter knife, calling everyone to order so Gibson and Avery can start reading from the memory bowl. I sit down next to Piper, averting my gaze from the candy jewelry that keeps making me think things I shouldn’t be thinking.

Avery and Gibson take turns reading their slips of paper, and I find myself starting to drift away, my thoughts returning to the app, and the punch list for the resort, and the million and one things I have to do when I get back home. Then, Gibson’s words start to sound familiar, and I realize he’s reading my slip.

“I remember when Gibson was young, and used to go out on the lake with all the other hormone-riddled, impulse-driven teenage boys to drink cheap beer and strut around like roosters.” Gibson looks over the paper, eyes scanning the crowd for my presence, and shakes his head at me with a wry smile. “Avery went out there a couple of times, always having to duck and hide from Aiden, or else he’d scoop her up over his shoulder and drag her all the way back to their front porch. One night, Aiden gets grounded for flunking out of Algebra II, and Avery finds herself out on the prowl with a gaggle of girlfriends, without the looming specter of big brother. Some junky little frat rat down for the weekend on Daddy’s dime from the twin cities starts getting a little too personal with Avery, and Gibson comes out of the night like a bolt of vengeance, rattling that future hedge fund manager by both of his popped collars until he begs for mercy, scrambling away with the last bits of his dignity tucked into his khakis. Gibson wiped away her tears, and told her that from that night forward, he would never let anything happen to her. Ever. No matter what. I guess Aiden fell under the ‘no matter what’ umbrella, but can you blame him? We’ve all seen Avery’s smile. Now they have the rest of their lives to take care of each other.”

Gibson gives me a firm nod, swiping at his eye with the back of his hand, before Avery moves onto the next slip of paper in the bowl. Piper leans her head against my shoulder, starting to feel the effects of all the bubbly we’ve been rapidly pouring into our bloodstreams.

“That was beautiful,” she sighs, nuzzling against me. “For once, you understood the assignment.”

I brush her hair over one shoulder. “I used the WWPS method to craft it.”

She gazes up at me. “Huh?”

“You know.” I plant a soft kiss on the top of her head, slipping my arm around her and bringing her tighter against me. “What would Piper say?”

At this moment, the weight of how much I depend on Piper crashes into me like a relentless wave. A truth I’ve dodged, downplayed in my own mind to avoid confronting how deeply she’s woven into the very fabric of my being. But now, feeling the warmth of her body pressed against mine, I can’t ignore it. Surviving without her now? No fucking way. She’s the anchor in my chaotic world, the one whose mere presence calms the stormiest parts of my soul. Even as I play the role of her protector, Piper holds me together, giving my life a semblance of normalcy I’ve desperately craved but never thought I deserved. Now that I see this—feel this—I can’t unsee it. The fake lines blur, and the reality that I need her, genuinely and profoundly, is terrifyingly clear.

Her irises dilate as I lick my lips.

“You’re the best fake boyfriend ever. Anyone ever told you that?”

Fake boyfriend. Fake silk. Fake ring.

I keep reminding myself that it’s fake. So why does it feel so real?

Every second with Piper in this pretense, I’m going to savor like the last golden rays of a perfect sunset. For this moment in time, I’m allowed to pretend she’s mine—truly and completely. This façade, these moments we’re stealing under everyone’s noses, they ignite a fire of longing within me that I’m struggling to contain. As long as we’re here, enveloped in the deceptive tranquility of the lake and whispering pines, I’ll let myself believe in the lie that she could ever truly belong to me. The harsh truth awaits outside these bounds, where the real world doesn’t care for the fleeting wishes of a man too used to hiding his heart. But until then, until the last ember of this make-believe burns out, I’ll hold her close, breathe her in, and let myself dream that maybe, just maybe, it doesn’t have to end.

Just as we’re about to get another glass of champagne, a familiar voice calls out, freezing us both. “Tate? Is that really you?”

Turning around, I spot Jamie, my childhood nemesis, making his way toward us, a sheepish grin plastered on his face. He’s changed since the last time I saw him, the edges of his personality seemingly softened by time. Yet, the memories of past embarrassments linger in the air between us, tinged with the sharpness of old hurts.

“ Jamie,” I say cautiously, the name feeling foreign on my lips. Stepping away from Piper, I mouth a quick, ‘I’m sorry’. I could introduce her to him, but protecting her is more important. I have no idea which way this interaction is going to go. “It’s been a long time.”

He stops a few feet away, shuffling awkwardly on his feet. “Yeah, it has. Look, I... I’ve been meaning to talk to you. I heard you were back in town.”

The moment hangs heavy, the sounds of the lake night suddenly too loud, the rustling leaves, the distant laughter from the barge. Piper watches from the railing overlooking the water, her presence a silent pillar of support.

“I wanted to say I’m sorry, Tate. For that birthday mess years ago. I was a real jerk. It’s haunted me for a long time,” Jamie confesses, his eyes not quite meeting mine.

I take a deep breath, the years peeling back in the weight of his words. “It was a rough day,” I admit, allowing a small smile to break through the tension. “But it’s in the past now. Water under the bridge. Thanks for apologizing, though. It means a lot.”

He nods, relief washing over his features. “I’m glad I could finally say it. You’ve done well for yourself, huh? Living down in the cities?”

“Trying to.” I glance over at Piper with a warmth that fills the chilly night air. “We all grow up, eventually.”

Jamie laughs, a genuine, rueful sound. “That we do. Well, I won’t keep you. It was good to see you, Tate. Really.”

“Good to see you too, Jamie.”

As he walks away and I rejoin Piper, she looks up at me, her eyes alight with pride. “Everything okay?”

I slide a piece of hair behind her ear. “That was Jamie. Remember me telling you about him?”

“Yeah, and how much that day so long ago hurt you.”

“He apologized. And I think he meant it.”

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